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Open Apology From The Kartsport Superstar


  17 June 2015
 

Open Apology Letter from Aarron Cunningham – Kartsport Superstar to stakeholders of Kartsport New Zealand

I am aware that my behaviour during the DD2 Masters final after my retirement due to gear failure at the recent Bay of Plenty round of the Rotax Max Challenge was unbecoming of a senior member of our karting family, let alone that of a Kartsport Superstar. I started the Aarron Cunningham – Kartsport Superstar page on Facebook as a parody of the worse parts of our sport; self-aggrandisement, celebration of mediocrity and the self-centredness that can catch us all out. I enjoyed writing for the page so much that it began to take a life of its own and my public persona began to be shaped around it, thought it appears that in the weekend I fell foul of one or more of these character flaws.

It is well known around the track that I wrote the recently unveiled Competitors Oath that is now read aloud at all of our biggest meetings. I wrote it at the behest of the National President and the executive who have wished to avoid the pitfalls that plague other sports and foster a recognition that although we are all competitors, we are all members of a like-minded community. I was also given the great privilege of writing several aspirational codes of conduct that weren't used to enforce penalties but instead provided a roadmap of how we should act both at the track and towards one another. 

Recently, my 3 year old son has grasped that there is much value in winning, though being three he does not grasp many of triumph’s moral intricacies. It was during one of these discussions at the track, I had the opportunity to offer a very unKartsport Superstar like piece of advice. “The nature of the victory is more important the victory itself.” I could tell by the blank, goofy smile on his beautiful face that he did not have any idea what I was talking about, yet I hope that one day he will. 

Aarron Cunningham – Kartsport Superstar was never meant to be a role-model though by default, it appears that I have become one. I have been told that when I threw my helmet, many young and impressionable members of our sport were watching me. I am also painfully aware that my actions were in complete contradiction to the final words of the oath that I wrote for us all:

"I recognize that although there can only be one winner  there can be many victories, success comes in many forms and for many different competitors and we will celebrate them all.  
I undertake that we shall compete with courage and honour, and in doing so uphold the ideals of true sportsmanship showing graciousness in defeat and humility in victory."

My actions did not celebrate any of our successes, nor did they show graciousness in defeat and I apologise unreservedly for them. Not only did they muddy the words of our oath, my actions were in conflict to the lessons that I hope to teach my son and I am angry at myself for my outburst. 

Despite my actions, I remain emotionally committed to the words of our oath and the spirit of fairplay, believing that these house something far more important than just our individual racing goals.

I will work harder to control myself during trying moments, presenting a better role-model for karting’s youth and upholding the valuable task that I was originally presented with.

Faithfully

Aarron Cunningham
Full Time Go-Kart Tyre Salesman/Part Time Kartsport-Superstar

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