Nelson Hosts Briggs-sponsored National Endurance Championship

After three years at KartSport Wellington’s base in Upper Hutt, the KartSport New Zealand National Endurance Championship moves across the Cook Straight to Nelson this weekend.

It has attracted 16 three-driver entries for the Briggs Supply Company-sponsored event, for the four-hour race, competing in Briggs LO206 Light, Heavy and Heavy Masters classes.

With the move, there is mostly South Island entries from Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury and Dunedin along with two from Wellington.

The trio of the experienced Arron Black (Dunedin) and Daniel Harvey (Dunedin) and two-time national champion William Exton (Marlborough), forming Full Throttle Racing, will defend the overall honours from last year.

There will be plenty of competition, from the likes of the KartSport Canterbury trio of Caleb Cross, Simon Hunter and Ryan McPherson as Gary Wilson Motorsport. The trio have a significant background in the sport and have amassed several national titles between them.

The Jabronie Racing team from Marlborough should be strong, led by two-time national champion Clinton Cross, joined by Jason Fleming and Mike Kendrick, and watch for Nelson’s Rental Karts NZ led by the experienced Tony Dyer, a former Jason Richards GP winner, with Nick Fowler and Shane Robertson.

Included in the Wellington contingent is the experienced Wilford Motorsport team led by KartSport New Zealand President Brent Melhop.

The grid is determined from a short time trial at 10.30am, with each driver to complete at least 60 mins behind the wheel once the race begins at noon. Each team must complete four 2min30sec pit stops in the first 3hr 15mins but any remedial work on the kart needs to be completed in the Service Park. Each team starts with five litres of fuel in the tank, and refilling must be gravity fed.

The winners will claim the Stu Park Memorial Trophy after a long and rewarding day for this growing category which offers a low-cost, low-maintenance fun opportunity based around the Briggs & Stratton dedicated 206cc LO206 4-stroke kart engine.

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