These's a lot at stake at the final round of the 2007 Eaton Fluid Power 125cc Shifter Series at KartSport Auckland's The Pallet Company Raceway this weekend - two trips to the United States to compete at a meeting there in November for a start.
This year the winner of each class on the Shifter 'tour' wins a trip to the MG Tires Supernationals at the Sam Boyd Stadium circuit in Las Vegas in November, one of the biggest annual events on the US karting calendar.
'Shifter' Karts differ from 'Sprint karts' in that their engines are equipped with five or six-speed gearboxes and here in New Zealand the competition is split into motorcycle engined karts (which compete in the F125S class) and purpose-built engines from dedicated kart engine manufacturers (which compete in the KZ2 class).
The Eaton Fluid Power Shifter Series was set up by a group of Shifter kart enthusiasts who clubbed together under the Formula S KartSport banner to put together their own dedicated events.
Favourite to win the 2007 KZ2 title this weekend and with it one of the trips to the United States is Auckland's Ryan Grant. He leads the KZ2 points standings heading into this weekend's final round from Taranaki's Niklaus Kiser and young Auckland gun Graeme Smyth.
Favourite to win the F125S class, and the other trip, is another Auckland driver, Jason Lee, who heads the points standings from fellow Aucklanders Daniel Bray and Mark Swetman.
