Vintage karts modern success

Penny Gough, 52, Waipukurau, with her 1957 vintage kart at the NZ Vintage Kart Grand Prix at the weekend. Photo / Duncan Brown

Engines revved as more than 130 karts descended on Hawke's Bay at the weekend, for the inaugural NZ Vintage Kart Grand Prix.

Vintage Karting NZ president Mark Jenkinson said the CHEMZ Raceway in Fern Hill hosted the first vintage-only kart meeting to be held in New Zealand, with participants from as far afield as Tasmania.

Rather than competitive races, the meeting saw demonstration runs of the vintage karts.

"We've had people in their 70s participating today and we've also had kids as young as nine in the junior classes," he said.

"Vintage karting has been going on since [the 1980s] but in the last couple of years it grew exponentially.

"It's just a fantastic atmosphere."

Perhaps it was the 18 months of planning that went in to the meeting that landed Mr Jenkinson in hospital with an infection late last week.

Vintage Karts must be at least 25 years old and without plastic bodywork. Many are faster and lighter than modern karts.

V8 Supercar race driver Greg Murphy was one of the big names in action at the raceway. Mr Jenkinson said the star driver had been rapt with the event.

Mr Jenkinson planned to organise another New Zealand Grand Prix in Hawke's Bay in 2017 to coincide with his club's 50-year anniversary.