KEY POINTS:
Kartsport New Zealand's annual National Sprint Kart Championship is being held in Blenheim this weekend. About 244 entries have come in and five 2007 New Zealand champions - Mitch Cunningham, Nik Kiser, Simon Hunter, Matthew Hamilton and Tim VIckers - are to defend their titles. An all-expenses-paid trip for two to the Toyota All Japan Challenge Kart Event is up for grabs for the winner of the senior 100cc Yamaha Light class.
RAIKKONEN FOCUSED
Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen is hoping his team has overcome the fuel pump glitch that ruined his Australian Grand Prix. He believes the team will quickly get back on track and is focused on putting together a good display at round two of the championship at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The defending champion did gain one point at Albert Park thanks to the disqualification of Honda's Rubens Barrichello.
COMPOSITE TESTED
Although V8 supercar hierarchy have refused to admit it, it appears a composite rear panel was tested on a Commodore at the Australian Grand Prix. Teams want to use more composites as they reduce costs, construction times and make repairs easier. VE Commodores have composite fronts as the cars had to be shortened to meet wheelbase rules.
WRC ON TIGHT SCHEDULE
The race is on to get the WRC cars to Argentina in time for the fourth round of the championship. The quickest way to get all the equipment from Mexico to Villa Carlos Paz is overland across Mexico to the Pacific coast, a ship down the South American coast to Chile and a convoy over the Andes into Argentina. The rally starts on March 27.
DAYTONA BUYS AMA
Nascar has expanded into two-wheel racing. The Daytona Motorsports Group, headed by Jim Francis, son of Bill, the father of Nascar, has bought the Ama Superbike Series, including Motocross, Flat Track, Supermoto, Hillclimb and ATV racing series. Supercross and Arenacross have not been sold.
ROSSI GETTING CLOSE
MotoGP rider Valentino Rossi is closing in on Angel Nieto's tally of 90 race wins. He needs two more wins to equal Nieto but will still be a way off eclipsing Giacomo Agostini's record of 123 wins in all classes.
