Some of world’s best kart drivers for Carrs Bead

Press, 24 February 1988, Page 34

Some of world’s best kart drivers for Carrs Bead

Some of the world’s best kart drivers will appear at the Carrs Road raceway, Halswell, on Sunday to contest what has become the fastest and most hotly contested series of racing at the track in the past few years.

The Christchurch Kart Club, assisted by several sponsors, has brought to Christchurch top drivers from the United States, Australia and throughout New Zealand for the racing.

The racing championship series will be over five races for each of the five classes at the meeting. Most closely contested will be the senior (over 16) international series. Kyle Konzer, the United States champion, is confident he will be at the top of the podium at the end of the meet. His recent form indicates this, but Matt Melby, the all-round champion from America, won the

series last year and has been practising aggressive driving, so Konzer may not get things all his own way.

Lisa Braybrook, the top female kart driver in the world, also from the United States, will be aiming at beating the men in what is a male-dominated sport and with a strong motor-sport following in her family will have to be watched by the men. At 23, she has won many state titles. Her father is well known in drag car circles and more recently speedway sprint cars. Darryl Tomer, from Adelaide, will also be gunning for the win. The only competitors he likes are the ones behind him, and with the Australian title under his belt, he has the experience to do well. As well as the good overseas contingent, several New Zealand drivers from out of Christchurch are

travelling to prove a point. Auckland is well represented with its top driver, Kerry Rowe, racing. Rowe has been racing for more than 20 years and still likes to match it with the younger drivers. Palmerston North has a large representation. Ray Hart is still the top there and is coming down with Mike Dickens, the New Zealand champion. Dunedin’s Michael Wallace, Palmerston’s Richard Egecumbe and Peter Day will also be pedalling hard for the win. Canterbury drivers who are likely to do best are Nigel Wilkinson and - Damien French. These two have been racing wheel to wheel for months and have put up some very spirited results. When word went ■ around the country that three top juniors (12-16 years) from Australia would compete in that class, entries quickly rolled in from Auckland.

Lucas Scott, Dale Verrail, Shaun Brown and Brendon Smith will be representing the country against the South Australian champions, Adrian Morris, Phillip Morrison and Shane Atkinson.

Christchurch’s top junior driver will have both the pressure from the Australians and the Aucklanders on him to do well in this event.

In the midget class, Christchurch’s number one, Mark Coulbeck, will have to deal with New Zealand’s top six-to-12-year-old, Jason Richards, of Nelson, plus Hamilton’s Simon Nathan and Auckland’s Jamie Bryant. As well as the five heats for each class, there will be two grand prix events. The first will be for the juniors, the title open for grabs as Brent Collinson who holds the title is now a senior. The senior grand prix, over 20 laps, will be tough on drivers and machines as both will probably have covered 60 laps to the track already. Racing will be tight throughout the day, with 30 events being held in five hours.