A Tough Weekend at the 2026 KartSport NZ Nationals

We went into the 2026 KartSport New Zealand National Sprint Championships in Rotorua feeling positive about the weekend ahead. With 54 entries in Rotax Senior Lights, the field was always going to be competitive.

Thursday Practice

Thursday’s practice session was really our opportunity to learn the kart and work through the set-up ahead of qualifying. With the circuit having been closed in the month prior and new tyre compounds issued for Nationals, there was a lot to understand in a short space of time.

We spent the day trying different adjustments and learning how the kart reacted to the tyres and the change in surface grip compared to the previous club day. It felt like we were pushing to catch up a little, and by the end of the session we still hadn’t quite landed on the set-up we needed.

Qualifying

Heading into qualifying on Friday we felt slightly on the back foot, knowing the set-up wasn’t quite where it needed to be. In a class as tight as Rotax Senior Lights, that makes things difficult.

We were hoping to pull a clean lap together but just couldn’t quite make it happen when it counted, leaving us with work to do heading into the heats.

Race One

Race one was effectively over before it really got going. Coming out of Turn 1 we were taken out and dropped straight to the back of the field.

From there the focus shifted to chasing the pack down. We managed to work our way back toward the group, but then lost valuable time stuck behind a slower kart for much of the race. Once we finally got past, the pace was there, but too much ground had already been lost to make a real move forward before the flag.

Heat Races

Heat two saw some positive progress. We were able to make gains and push our way forward through the field.

Heat three, however, turned into another tough race. We were pushed wide twice during the race and then got flipped just three corners before the chequered flag. The kart was damaged and we limped it home, eventually recording a DNF.

Not the momentum you want heading into finals day.

Semi Final

Finals day brought unpredictable weather, making tyre decisions tricky.

With conditions looking wet heading into the semi final, the wets went on for what turned into a proper wet-dry race. Starting deep in the field, we fought our way forward from 24th to 18th, making up positions wherever we could.

Unfortunately it wasn’t enough to secure a spot in the final.

Looking Ahead

To say we were gutted is an understatement. It wasn’t the way we wanted the weekend to finish, but that’s racing. Weekends like this are part of the process, and we’ve taken plenty of learnings away about set-up, tyres, and adapting to changing track conditions.

A huge thank you to Energy Corse NZ for the work and support all weekend. Massive appreciation to Mason Armstrong and Ryan for their guidance, and to Mitch Sparrow for being my number one throughout the event.

Proud to be part of this team, and big congratulations to the boys who made the podium.

Our Partners

Racing like this isn’t possible without the support of the partners who stand behind us:

J.A. Russell Ltd, Marley New Zealand, Ambius, Valiant Electrical, Stang Media NZ Ltd, Gus Lam Performance

📸 Photography by Shutter Media Group NZ

A tough Nationals weekend, but we reset, take the lessons, and look ahead to the next race.