More Kiwi V Aussie Action?

press release

Closer ties between the New Zealand and Australian karting fraternities are likely in the wake of a successful trip by a group of Kiwi KZ2 class competitors to the big Horsepower Heaven kart meeting in Melbourne over the October 31/November 01 weekend.

Recently re-crowned Steward Motors New Zealand Shifter Series KZ2 champion Ryan Grant (pic, right - photowagon) was the dominant force in the KZ2 class over the weekend, qualifying quickest and winning both heats as well as the Pre-Final and Final.

But far from being put out by his form, or that of compatriots Graeme Smyth, Richard Moore and Steve Brown, the Australians were eagerly enquiring about crossing the Tasman to try and even up the score.

"They're certainly keen," says KartSport New Zealand executive member Graeme Moore. "It's really just a matter of coming up with an event or events that suit."

KZ2 is one of KartSport's premier gearbox (or Shifter) categories and the races at the Melbourne meeting attracted a 20-strong field of Australian drivers supplemented by four Kiwis - Ryan Grant, Graeme Smyth, Richard Moore and Steve Brown - and Scottish champion Daniel Borton.

Australian category specialist Bart Price turned out to be the best of the local bunch, ending up sharing the KZ2 podium with Grant and Borton.

Smyth joined Ryan Grant on the front row of the grid in the 20-lap Final only to come off second best in a clash with eventual runner-up Price with two laps to go while Moore - who started the Final from P6 on the grid - suffered a similar fate on lap 11, the pair unfortunately ending up watching the rest of the race from the sidelines.

Above: Graeme Smyth & Ryan Grant
pic - Fast Company/Championship Digital

Steve Brown was also out of luck, rolling a chain off on just the second lap.

Despite that all four were upbeat, both about the meeting and the prospect of 'Closer Karting Relations' with their Australian cousins.

"For me personally, " said Brown, "the highlight was getting within six-tenths of Ryan's best time and starting the Final from 11th spot in the grid. For someone who's 42 and who usually races in the Masters that was mega. For me as president of the Formula 125 S club it was the whole thing, Ryan winning, Graeme and Richard running with the top Aussies and the Aussies welcoming us and wanting to know all about what we're doing at home. Even the Scottish guy, Daniel; you know you hear about these guys and you think man he must be good, or it must be good over there in Britain yet he comes down here, sees what we're doing and says, 'I've got to get to New Zealand and run against this guy Ryan Grant!'

From Grant's perspective the meeting could hardly have gone better, his win completing some unfinished business which started in 2003.

"That was the year," he says," when we first took a KZ2 kart over there, to a round of a series they had at Geelong. I qualified quickest and won the heats on Saturday but it rained on Sunday and I ended up second to Justin Ruggier in both the Pre-Final and Final."

The plan now is to work with the Australians on the first reciprocal visit, possibly as early as next year's CIK Trophy of New Zealand meeting in Wellington in February.

After that, says Brown, the local Formula 125 S club (which organises the annual Steward Motors Shifter Series) will look at getting some Australian drivers across to at least one of their 2010 meetings.

Then it will be time to start planning for the 2010 Horsepower Heaven meeting.

"There won't be just the four of us going next year either," says Brown. "The boys over here all followed the meeting on MyKart (the New Zealand karting fraternity's internet forum) and they were buzzing so I think you'll see a lot more going next year!"

Also keen to cross the Tasman again is Morrinsville driver Tyler Richardson who competed in the Formula 100 Light class at the Horsepower Heaven meeting. After qualifying 15th then having a torrid run (13, 21 and dnf) through the heats he worked his way up to 11th place in the Pre-Final then from 11 to sixth place in the Final.

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