Young star shines in the kart

The Rock Raceway’s 10-year-old rising star Megan Kotze has made history by becoming South Africa’s youngest ever oval track female South African World of Motorsport ZA (WOMZA) national champion.

Kotze raced her heart out at the recent WOMZA Tar Oval National Championships held at Richards Bay Hotrod Club.

Affectionately known as “Rowdy Megz” the young driver raced in the Kids In Racing South Africa Ninja karts category (for six to 12 year olds) in her 60cc-powered Comer motor kart against 15 other drivers to achieve national championship status.

She has had her sights set on achieving SA1 status for the last two years and has battled with various misfortunes along the way.

Last year she was plagued by engine failure in Richards Bay and it seemed like déjà vu all over again this year when she endured more motor problems.

With little track practise for nationals, Kotze was in the dark as to how well her kart would perform.

With trepidation she took to the circuit as she still had a few issues to contend with and she struggled to get her kart up to pace in practise.

Her father Dolfie and brother Brenden worked frantically to get her to the start line, and, after all the high drama, she managed to win the race through sheer determination and hard work to take top honours.