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Zach Hemphill may only be 12 years old, but he’s got the need for speed – karting that is.
“I’ve been racing karts since I was 7 years old. After nagging dad for years, he got me a
homemade Honda go-kart that I raced around the paddocks in. We then saw a ‘Have A Go Day’ at Kartsport Hamilton, at their track. That was the beginning,” Zach said.
“I love everything about karts, the speed, competition, and the fine-tuning of the kart engine and my driving.”
The Pukekohe Christian School pupil placed second in the Rotax Mac Junior 12-16 section at the recent Kartsport Auckland Area Schools Championships. He then went on to win his grade at the Kartsport Hamilton Club series on July 6.
Zach is in his kart at least twice a week, either training or racing. When it comes to choosing a favourite racing venue, it’s hard to choose just one.
“Any track that’s open, but if I had to choose, I would say Kartsport Wellington followed by
Kartsport Rotorua.”
Unlike other kids karting whose dads are mad keen on motorsport, there is no intergenerational karting expertise for Zach to draw on.
Zach’s mum, Gretel Webber, said they historically had no interest in motorsports and brought little to the table with a background in horses.
“It has been a very steep learning curve for both Zach and his dad, but Zach is truly ‘driving’ this thing on his own. When he’s not racing on tarmac, he loves to go to the new dirt kart racetrack in Meremere.”
Gretel said exciting times are ahead for the local boys’ tarmac racing, with the development of Colin Dale Park International Raceway on Puhinui Road, near Auckland Airport.
“A truly world-class facility that will in the future hopefully provide the local boys with some
home track advantage.”
- Kasey Kane (Pukekohe East School) won the Cadet Rok 6-10 years in the second round of the Kartsport Hamilton Club series, following on from his third placing at the Auckland Area Schools. Grayson Benadie (Ararimu School), came seventh in the Cadet Rok class, and Scott McDonald (Waiuku College) was fourth in the Rotax Max Light 15+ years class at the Kartsport Auckland Area Schools Championships.
