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A Tauranga karting duo is racing to the top starting in fifth and 13^th place in the pre-final of one of New Zealand's biggest karting events.

A total of 98 drivers are competing in the NZ Rotax Max Challenge and ProKart Series at Bay of Plenty Kart Club's Fagan's Valley Raceway this weekend. Photos: Bruce Barnard.

Taylor Hart, 14, and fellow driver 15-year-old Josh Adlam are two of 98 drivers competing in round four of the NZ Rotax Max Challenge and ProKart Series at Bay of Plenty Kart Club's Fagan's Valley Raceway this weekend.

Subsequent heats, Pre-Finals and Finals at the Fagan's Valley track, between Te Puke and Papamoa, are open today.

Kart Sport BOP public relations officer Jo Adlam says Hart and Adlam are the only two Tauranga riders in the competition, featuring riders from as far as Christchurch.

Not completing one of his races on Saturday, Hart is starting today's pre-final in fifth place, while a crash yesterday put Adlam right back to 23^rd, giving him a starting position of 13^th today.

Jo is happy with this weekend's racing so far and says today is the day for drivers to put the pedal to the metal.

'We're happy with the event. It's really good and everyone seems to be happy. But today's the day and where they finish in the final today is their end result for the weekend.”

Drivers will next head into round five of the challenge in Hawkes Bay in August before the sixth and final round in Auckland in September.

'This year, Taylor Hart is sitting first at the moment on points and if Taylor wins the series they go to the worlds in Spain. He's got this round and Hawkes Bay and Auckland to be consistent to finish.”

Hart is riding in the Junior Max Class, while Adlam is the youngest of 28 drivers in the Rotax Lights Senior Class.