13th April 2015

Young Guns have the need for speed - From the Northern Star

START YOUR ENGINES: Max Deguara, 9, of Mackay is looking forward to competing in the Young Guns Title this weekend at the Lismore Showgrounds. (Pic: Northern Star)

TEARING around at top-speed, the kart’s tyres struggle for grip as its driver makes a daring dash around the Lismore Kart Club circuit.

Judging by the skilful display, you’d never guess the boy behind the wheel hadn’t even reached double digits.

Mackay’s Max Deguara, 9, was just one of many youngsters carving up the Lismore Kart Club track on Thursday in the lead-up to the club’s 19th annual Young Guns Titles.

Expected to bring 150 or more contestants to Lismore, as well as their families, the flagship event will start Friday and wrap-up on Sunday.

Max and his seven-year-old brother Drew were looking forward to honing their karting against some of the State’s best young competitors.

“It’s a bit scary when you’re new, it’s really hard to get used to being so low to the ground. But you get used to it and can go pretty fast then”, Max enthused.

Max and Drew, who were staying in Lismore with parents Mark and Patty Deguara and sister Delta-Jade, said they loved travelling to new places to race unfamiliar tracks.

The boys hoped to one day squeeze into the cockpit of a Formula One car, which are the fastest road course racing vehicles in the world, reaching speeds of up to 360kmh.

Mr Deguara often takes his family to kart meets, which he described as a fun way to bond with his children.

“It’s really good family time. You watch them get on track and progress and you’ll have a chat about what happened while they were out,” he said.

There’s always something new for them to learn.

“We all love it and it’s good fun for the kids.”

This year will be the first time the North Lismore-based karting club has hosted Young Guns during the school holidays.

The club will also host an Old Guns senior event in September and a State-of-Origin kart-off between NSW and Queensland in May and June.