17th February 2011

Stars spearhead bumper Rotax Challenge entry - from Kartsport NZ

Former class champions Matthew Hamilton (#9) and Josh Hart (#69) heading the field in one of the Rotax Max Light races at Palmerston North last year. Pic: Fast Company/Graham Hughes

Former class winners Paul Cameron and Ryan Urban head a bumper entry list for the opening round of this year’s Right Karts Kartstars Rotax Max Challenge of New Zealand in Palmerston North on Saturday.

Both former New Zealand champions as well as winners of the premier Rotax Max Light class in the annual multi-round Rotax Max Challenge of New Zealand series (Cameron in 2007, Urban in 2008 and 2009), the pair head a 50-strong entry across three Rotax classes at the big day/night Kart ‘n The Dark meeting at KartSport Manawatu’s Manawatu Toyota Raceway on Saturday.

Annual Rotax Max Challenge series are now run in over 60 countries around the world with national winners meeting at an annual Grand Challenge. The first was in Puerto Rico in 2000, the latest in November last year in Italy.

This year the Grand Final will be held at Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates with four places available for New Zealand drivers, the overall winner and runner-up in the premier Motorex Rotax Max Light class, the winner of Arai Junior Max and the winner of the the Masters (over 32 years) division with the Strata Networks Rotax Max Heavy class.

Last year was New Zealand’s best at the Grand Final with Josh Hart finishing second in the premier Rotax Max Senior class and Matthew Hamilton finishing third in DD2.

Prior to this the best result was kart-turned-car star Earl Bamber’s third in the Junior class when the Grand Final was held in the Canary Islands in 2004.

Cameron and Urban head an interesting mix of established stars and new faces in Motorex Rotax Max Light this year with fellow Aucklanders Kane Taylor and Daniel Kinsman likely challengers alongside New Plymouth’s Alex Geary, last year’s Rotax Max Junior class winner and New Zealand representative Andy Schofield and South Islanders Cody McMaster, Scott Downs and Tom Alexander.

In the Strata Networks Rotax Max Heavy class the expected return of last year’s winner Hamish Cross from Rangiora will set the benchmark with competition expected from Aucklanders Aarron Cunningham and Shane Hodgson.

With Andy Schofield and Tom Alexander both moving up to the Senior ranks the Arai Junior Max class has a fresh new look to it with Hawke’s Bay driver Maddison Wise set to take on Aucklanders Shaun Grocock, Christopher Sinclair and Reid Harker, as well as Josh Drysdale from the Manawatu.

Saturday’s opening series round is the first of six with subsequent rounds to be held at Tokoroa, Te Puke, Auckland, Hamilton and KartSport Rotorua’s new track in the Mamaku Ranges.

<b>CALENDAR</b>
Rnd 1 Feb 19 Manawatu Toyota Raceway Palmerston North
Rnd 2 March 12/13 Pinex Raceway Tokoroa
Rnd 3 March 26/27 Fagan’s Valley Raceway Te Puke
Rnd 4 July 30/31 Moselle Panel & Paint Raceway Auckland
Rnd 5 August 27/28 KartSport Hamilton Raceway Hamilton
Rnd 6 September 24/25 KartSport Rotorua Raceway Mamaku