Mad Mike's rotary McLaren named 2025 Haltech Hero of the Year
Public vote closed 31 Jan 2025; Blaine Johnson's 4000 hp Hemi Dodge Dart was runner-up.
Haltech named Mad Mike Whiddett's rotary-powered McLaren drift car, dubbed the Mad Mac, as its 2025 Haltech Hero of the Year. It was the New Zealand driver's first win in the competition, although his rotary builds had been strong contenders in previous years. Blaine Johnson's 4,000 hp Noonan Hemi-powered Pro257 Dodge Dart, The Super Dart, was runner-up after a close vote.
The Haltech Heroes program features notable Haltech-equipped cars over the year, with the overall winner chosen by public vote. Other 2025 contenders included Steve Cox's Group B-inspired Audi Quattro rally car from New Zealand, Jason Waye's RB25-powered Ford Cortina sports sedan, Haltech president Nathan Clark's supercharged LS Ghostbusters Ecto-1 replica, Jason Ferron's 900 hp Barra-powered Nissan Skyline R31 wagon drift car and Anthony Maatouk's record-setting RB-powered drag car The Don.
Voting closed on 31 January 2025, and Haltech said the winner of an iC-7 dash prize would be notified by email by 3 February.