Australian karters are eligible to compete in the three-round ‘ROK Vegas’ series in New Zealand that will earn a Senior and a Junior driver a ticket to the ROK Vegas event in the United States.
Commencing at Manawatu in March, the series will utilise a pool of sealed Vortex SV ‘arrive-and-drive’ lease engines (the same engine that’s used at the FIA Arrive-and-Drive World Cup). These will be balloted to each competitor and, in the interest of parity, exchanged partway through each round.
Those who might be interested in competing need to submit an Expression Of Interest via the Kartsport New Zealand website – see HERE.
The events:
- Round 1: March 7-8, Manawatu (in conjunction with NZ Kartstars R2)
- Round 2: April 3-5, Rotorua (in conjunction with NZ Nationals & Kartstars R3)
- Round 3: September 19-20, Hamilton (in conjunction with NZ Kartstars R4)
More info via the KNZ article, below.
from Kartsport New Zealand
Three-round ‘ROK Vegas’ SV Engine Series announced
With the direct support of OTK Group Italy and Australia, plus Supreme Karts here in New Zealand, KartSport New Zealand is excited to announce the launch of a three-round ROK Vegas Series, running the Vortex SV engine in a Junior and Senior class. This is the same engine as used in the FIA Arrive & Drive World Cup, where kiwis Zach Tucker and Tommy Hart finished first and second respectively. The winner of each class will win an arrive and drive package (including kart and engine) for the 2026 ROK Vegas event.
Better yet – this series will feature sealed, arrive and drive engines, with an exchange system in place. After each day’s competition, the engines of the top five competitors will be removed and exchanged randomly with five drivers outside of the top five in event standings, ensuring an incredibly even platform for all.
The series will take place as part of the Hampton Downs NZ Racing Academy Kartstars Series, through rounds two, three and four in Manawatu, Rotorua and Hamilton. The racing format will mirror that of all other classes racing at the event.
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The Vortex SV is a 125cc water cooled engine, with 15,000 max RPM, featuring a tunable Tillotson carburettor and electric TaG start. Engines will be supplied directly from OTK Group and Supreme Karts via a lease package, with both individual round and discounted series leases available. The class weights for both Junior and Senior will be 3kg heavier than the current Vortex DVS classes, to allow for the extra battery and accessories.
Hampton Downs NZ Racing Academy Kartstars series organiser Regan Hall spoke positively about the opportunity presented to the series and KartSport New Zealand by OTK Group.
“The Hampton Downs NZ Racing Academy Kartstars series has always been focused on moving the sport forward and creating exciting opportunities for competitors. When Troy came to us with the idea, after careful consideration, we could see obvious benefits, especially the ability to offer another two international opportunities for winning drivers. We look forward to evaluating the success of the series and the further promotion of ROK classes within the series.
Equally, OTK Australia Manager Troy Hunt was excited to see their proposal come to fruition.
“We’re proud to be expanding our involvement in New Zealand karting through direct factory support from Vortex, driven by a genuine commitment to strengthening the sport and nurturing local talent. The Vortex SV engine has delivered success on the international stage, and after seeing the performances of Zach Tucker and Tommy Hart at the Arrive & Drive World Cup, we wanted to create an opportunity that helps the next New Zealand driver take the next step toward the highest level of the sport.”
As mentioned in various communications, KartSport New Zealand is currently in the mist of a sport-wide engine and class review process, with an Engine Review Committee formalized and operating featuring some of New Zealand’s most experienced competitors. For the committee, this is an exciting opportunity to evaluate the SV engine in a real-world scenario.
“Vortex presented the SV engine for early consideration as part of their presentation to clubs at last year’s National Conference, giving delegates an insight to the product available from them. This series gives the Engine Review Committee an equal opportunity to review the SV engine along with the other products presented at the conference of Clubs, this is extremely beneficial to the review process and highly cost effective compared to other testing methods” commented ERC Chair and KartSport New Zealand President, Brent Melhop
Further details will continue to roll out regarding the series through the coming weeks. An early Expressions of Interest form is available here for those wishing to potentially acquire an engine lease package and compete in the series: https://www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/492861
The current DVS classes will still be offered at all Hampton Downs NZ Racing Academy Kartstars events, subject to standard entry requirements. The SV classes will not compete for a National Sprint or Grand Prix championship.
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