One of the strongest fields in recent years has been assembled for this year's KartSport New Zealand's SuperKart championship meeting being contested at Feilding's Manfeild motor racing circuit on Sunday January 09.
SuperKarts differ from Sprint karts in that they are designed and built to run on all-purpose motor racing circuits rather than dedicated kart ones.
The 6-speed gearbox-equipped 250cc Superkarts are also equipped with fairings, sidepods and rear wings to make them go faster and four wheel disc brakes to slow them down, resulting in speeds of up to 260km/h and lap times similar to 2-litre engined single-seater racing cars.
Sharing favourite status in the 10-strong field for the blue riband International class on Sunday are top local driver Wayne Sproston from Wellington and top Australian driver Gary Pegoraro from Melbourne.
Set to challenge them are Robin Wooldridge from Whangarei, Ryan Urban from Auckland and Karl Wilson from Wellington.
Supporting the International class is the National Superkart one with eight entries and two Rotax Max-based classes, Light and Heavy with 13 entries.
The Rotax classes cater for drivers from the Sprint classes - like reigning North Island 125cc Rotax Max Heavy champion Zack Zaloum from the Hawke's Bay - who want to race on a full-size circuit like Manfeild.
Drivers use the same karts and Rotax engines as they do at Sprint meetings but change the gearing and - if they want to - add larger, more aerodynamically effective nose cones and front fairings.
Zaloum is one of a number of well known names from the country's Sprint kart ranks set to contest a Rotax class at Sunday's meetings; others including former New Zealand 100cc Yamaha Light champion Alex Geary from New Plymouth, and Gen-i Kartstars Rotax Max Challenge of New Zealand series regulars Teddy Bassick from Taupo and Daryl Currie from Palmerston North.
Action at the Manfeild circuit starts at 10.00am.
