What do racing icon Kenny Smith, rally driver Emma Gilmour, motorcycle champion Andrew Stroud, V8 star Craig Baird and two-time world touring car champion Paul Radisich have in common?

They’ll all be contesting the Right Karts Celebrity Charity Kart Challenge at CRC Speedshow in July.

Smith, Gilmour, Stroud and Radisich join V8 racers Shane Van Gisbergen, Greg Murphy, Angus Fogg, Andy Booth and Jason Bargwanna along with former motorcycle Grand Prix racer Graeme Crosby, speedway champion Michael Pickens and newly-crowned D1NZ champion Daniel ‘Fanga Dan’ Woolhouse to create the very special line-up of racing talent.

Dubbed the Right Karts Celebrity Charity Kart Challenge, the special time trial in 125 Rotax race karts takes place at 3 pm on 20 July, the first day of the 2013 CRC Speedshow at the ASB Showgrounds in Auckland.

CRC Speedshow’s Ross Prevette says: “Just think about the years of racing experience in a field like that! Ken Smith has been racing for more than 50 years by himself, and then add in all the others..!”

Prevette, formerly a professional jet ski racer and a keen karter himself, believes karting offers young racing enthusiasts one of the best avenues into a professional motorsport career. He was keen to help profile karting at this year’s CRC Speedshow.

“Two of New Zealand’s highest profile race drivers Shane Van Gisbergen and Mitch Evans raced karts from a young age, and they both continue to in this highly competitive form of motorsport,” Prevette says.

“When I started speaking with the drivers about the Right Karts Celebrity Charity Kart Challenge, I was delighted by their positive response. Greg Murphy couldn’t say yes fast enough and Michael Pickens rang back several times to keep talking about it.

“Daniel ‘Fanga Dan’ Woolhouse has just confirmed his participation, so it’s brilliant to have the popular sport of drifting represented by the two-time champ. And with 14 drivers in the challenge, we’re yet to announce a final mystery competitor.”

Each celebrity racer has been invited to nominate a charity with CRC Speedshow putting up a $500 cash prize for the winning driver to donate to their charity.

The challenge itself comprises a practice and hot laps session on the purpose-built kart track in the show’s live action arena followed by two heats of seven drivers, where the top three drivers from each heat will move into the final heat. Both Motorsport NZ and Kartsport NZ have endorsed the event and will have officials present during the race session.

TV3’s CRC Motorsport will screen a highlights package from the unique timed kart challenge within a couple of weeks of CRC Speedshow, and the show’s host, Shaun Summerfield, will be put to work interviewing each of the kart challenge contestants for the thousands of car, bike and motorsport fans set to pack out the show-grounds for the annual automotive event. Fans can also meet the celebrity racers during an autograph session to be held immediately after the kart challenge.

The 2013 edition of CRC Speedshow also celebrates Lamborghini’s 50th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of the formation of Bruce McLaren Motor Racing Ltd which sees Bruce McLaren anchor a very special New Zealand Legends of Speed display. Also new at this year’s weekend-long automotive extravaganza is the Castrol EDGE / Teng Tools Custom and Classic Show which features over 50 of New Zealand’s finest customised cars, pickups and motorcycles.

News and information about the 2013 CRC Speedshow are regularly updated on the event website, www.speedshow.co.nz, or follow CRC Speedshow on Twitter (https://twitter.com/Speedshow), Facebook (www.Facebook.com/speedshownz) and Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/speedshow/).