With the 2022 season soon coming to a close, there is no time to draw breath before karters begin with the opening round of the Manawatu and TRC Toyota WPKA Goldstar Series in Taranaki this weekend.
The Goldstar Series has three rounds in Taranaki, Wellington and Hawkes Bay ahead of the WPKA Championship final in Manawatu over King’s Birthday weekend.
Crucially the WPKA Goldstar Series, celebrating its 63rd year, was established in the 1960s to help as a stepping-stone from club-level events and through to national-level competition, in terms of gaining racecraft and experience.
There are over 100 entries for the series with 12 categories in action, though some categories share track time
“This series may be over 60 years in history, but it is as pertinent today as it was when it began,” said KartSport New Zealand Chief Operating Officer, James Hadley. “This series is a tremendous opportunity for all ages and their families to enjoy not only some healthy competition at their local club, but also the other benefits being part of a club travelling away from your home town.
“The Goldstar Series offers a step up the ladder for drivers to develop their talent into national events, which in turn is the steppingstone to International and World Championship karting opportunities.
“Some incredible drivers have used this as a development platform ahead of their move into professional motorsport at all levels, including formula One.
“The WPKA Goldstar Series is possibly one of the most iconic and crucial starting points in our sport.”
An important development within the series is the increase in the number of female drivers taking up the sport, which is into double-figures this year in the Goldstar Series.
That has caught the eye of one of the sport’s most celebrated female karters, Tiffany Chittenden who is now the KartSport New Zealand’s SP Tools Academy Director.
“I am a massive supporter of females in motorsport and think as always, the vital first step to be successful in motorsport is karting,” said Chittenden.
“I have never wanted to race in a different series, but to simply be the best I can be against everyone and not only other females.
“Karting is one of the only sports nowadays where females can compete on a completely level playing field to the males and I am proud to continue to support them to do so. I believe we just need to encourage more into the sport so there will be more female success in the future.”
The series starts at KartSport Taranaki’s Todd Energy Raceway, Waitara on 26-27 November, followed by Wellington on 4-5 March, 2023 and Hawkes Bay on 6-7 May. It concludes with the standalone Championship round at Manawatu on 3-4 June.
There are 12 classes in action, with each racing in four heats with pre-determined grids and a final along with a standalone Grand Prix series.
Racing this weekend is from 2pm Saturday and 9am Sunday.
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