Photo: Andy SchofieldTop New Zealand karters Daniel Kinsman, Aarron Cunningham and Andy Schofield crossed the Tasman this week to contest this year's Sparco Rotax Nationals at Queensland's Willowbank Racing Complex near Ipswich over the weekend.
The event has attracted a star-studded entry across all the key Rotax classes spearheaded by Australia's top Rotax category racers David Sera (who has won the Lights title at the Nationals four times now including for the past three years), compatriot Luke Varley and Estonian karting champion Mario Vendla.
Vendla finished second in the 125cc Rotax Max Light class at the Rotax category's annual 'Grand Final' meeting in Egypt last year and with Kinsman, Cunningham and Schofield adds a strong international element to the annual Australian event.
Aucklander Kinsman has only recently graduated to the Senior ranks after a stellar career as a Junior, one which netted him - amongst other awards - the New Zealand Junior 100cc Yamaha title in 2009 and both the New Zealand Formula Junior and North Island Junior Yamaha ones in 2008.
He currently lies sixth overall in the Gen-i Kartstars 2010 Rotax Max Challenge of New Zealand 125cc Rotax Max Light class points standings.
Cunningham, also from Auckland and the older brother of World Karting Champion Wade and New Zealand kart and Toyota Racing Series champion Mitch Cunningham, is also sixth in the points standings in his class - 125cc Rotax Max Heavy.
Meanwhile, Cambridge driver Schofield, who this weekend will compete in the 125cc Rotax Max 145kg class, won the North Island Junior 100cc Yamaha title in 2009 and currently leads the points standings in the Formula Junior class in this year's Gen-i Kartstars Rotax Max Challenge of New Zealand.
This year is the third that the annual Australian Rotax Nationals meeting has been hosted by the Ipswich Kart Club, the meeting attracting over 150 entries across seven classes with three Australian titles up for grabs.
Practice at the track began today with more tomorrow before qualifying on Saturday morning, the first of the class heats on Saturday afternoon then the Pre-Finals and Finals on Sunday.
