Should Johnathan Pearson achieve his goal in this weekend's Confederation of International Karting meeting at Roys Hill expect Rhod "Doc" Murray to be among the first people he thanks.
"While I've been interested in karting since I was 6, Doc got me into racing in 2000 and he's been my main sponsor since 2002," said Pearson.
The Karamu High School 15-year-old is one of hundreds the popular Hastings GP has introduced to karting as part of a "it's better to race on the track than on the road" campaign.
Needless to say Murray will sport one of his huge grins if Pearson finishes among the top five in a nine-strong KZ 2 class where he is the only Bay starter.
"A podium finish would be a bonus as there are no easy opponents at this meet," said Pearson.
He's not wrong. Because class winners gain automatic entries to international meets, the country's best will be on display.
In Pearson's class where the karts are powered by 125cc engines with a six-speed gear box Auckland's 1NZ Ryan Grant and 3NZ Graeme Smith, Wellington's Karl Wilson and Taranaki's Michael Kiser are all capable of earning the right to race overseas.
"I've raced against all of them apart from Ryan and have never beaten them. I got my kart off Graeme a year ago," said Pearson.
He has done two major meetings with the kart - the Tauranga street race back in November when he finished fourth in a 24-strong field and Hawke's Bay's Blossom meet back in September when he was fifth in a 12-strong class.
"One of my advantages is that, because I'm younger than most of my opponents who are adults, I'm smaller and lighter," said Pearson.
"I'm also reasonably fit because I play hockey and soccer in the winter."
A multiple Hawke's Bay Karting Club champion, Pearson, won the club's Johnny Harrison Memorial 30-lap race last year.
"I led from the first corner and it was good to win it because the likes of Greg Murphy and Ashley Stichbury have won it in the past," Pearson said, referring to the club's most famous products.
"I want to try and retain it this year and try and complete the double with the Ray Wilson Memorial 30 lapper.
"I almost did it last year but I had engine mount trouble."
Pearson will be one of 95 drivers in action this weekend.
Among the nine starters in the KF 3 class are Aucklander Arie Hutton who recently competed in Macau, Canterbury's 2NZ Chris Cox and Aucklander Daniel Kinsman.
Hawke's Bay's Mitchell Turner will be among the fancied starters in the 16-strong cadet class after his win at Auckland's City of Sails meeting last weekend.
Manawatu's Dylan Drysdale is another capable of a podium finish.
Hawke's Bay's Maddison Wise will have plenty of hot competition in a 10-strong junior restricted class. Canterbury's Jordan McDonnell, Manawatu's Josh Drysdale, Aucklander Aaron Wilson and Waikato's Rhys Tinney have all arrived in the Bay with big reputations.
Cox will also be racing in a 25-strong junior class where he is the 1NZ. His toughest competition is expected to come from Wellington's Stephen Taylor and Aucklander Levi Madsen Prinn.
Hawke's Bay's 2NZ Zach Zaloum will come up against Canterbury's 1NZ Hamish Cross in the seven-strong Rotax Heavies class. Steve Halpin will be the host club's other hope in this class.
Zaloum and Jacob Ross will be the Bay's reps in a 19-strong Yamaha Lights class where Canterbury's Matthew Hamilton will be the driver to watch. Hamilton won two national titles last year and previously raced in the Toyota Series.
All drivers will have practice drives tomorrow and then race on Saturday and Sunday.
KARTING - Podium finish bonus for driver
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