The Otago Boys High School year 10 pupil was warming up in unofficial practice yesterday for a punt at the podium during the three-day event.
He would be gunning for "the top three at least" during this weekend's racing in the Junior and Junior Intercontinental A classes in two 100cc karts.
Because he travelled often to Christchurch or Invercargill to indulge his desire for the exhilarating, "close to the ground" racing, he appreciated having only to head down the road to his home track, he said.
This is the first year the Dunedin Kart Club and Taieri College-run event has been based at Silverstream and it has attracted 78 entries, from 44 schools around the country.
Although the pupils compete as individuals, their points will be tallied for the schools' team totals.
Drivers can hit the circuit at the age of 6, driving their 85cc Racket engine karts in the cadet class and compete right through to age 17 in the 125cc-motored Rotax Light class.
Dunedin Kart Club secretary Karen Fraser said the racing environment was conducive to the lower-rated drivers measuring themselves against their faster counterparts.
"One of the reasons why the schools [championship] is quite successful is the intensity of a national competition is absent because people just want to participate."
The main prize, the Bruce McLaren KartSport Award, provides the winning team members with a drive of a 150hp Formula Challenge single-seater racing car.
Public entry is free to watch today's practice session and the racing tomorrow and Sunday from about 11am to 4pm.
