Major karting event in Te Puke this weekend

Auckland KZ2 racer Mathew Kinsman leading Wellington's Madeline Stewart during the 2018 KartSportNZ Nationals at Rotorua over Easter weekend. Photography InMotion / Greg Henderson

KartSport Bay of Plenty hosts the major event on its 2018 racing calendar this weekend at Fagans Valley Raceway near Te Puke.

Saturday and Sunday will see competitors in the Giltrap Group New Zealand Rotax Max Challenge and Molecule Pro Kart Series in action at the 725m Fagans Valley circuit at Alley Rd.

About 80 entries are expected across both series with competition resuming after the most recent rounds were held in challenging late-May weather conditions at KartSport Rotorua's Mamaku track.

Now in its 19th year, the Giltrap Group-backed New Zealand Rotax Max Challenge series has again attracted a talented group of karters of all ages who race in four categories chasing a spot on the Kiwi squad which attends the annual Rotax Grand Finals meeting.

This year the international final will be held at Conde in the Paraiba province of Brazil between November 24 and December 1.

After five rounds the DD2 class has seen Tuakau's Jono Buxeda build a handy 35-point lead over Kaleb Ngatoa (Marton) while the DD2 Masters class is led by Christchurch racer Mathew Hamilton with a slim two-point advantage over Fraser Hart (Palmerston North).

Rotax Competition also takes place in the Max Light category with Hawke's Bay racer Zac Stichbury nine points ahead of Ashton Grant (Auckland). The Rotax Junior class is led by Jackson Rooney (Palmerston North) who is 12 points ahead of Ryan Wood (Wellington) who has been on form, winning both rounds at Rotorua.

The Molecule ProKart series features the 125cc six-speed ''shifter'' karts that are the quickest racers competing in New Zealand sprint karting and provide the exciting spectacle of a standing start.

Drivers to watch for in the premier Lascom Motorsport KZ2 class include Auckland-based international Daniel Bray, who recently finished 10th equal in the CIK-FIA European KZ2 Championships after rounds in France and Italy.

Heading into this weekend's racing, Bray leads by a point from fellow Aucklander Mat Kinsman and 16-year-old young guns Matt Payne (Auckland) and Madeline Stewart (Wellington).

The ProKart Series includes a KZ2 Masters class (drivers over 40) and a KZ4 category for a more restricted version of the 125cc formula. Series promoter Steve Brown (Auckland) is the points leader in the KZ2 Masters Class and KZ4 honours are being fought out between Aucklanders Regan Hall and Garry Cullum.

The Te Puke event is the penultimate weekend of racing for both kartsport series.

Over the September 22-23 weekend, the Hamilton Kart Club will host the final round of ProKart racing and a double-header finale (rounds seven and eight) for the Rotax Challenge.