Australian Star Heads To Hamilton For Toyota Gazoo Racing ProKart Series

New Zealand’s leading karters will test themselves against top competition from across the Tasman in the third round of the Toyota Gazoo Racing New Zealand ProKart Series at KartSport Hamilton’s Porter Group Park track this weekend.

With the covid pandemic forcing a change to the ProKart schedule, organisers were able to secure back-to-back rounds at the outstanding Hamilton track in their revamped programme.

To add spice, organisers have lured two-time Australian KZ2 champion Josh Fife to New Zealand to compete. Fife won the opening round of the SP Tools Australian Karting Championship and is currently in fifth place overall, as he mixes his racing time with the Dunlop Super2 and S5000 racing in Australia.

KZ2 series leader, Daniel Bray (Mt Wellington) will lead the kiwi charge along with round two final winner Jackson Rooney (Manawatu) and Jason Lee (Auckland), plus rising stars Nathan Crang and Joshua Parkinson, both Mt Wellington club karters.

National schools champion Jay Urwin dominated the last round in Hamilton two weeks ago, and will take on a 24-strong field in Rotax Max Junior category where there will be plenty of competition from the likes of first round winner Kiahn Burt (Manawatu), Hawkes Bay tyro Tom Bewley, Manawatu’s Ashton Phipps and Bay of Plenty’s Mitchell Corin.

There is a smaller but classy field in Vortex Max ROK with category leader Zac Tucker who has again ventured north from Christchurch to do battle with in-form local Hamilton karter Miles Baker after the pair went toe-to-toe two weeks ago on the same track.

Auckland’s Connor Wilson claimed the overall honours in Hamilton earlier this month and will find the likes of Hamilton’s Tony Walker tough to beat in the KZ4, with promoter Steve Brown (Auckland) and Tokoroa’s Kevin Storr expected to do battle again in the KZ2 Masters.

Tuning runs are from 10am on Saturday and 9am on Sunday with racing from 11am on Saturday and 10am on Sunday.

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