Sth Island grass kart champs- kindly penned by Bruce Roberts

SOUTH ISLAND GRASS KART CHAMPIONSHIP 2013

On the Wednesday before Easter, Lucy & I flew to Dunedin and drove

to Milton. From there we did the “tourist things”. We took in the sights on the

coast, Nugget Point was impressive, and we did the photos at Bluff etc.

We really enjoyed the greenery down there.

Once back in Milton, we began mixing with some of the karters who were also

staying in the same motel as us.

From the outset, we were impressed with the organisation. Friday

night was scrutineering of the karts at two (perhaps three) venues. This gave

us chance to get up close and observe some of the equipment.

I must say, it took me back 50 odd years. Not that they were presenting the

farm equipment-type gear we used to race, but the predominant display of aircooled

motorbike engines was something that had me “ooghing and arghing”.

On the Saturday, we attended day one of the 20th Anniversary of the

South Island Grass Kart Championships. In the south, there are ten grass

kart clubs form as far south as Invercargill, up, down and sideways to

Ashburton, Cromwell, Christchurch, Gore to name but a few. The kart

numbering system has the club number in front of the kart number, therefore

most karts carrying a three digit number.

Talk about a great set-up! Drive into what looks like a 30 acre paddock and

there are karts and tracks stretched out for miles. Someone mentioned 126

karts. Car tyres were laid out to outline the track for the day, six hundred

metres track length for day one, running anti-clockwise. Transponders had

been hired for the event, a pair of sensor wires had been mole-ploughed

under the start finish line and a “Timing Vehicle” was present. A set of traffic

lights formed the “X-mas tree” and one of those speed advisory devices (that

you see when entering into some towns, the sign indicates what speed you

are travelling at) was stationed at the end of the main straight. All very

professional- but certainly not over-the-top.

Just walking around the pits, one got the sense of “business”,

especially when one needed to side-step karts being driven through the array

of pit tents and vehicles. It could be likened to a tiny town with traffic. We

noted that while they didn’t have so many Cadet drivers, the ones that were

there were intent on preparation and racing. One of the kids had noticed me

speaking with his parents on more than one occasion, walked past me and

gave my leg a “back-hander”, looked up at me and said “I’m only five”!

Down there, they start at five years old IN A GEARBOX KART! They have a

huge range of classes, air cooled, water cooled, four stroke, two stroke, all the

way up to 500cc.

Rotax’s and Yamaha KT100’s are banned! Well, it seemed that way.

I noted that the Cadets turned in speeds of around 75 kph and the

fastest speed of 106kph was recorded was by a 500cc water cooled two

stroke powered machine.

One club had a number of karts presented with handlebars as steering

wheels, throttle control was via the motorbike type hand throttle, clutch was a

hand clutch lever on the opposite end of the handles, the brakes were on the

left foot pedal and the gear change was done with the right foot, all just like a

motorbike. While I was intrigued, I decided that for a guy like me who has

trouble walking and chewing gum at the same time- nah, especially while

having my brains so close to the ground!

From the first to last race that day, the team work in maintaining the track was

superb. The water cart was 7500 litres and used a few times to keep the dust

down. Being a grass (turning to dirt) track, the watering process was one lap

of “heavy watering” followed by a 10 minute soak period. As the races went

on, tyres were moved in a little on some corners that were beginning to cause

problems due to rutting. They had even organised a portable welding service

to cater for breakages, even the welding technician was there, gas and

electric welding available. The clubs also organised a couple of quad-bikes

with push pads on the front to shuttle “dead” karts back to the pits.

On the second day, the racing was switched to the next paddock, this time

running clock-wise. A couple of karts had expired, I saw one dude carrying a

rear wheel with ¼ of an axle attached!

At the end of the day, a relay race was set up. Starting with the cadets,

they took in about 500 of the 600 metre track used on day one, then crossed

on to the day two track to complete 500 of that 600 metre track. Coming in

through a chicane to slow them down, a team member raised his arm as a

signal that they had come to a stop, someone at the front of the line tapped

the next driver on the helmet and away they went and so on. After what

seemed a massively long but exciting “relay race”, the finish was equally

exciting, the first two teams were separated by just one kart length. Some

100 plus karts took part in that race. Of course, there was the odd bit of

excitement in the change-over area, a couple of karts getting a bit sideways

and cleaning up the odd signal guy! Nothing serious though, I think they had

employed acrobats as signal guys.

During the days of racing, we met a lot of people and found them very

hospitable. Lucy & I ended up going through to Dunedin to the prize giving

that night. We had an enjoyable evening with some really great people.

There was a wee bit of “niggle” during and after a race or two, but then, they

did call it a “Championship”!

The prize giving was on the top floor of the Dunedin Police station, the

warning was “Misbehave and you’ll go downstairs”!

Summary

Absolutely fantastic.

Looking for a kart friendly farmer with a reasonably flat paddock that has had

sheep and no cows on it for the last ten years.