By Jeanette Smyth, KartSport Auckland
Auckland Anniversary weekend (Jan 27-29) will see Kartsport Auckland’s annual event, The Lascom Motorsport City of Sails 2-Day Challenge, kick off the club’s karting calendar for 2018 on Saturday and Sunday.
For the second year running this event will also be the first round of the New Zealand ROK Cup NZ Series.
The ROK Cup has two classes; Cadet ROK – drivers aged 7-11yrs and Vortex Mini ROK – drivers aged 9-13yrs. At the end of the series the Cadet winner will receive a new engine, while the winner of Vortex Mini ROK will be travelling to the ROK Cup International Final being held in Lonato, Italy.
Both classes are looking to be hotly contested at The City of Sails event with drivers travelling from as far afield as Wellington and Nelson. Current North Island Champion Jay Urwin from Tokoroa heads the field in Cadets and Manawatu’s Logan Manson is returning to defend his 2017 Mini ROK Series title.
In the other junior class, Junior Rotax – aged 12-17yrs – a top field has also been assembled. Headed by North and South Island champions, Ryan Crombie and William Exton, the local drivers will have to pull out all stops to reach the podium.
Senior classes include Clubsport 120, Rotax Light, Rotax DD2 and KZ2. Senior drivers range in age from 15 right up to close to 60 – although some of the more senior seniors will deny this.
Of the senior classes Clubsport 120 would be the slowest; however due to the parity of engines in this class it provides some of the closest and entertaining racing.
KZ2 is the quickest; 125cc water cooled engines with a six-speed gearbox. KZ2 is also the only class in karting that has a standing start – spectacular!
Racing at the City of Sails event will commence following practice runs at around 11.00am both Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday sees qualifying and two heats. Heat 3, Pre-Finals & Finals will be run on the Sunday.
Admission is free.
2018 ROK Cup NZ Calendar
Rnd 1: Jan 27-28 Lascom Motorsport City of Sails meeting Auckland
Rnd 2: March 30-April 01 NZ Sprint Championship meeting Rotorua
Rnd 3: June 03 WPKA Goldstar championship meeting Palmerston North
Rnd 4: July 14-15 NZ Schools Championship meeting Hawke’s Bay