After driving a V8 in Taupo Mike was keen to get behind the wheel of another fast machine, so that made gift giving easy this year. Cue Raceline Karting at Off Road NZ, around 25 minutes drive north of Rotorua in the countryside near Mamaku. Off Road NZ is a professional set up with a top class race track. If you know your karts they have 390cc 4 stroke SODI GT3’s imported from France.

Karting track at Off Road NZ in Rotorua

Kitted out in a balaclava, overalls, gloves and helmet you’re good to go, up to 100km/hour the website says. I managed an average speed of just over half that, so I was more Sunday driver than girl racer.  It was clear Mike was on the fast track to a win when he lapped me, taking my competitive spirit with him. His fastest lap was 1.24 seconds, around 62 km/hour on average if our calculations are correct.

Raceline Karting at Off Road NZ

The karts were good fun and easy to drive. Mike thought number 72 should have gone faster though, but he wasn’t getting any sympathy from the ‘one who was lapped’. Off Road NZ can also take you on a Monster 4×4 ride and you can take the wheel on a 4WD Bush Safari, visit Off Road NZ for details.

4WD at Off Road NZ