A tribute ceremony was held in Parkes on Wednesday for one of the town’s most successful sports people, multiple Australian karting champion, John Pizzaro.
“I had the great honour of attending a tribute ceremony for motor sport champion and long-term member of Rotary and Parkes Antique Motor Club, Mr John Pizzaro OAM” Philip Donato MP posted on social media.
A ‘Star of Parkes’ award was presented to John at the Parkes Motor Museum and included one of his karts and several trophies.
A number of speakers addressed the assembled guests who travelled from near and far.
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Some of John’s achievements include:
- A racing career that spanned over 30 years,
- 15 Australian Championship titles across several classes,
- Raced overseas, winning the CIK Asia-Pacific Championship,
- Competed in five World Championships
- Was team mate to two of the greats of world karting – Terry Fullerton and Ayrton Senna.
- Set the track record at the Japan go-kart Grand Prix,
- Has never raced anything but karts, choosing to focus on the entry level race category and get the most out of it.
- Inducted into Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2017, together with Sir Jack Brabham and other Motorsport legends.
- One of the earliest Parkes Sportsman of the Year
- Multiple Rotary Paul Harris Fellow
- Awarded OAM in 2019
- Designed, manufactured and sold 2500 “Sprinter” Go Karts from his premises in Parkes.
- Many current Motor Racing “Champions” started their careers in a “Sprinter” Kart
- The sport created the perpetual John Pizarro Trophy, awarded to the champion of KZ2 class
- A NSW Track Inspector for Karting Australia.
- Involved in the design and/or accreditation of many Kart tracks including Numurkah; Dubbo; Orange; Grenfell; Raleigh; Port Macquarie; Griffith; Wagga Wagga.
“Congratulations on a lifetime of outstanding achievements, John.”
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