Where It All Began – From Super Stocks to Rental Karting

 

 

Long before launching IORK, Nick Fowler was no stranger to the world of motorsport. With years of experience racing Super Stocks and winning multiple championships around New Zealand, Nick developed a deep understanding of competition, strategy, and the heart of racing.

 

That passion eventually led to the ownership of Pro Karts Nelson – a rental karting business that has become one of the top karting destinations in the country. From there, the next logical step was to create something bigger: a national rental karting championship that could give everyone a chance to race – without needing to own any equipment.

 

Nick is also the founder of Rental Karts New Zealand, a key supplier to the industry, and works closely with karting business owners across the country, consulting on operations, growth, and event design.

 

 

 

 

The Vision Behind IORK – Karting Made Accessible

 

 

The IORK New Zealand Rental Kart Championship was created with a single goal: make competitive motorsport accessible. You don’t need your own kart. You don’t need to bring a trailer, gear, or a team. Just show up, race, and prove yourself.

 

Our team provides the karts, maintains the equipment, and runs the events so you can focus on one thing: racing hard and racing fair.

 

IORK is a professional, organised racing platform that lowers the barriers to entry and opens the door to new drivers from across the country. It’s the ultimate grassroots motorsport experience.

 

 

 

 

A Fair Format – Skill Comes First

 

 

One of the core pillars of IORK is fairness. That’s why we designed a format that eliminates as many variables as possible. Every competitor races on the same high-quality karts. And we introduced weight categories, recognising that lighter drivers often have an edge – and solving it by grouping drivers based on weight.

 

This has resulted in close, clean, and highly competitive racing where the best drivers consistently rise to the top.

 

Want to see how our format works?

Head to our Race Format page for a full breakdown.

 

 

 

 

The Rise of IORK – From Nelson to Nationwide

 

 

After several years of fine-tuning the IORK format and building an incredible racing community in Nelson, 2025 marks a massive step forward: we’re taking IORK on the road.

 

Our next championship event is heading to Auckland, in partnership with ACE Motorsport at Mount Smart Stadium – a world-class venue for a world-class rental karting event.

 

We’re also exploring additional formats, including a future Indoor Rental Karting Championship, giving even more people across Aotearoa a shot at competing in a top-tier event.

 

 

 

 

Built on Experience – For the Racers

 

 

With decades of combined motorsport and event experience, we’ve designed IORK to be a race series by racers, for racers. From managing leagues, trade nights, group events and custom packages at Pro Karts, to consulting for rental kart businesses nationwide, our team understands what racers want – and how to deliver it.

 

IORK is more than just a championship. It’s a pathway for new and returning drivers who want to experience high-level karting without the high price tag or hassle.

 

 

 

 

Explore Our Championship

 

 

• See the Past Champions and relive the glory of past winners.

• Check out highlights on our Gallery page.

• Review our previous events on the Past Events page.

• Learn about how the competition works on the Race Format page.

• Ready to compete? Book your spot now.

 

 

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Join the IORK Movement

 

If you’ve ever dreamed of racing in a real championship, this is your chance.

No kart? No gear? No problem.

All you need is the drive to win.

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IORK 2025 is shaping up to be our biggest event yet. Join us in Auckland – and experience the thrill of real racing.