Karts and drivers ready to race

Otago Polytechnic engineering students (sitting from left) Tyler Gemmell, Sam Pickersgill, Andrew Still, Mark Muir, Daniel Ramsay and Liam Lancaster, with (standing, from left) Tyler Bennett, Wade Turnbull, Ryan Fahey, Tim Langley, Dylan Linnell, Jared Campbell, and Derek Nyhof, have built these karts to race against other automotive and mechanically minded teams from South Island institutions, at Darfield this weekend. Photo by Gerard O'Brien.

Mechanically minded students from an Otago Polytechnic youth guarantee scheme will pit their newly acquired skills against other aspiring automotive engineers in a drag race event in Darfield today.

The Dunedin teenagers are enrolled in an introductory automotive and mechanical engineering course at the polytechnic and have built three grass karts to race against student teams representing other South Island tertiary institutes.

Nick Moss, a programme manager at the polytechnic's school of architecture, building, and engineering, said the students had custom-built their individual grass karts from scratch, with each vehicle being fitted with identical 250cc motorbike engines.

The students, most of whom are aged between 16 and 18, were part of a youth guarantee scheme which set them up with practical automotive and mechanical engineering skills, Mr Moss said.

The three Otago Polytechnic teams have been involved with race-testing the vehicles to identify and fix any "teething problems" ahead of race day today in Darfield, where the karts will line-up for slalom, drag, and relay events, he said.

Student Liam Lancaster said he was confident his team's kart would come out on top and secure bragging rights.

"There's no competition against ours. We've blown up the gearbox, but will get that fixed and we've also got the best drivers," he said.

Mr Moss said the teams had employed practical skills, from the fabrication and welding of frames, to the installation of electronics, and the braking, cooling, and suspension systems, to build the karts.