Veteran still enjoys karting 50 years on

Veteran karter Colin Wallace reflects on his 40-year-old kart which is still capable of high...
Veteran karter Colin Wallace reflects on his 40-year-old kart which is still capable of high speeds. Photo by Craig Baxter.
When Colin Wallace (71) rocketed around Kartsport Dunedin's Silverstream Track at close to 150kmh yesterday, he enjoyed himself just as much as when he started go-karting five decades ago.

"Marvellous. I had a huge grin on my face. Just as well I had my helmet on," Mr Wallace joked later.

"It was most enjoyable."

A retired Dunedin businessman and self-taught engineer, he was an enthusiastic participant in weekend activities to mark Kartsport Dunedin's 50th anniversary.

At a dinner function in the city on Friday night, Kartsport Dunedin made presentations to honour several foundation members of the club, including him and his wife, Rose, for their strong early support for karting.

An anniversary race meeting later attracted 40 competitors and many spectators, including well-wishers and family members, to the Dunedin Kart Club's track at Milners Rd, at the foot of Three Mile Hill, yesterday.

And there were chances for veteran karters to bring their karts back to the track and to try them out again, as well as to to take a close look at some of the more modern karts.

"It's just great meeting all the new people, the old and young people," he said.

And the former club steward and president was moved by "how interested they were, looking at my old kart".

Current president Viv Patrick said the anniversary celebrations had brought together former karting veterans who had not been to a kart track for 20 years, with new generations of racers.

People had come from as far as Invercargill and Christchurch and about 50 people had attended the dinner.

"It's been fantastic. It's been awesome."

Karting had come a long way in Dunedin over the past 50 years - from initially competing on grass in farmers' paddocks and at Tahuna Park to utilising a high-quality sealed track at Milners Rd.

And karting had become a proven route to the top for leading international racing car drivers such as Scott Dixon, but too many people still knew too little about the distinctive sport, she said.

 

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