Photo: Chris Cox leads Andrew Errington It's National Schools' Championship time again for the country's school-age karters, the KartSport Nelson club and Waimea College hosting the eighth annual KartSport New Zealand-sanctioned event at Nelson's Radio Nelson Kart Raceway this weekend.
Drivers compete for School honours in two categories, Secondary and Primary/Intermediate, with 17 schools represented, nine chasing the Secondary title, eight the Primary/Intermediate one.
The three-day (Friday July 09 to Sunday July 11) event has attracted 110 entries from Helensville (north-west of Auckland ) in the north to Mosgiel in the south.
Last year, when the event was held in the Hawke's Bay, Christchurch karters Chris Cox and Andrew Errington claimed the Secondary Schools prize for St Andrews College for a second year in a row.
This year though, the school is not fielding a team, leaving the way open for teams from - amongst others - former title holders Palmerston North Boys High School (Josh Drysdale, Scott Blummont and Travis Day) and Waimea College (Charlie English, Jamie Smith, Jason Lovell, Shaun Campbell and Teniell Rasmussen), the Nelson area's other Secondary School teams section contender, Garin College, (Mat Butchart, Andrew and Georgia Goodman and Taylor Forbes), and the highly-rated Cambridge High School (Luke Cameron and Andy Schofield).
Two drivers who are returning to defend their school's honour are reigning Primary/Intermediate title holders Dylan Drysdale and Jacob Cranston from Newbury School near Palmerston North.
Trying to wrest that title off them will be Feilding Intermediate School 's Thomas Ingram and James Webb, Taradale Intermediate's Maddie Wise and Jakob Flynn, and Chisnallwood Intermediate's Jacob Mitchell, Jordan McDonnell, Bailey Paterson and Tyler McPherson.
Since the inaugural event in Auckland in 2003 the New Zealand (Secondary) Schools title has been held by five schools, Auckland's Rangitoto College (2003) and St Kentigern College (2004 and 2007), Christchurch's St Andrews College (2008 and 2009), Palmerston North Boys High (2005) and this year's host school, Nelson's Waimea College, (2006).
A special feature of the popular annual Schools' event is the Bruce McLaren KartSport Awards.
Racing great Bruce McLaren was a talented driver and engineer who helped put New Zealand on the world motor racing map. Class winning drivers who currently attend Secondary School, or are in Year 9 or Year 10 at a Middle School will be eligible for a Bruce McLaren KartSport Award.
To receive a Bruce McLaren KartSport Award winning drivers must first produce a project on the career, achievements and values demonstrated by Bruce McLaren during his life and, together with the assistance of the Bruce McLaren Trust and KartSport New Zealand , make a presentation of their project to their fellow students.
Action at KartSport Nelson's Radio Nelson Kart Raceway begins with official practice on Friday with racing on Saturday and Sunday. Three class titles will be contested each day, Junior Restricted 100cc Yamaha, Junior 100cc Yamaha and 125cc Rotax Max Light on Saturday, and Cadet, Formula Junior and 100cc Yamaha Light on Sunday.
