Multi-time New Zealand KartSport champion Matthew Hamilton from Christchurch is back in the United States this weekend, this time contesting the opening round of the 2014 SuperKarts USA Pro Tour in Texas.

For the past four years it has been Aucklander (and Hamilton’s local teammate in the GP Karts’ team) Daniel Bray who has flown the Kiwi flag in the annual SuperKarts USA series. But this year Bray has decided to focus on racing at home and in Europe.

Hamilton’s opportunity came as a result of his S4 Masters Stock Moto class win in a one-off appearance at the final round of the 2013 series in Las Vegas late last year and he returns for a full campaign in that class this year with the team he ran for then, Team Aluminos which is based in Northern California.

US KartSport website e-kartingnews.com lists defending class champion, Texan Jordan Musser, as the favourite to take S4 Masters Stock Moto class honours but rates 31-year-old Hamilton as the dark horse of the close-to-40-strong field.

“The New Zealand driver stole the show in Vegas, earning the S4 victory to give Aluminos chassis its first SuperNationals victory after its market debut in July,” reporter Rob Howden said.