Karting: Brothers lap up home-track chance

Rotorua brothers Logan, 9, (left) and Blake Evans, 10, will race in the North Island Sprint Championships this Labour Weekend in Rotorua. Photo / Stephen Parker

Whenthe Evans brothers hit the track this Labour Weekend they'll have an added advantage.

Local knowledge.

Rotorua brothers Blake, 10, and Logan, 9, have been racing karts since they were 6, travelling all over the country with their parents to race the top events.

But this weekend things will be different. The North Island Sprint Championships will come to them.

KartSport Rotorua hosts its biggest karting event in history starting today at The Rock FM Raceway near Mamaku.

The $3.5 million track officially opened in March 2012 with the goal of hosting big national and international events such as the North Island Sprint Championships.

That comes as good news for the Evans brothers.

Both drivers currently hold lap records on the track in their respective classes, and can't wait to get going this weekend.

Blake, who is currently the New Zealand No2 in his class (Cadet Raket), said he would be gunning for his first North Island title today.

"It would be good to get that under my belt. So hopefully we can win it," he said.

Blake said one of the reasons he loved racing on the Rotorua track was because of the long straights, which can see him hit speeds of nearly 90km/h.

Blake said he didn't get too nervous hitting those speeds, it was more the competitive nature of racing which could make him anxious.

"I kind of get nervous in the finals where there is a thin line between winning and losing."

The track in Rotorua is recognised as the longest and widest in the Southern Hemisphere. No wonder then, it has helped attract the biggest karting field seen at a KartSport New Zealand event in about a decade.

This weekend about 190 drivers will compete for North Island titles across 12 classes.

The racing classes feature drivers as young as 6 up to adults. The drivers in the top classes can hit speeds of 160km/h.

Organisers have encouraged locals to get down to the track, on Amoore Rd, during the next three days to see the state-of-the-art facility in full use.

"This is a great opportunity for local people to see what a fantastic facility we have," said event convenor Brent Hatton.

"It truly is world-class."