Kart sport: Biggest event on the 2019 KartSport Bay of Plenty calendar set to get under way this weekend

ProKart Series leader Daniel Bray out in front of the big KZ2 field during the opening round at Palmerston North. Photo / Fast Company/Vicky Jack

The headline event on the 2019 KartSport Bay of Plenty calendar will be raced this weekend.

The Te Puke Auto Electric Raceway is hosting round three of the Toyota Racing ProKart Series, bringing strong fields and some of New Zealand's best kart racers to the 725-metre Alley Rd circuit for two days of competition.

There will be six categories in action with the 125cc, six-speed gearbox KZ2 machines providing the fastest lap times and unique standing starts.

The series also includes a KZ2 Masters category (drivers 40+) and the KZ4 class for a restricted carburettor version of the 125cc racers.

The other half of the ProKart action is delivered by 125cc Rotax Max classes with drivers competing for an all expenses-paid drive at the annual Rotax World Finals, to be staged in October at Sarno, Italy.

Two rounds of the ProKart series have already been completed at the Palmerston North and Rotorua tracks and the series reaches its half-way point this weekend. Fields have been strong with more than 80 drivers contesting the Rotorua event in March including a 26-strong grid for the KZ2 racing.

The early season racing has been closely contested and just a single point separates first and second in both the KZ2 and Rotax Max Light categories.

The KZ2 points leader is Auckland-based international racer Daniel Bray with 178 points leading fellow Aucklanders Mathew Kinsman on 177 and Graeme Smyth on 175.

Rotax Max Light is led by Hamilton's Fynn Osborne on 178 points ahead of Ryan Grant (Auckland) on 177 and Michael McCulloch (Kapiti) 176.

The driver with the most comfortable lead after two rounds is Aucklander Jared Mackenzie who has won both KZ2 Masters events and holds an 11 point lead over Andrew Hunt (Auckland).

The leading Bay competitor in the series is Darren Walker, who leads the Rotax Max Heavy class after a third place finish at the Palmerston North series opener and a runner-up result at Rotorua.

There will be action on track both days with qualifying and at least two rounds of heats for each class from 10am on Saturday. The last rounds of heat races, pre-finals and class finals will be raced on Sunday.