Motorsport: Go-karts pack plenty of punch

Rotorua's Caleb Huston. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

If you think go-karting is simply what happens at a country fair, try watching local driver Caleb Huston.

The 14-year-old driver hits speeds of 120km/h while racing in the New Zealand Rotax Max Challenge junior class.

It is his first year racing the nationwide series for drivers 12 to 17, and he is ranked third overall after five rounds.

He tasted victory for the first time earlier this month, during the latest round in Hawke's Bay, and is still in the running to win the overall series.

The winner of the series will represent New Zealand at a worldwide karting event in Spain.

Caleb said his father, Rick Huston, got him into the sport about five years ago and he hadn't looked back.

"My dad use to race, he started racing about 10 or 15 years ago," he said. "Then I had my first go and it took me a while to get into it, but I got faster and started enjoying it and caught the bug."

Caleb said he hoped to do well at the last event of the series in Auckland next month.

"It will be pretty tough, everyone wants to go to Spain so I'll have to be aggressive and drive fast."

Caleb said he had learned a lot this year about how to get the most out of his 125cc go-kart.

"In the first couple of rounds I struggled a bit, I finished fifth and sixth, but I have kept moving forward and I feel I have learned a lot just in the last year racing."

For example, Caleb picked up on an understeer issue before the final in Hawke's Bay. Caleb, his dad and their team changed the axle on the go-kart and he ended up winning the final ahead of rivals Marcus Armstrong and Dylan Drysdale.

Series leader Armstrong has a good lead in the points standings this year, but has not won the series yet. Caleb can still catch him if he finishes well ahead of him in Auckland.

Fellow Rotorua Lakes High School student Ethan Anderson also competes in the series, and is further back in the standings.

Caleb said he really enjoyed racing and, a long way down the track, he would like to get involved with V8 racing or even Indy Cars.

The KartSport Rotorua track near Mamaku will host the North Island champs in October.

The high-profile event will feature plenty of classes and top drivers from across the North Island. Caleb said he was looking forward to the big event.