Teen karter's racing ambition is to reach grand finals

A Mount Maunganui school boy was one of more than 80 top karters who battled it out for racing supremacy in Te Puke this weekend.

Kartsport Bay of Plenty's Fagans Valley Raceway hosted the high-octane action, which can see karts reaching speeds of 110km/h around a snaking 730-m circuit.

Josh Adlam, who has been karting for five years, was one of those competing in the 2012 Prokart series and NZ Rotax Max Challenge.

The teenager is a rising star and has big ambitions.

"My goal this year was to get in the top 10. I'm sitting ninth out of 32 drivers at the moment and I'm one of the youngest drivers so I'm quite happy with that," he said.

One driver from each of three classes in the NZ Rotax Max Challenge will qualify to compete in the 2012 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals.

This year they will be held from November 28 to December 1 at the Kartodromo Internacional Algarve, near Portimao in Portugal.

The youngster said racing at the Grand Finals was his goal for 2013: "It's not really realistic this year, as it's my rookie year, but next year that's the goal."

Josh said the adrenalin rush of going fast was part of the karting attraction but he also just felt privileged to be involved.

"Not a lot of people get to do this, not many get the opportunity. Half of it's fun and half of it's competitive," he said.

The sport can be expensive though.

Josh's dad, Todd, said travelling to meetings for the NZ Rotax Max Challenge, which is a national series, could cost up to $1500 a weekend.

But Mr Adlam said karting was a great family sport, for people for all ages, and his family was proof of that.

Not only does his son compete, Mr Adlam's wife, Jo, is race secretary and his daughter, Brittany, is a regular race-goer.

Phil Green, convenor of the weekend meeting, said it was Kartsport Bay of Plenty's biggest event of the year and had been a great success.

He said there were 82 competitors in six race classes.

Two of the six classes were junior classes for racers aged 12-16. Those aged 15 and above are allowed to race in senior classes.

Mr Green was also pleased with the high numbers of spectators at the event.