Photo: Ryan UrbanRotax Max kart champions from throughout the world have gathered at the Ghibli Kart Raceway in Egypt this week to contest the annual Rotax Max Challenge Grand Final.
New Zealand's team of four Gen-i Rotax Max Challenge of New Zealand champions - Ryan Urban and Daniel Kinsman from Auckland, Matthew Hamilton from Christchurch and Paul Dunlop from Dunedin - are almost 216 drivers from 59 countries who have qualified to attend this year's Grand Final, the 10th organised by Austrian-based engine manufacturer Rotax.
Urban and Hamilton are among a number who have contested a Grand Final before, Urban last year, Hamilton in 2001.
Urban won a heat and finished third in the DD2 class Pre-Final last year only to be punted out of the Final early on by the eventual winner.
So far the best finish by a New Zealander therefore, was Wanganui driver Earl Bamber's third place in the Junior Final in 2004.
This year Urban is again contesting the DD2 (two-speed) class along with Paul Dunlop, with Matthew Hamilton competing in Rotax Max Senior and Daniel Kinsman in Rotax Max Junior.
Drivers and their supporters and team members have been in Egypt since the beginning of the week with testing on Tuesday, Qualifying on Wednesday and heat racing starting today (Thursday).
Friday brings the last of the heats in the morning and the repechage races in the afternoon before the Pre-Finals, Finals and prizegiving on Saturday.
