SHANE HURNDELL Crikey! Here at SportToday we don't want to be accused of being public relations managers for Hawke's Bay karter Maddison Wise. But strolling to his gazebo seems to be a familiar trek whenever we head out to the Hawke's Bay Karting Club's Roys Hill headquarters. It was a justified trek yetagain after the weekend's Confederation of International Karting meeting ended yesterday. Wise, 11, who has only been a junior restricted class driver for nine months finished third overall in the nine-strong class at the meeting where all class winners gained automatic entry to race internationally. ``I'm more than happy with that as both of the drivers who beat me will move out of the class after the Easter nationals in Hamilton,' said Wise, referring to Auckland winner Aaron Wilson and Marlborough second placegetter Brook Reeve. ``The future is looking good for me in this class,' said last year's national cadet class champion, who could have stayed in the cadet class until he turned 12. The Taradale Intermediate School Year 7 student can stay in the junior restricted class until he is 14. While his next outing will be in Palmerston North later this month, Wise will race in as many Hamilton club days as possible as part of his quest for a top-three finish at the nationals. His Hawke's Bay clubmate Zach Zaloum displayed why he is the country's 2NZ in the Rotax Heavies class when he finished second in a five-strong field. Cadet class driver Mitchell Turner was the other Bay driver to record a top-three finish at the meeting which attracted 91 drivers from throughout the country. A late passing move saw Turner secure third place in his final after he had held fourth spot for most of the race. Canterbury's Mathew Hamilton, who won two national titles last year and previously raced in the Toyota Series, took out the glamour Yamaha Lights class.
