One of Auckland’s many leading kart families seen at all the top meets, is the well designed combination of Bob and Lyndsay and their close team of petrol head off springs, Mitchell (12), Wade (14) and Aarron (17).

A close knit team, I have observed the boys at race meetings all around the North Island. Wade ran the 1998 Pro Series in Junior Intercontinental A and did a good job of cleaning up the series to become outright winner with brilliant tactics.

You’ll always get a cheery smile and a ‘gidday’ from father Robert, Bob to his mates, as he unloads the boys karts in the pits and gets ready to deal to a day of action.

A committed business man, Bob is Managing Director of Robert Cunningham Construction Ltd and that alone keeps him out of mischief, building elite homes around the Auckland region. So his spare time is precious and most of it is spent with his three sons and Lyndsay.

I think I was a bit ambitious taking on the entire family as my subject for this profile, but they all have a story to tell in their own right.

Bribery didn’t come in to it, in fact it has never been suggested to me by anyone that the Cunningham’s should have their story told, however! I was most kindly invited to stay at their home the night prior to the final round of the Mt Wellington Kart Club’s three way series last year, of which I was ‘gob on the golden mic’ and I think the Chivas Regal’s coupled with a 4" thick, rare eye fillet barbecued steak, a video feast of old karting movies taken in black and white 8mm film from the 60’s, to Jessica Vercoe racing as a ‘rugrat’ in her Iron Horse midget and an awesome night of hospitality was most certainly the catalyst for my inspiration. (What did he just say?)

Let’s start with dear old dad, the family vault.

"Bob, how did the Family Cunningham first get into karts?"

"Well," said D.O.D. (dear old dad), "the kids asked if they could have a go at karting and in a moment of weakness I said ‘you get out and organise it and we’ll have a go’, so they rang Noel Phipps at Omega Karts and the rest is history."

The lads conned Bob into a midget for Mitch and Wade and a Kiwi EX kitted with a brand new KT-100 for Aarron, they still have that machine sitting at home, it’s done a great job and a few thousand k’s to boot.

Their first race meet was at Mt Wellington track, the club that has become home to the family. They are also members of Auckland, Hamilton and Manawatu clubs.

I asked Bob who would be his most admired karter and he had no hesitation in replying, "Brendon Smith, he’s been there and done it all, a great racer."

Bob has had a skid himself, in the big bangers, "Yes I’ve raced Mike Ross’s car at Waikaraka Park Speedway in Auckland, boy was he glad when the feature race was cancelled, ahh haa I thought I was Barry Butterworth."

"What has been your most memorable moment in karting with the boys, Bob?"

"!997 when Wade and Mitch finished 3^rd and 4^th in Australia’s prestigious Adelaide Open. Wade took 3^rd in Junior National Light, Mitch 4th in Rookie and Aarron could have finished 4^th in Junior Clubman, but just missed out."

Believe it or not Bob does have a life besides the boys, but he tells me he’s a full time team manager for the family and part time with his construction company.

When he finds idle time he is either at a Mt Wellington Club Committee meeting or cutting the lawns.

A question really aimed at ‘my three sons’, but Bob couldn’t wait to answer too…. Do you have any girlfriends? "Yes, Lyndsay and Zoe."

"Zoe, who’s Zoe?"

Well Zoe is part of the family, a German Shepherd. Sadly since my interview Zoe had a heart attack and passed away. A lovely dog, she will be sadly missed. Washington is the new addition and is bad to the bone.

"What’s you favourite grub?" I asked. Quality food has always been dear to me and my ears pricked up at Bob’s favourite, a big plate of prawns complimented with Church Rd Chardonnay. To cap off the feed a good action TV thriller is hard to beat for Bob. (I wonder if I should have married him!)

"I also love rugby league and careering up the waves and chasing the Cressey’s on our jet skis at Omaha."

Man he can’t have any spare time at all after that lot.

"You’ve been involved in karting a long time Bob, what advise can you pass on to the new driver?"

"Persevere, it will come to you eventually."

"What about our rule book, how are we going with it?"

Bob: "Let’s delete the ‘remits’, the executive should have a handle on what the karter wants. It seems ironic to me that we the karters vote in the executive, then we have a remit night and tell them what to do and then sack them when we don’t like what is dished up."

A man that can stand up and be counted, Bob Cunningham.

The lovely Lyndsay surprise me when just before Christmas I was at Taupo Road race and here’s ‘herself’ kitted up and getting into a road race KT-100. I had no idea that she raced karts, a lady of many talents. Taupo is Lyndsay’s favourite track.

"Well the boys all got into karts August 1994, I either joined in too or missed out. My first race was at Mt Wellington Club’s Christmas meeting, the ladies race, I used Aarron’s kart. It was great, and I was first in line to do it again at Auckland Club’s Christmas meet.

My first kart was previously loved by Steven Currie, I was a novice for a long time, must have been a slow learner!

I’m now running an Omega Magic KT in Senior Light class and also run it in the 100cc Sit Up class in road racing."

Her most admired karter is John Kelly, he’s a great guy alright. John has been involved in karts for many years and is one of the key personal at Roundabout Kart Shop. (Lion Red please JK!).

Lyndsay’s closest rival on the raceway is another lady, Jackie Rhodes.

One of the most memorable moments for Mrs Cunningham, wife and mother of three was to pick up 9^th in her first NZ Road Race Champs at Taupo in 1997 .

Her ambition in karting is quote: "To have lots of fun and enjoy myself."

Lyndsay had never done any form of motor racing prior to discovering the buzz of kart racing and now she’s in boots and all, sprint and road, can’t get enough. She’s kept her record clean and has managed to avoid any serious accident apart from the usual minor altercation that goes with the job.

Though she’d love to move on up and squeeze out Craig Baird in the big cars, Lyndsay figures she has enough on the go at the moment.

Currently Club Secretary for the Mt Wellington Club, Lyndsay still finds time to relax and enjoys reading, big walks with the dog, a spot of tennis, a feed of Tepanyaki and the occasional rum. "I have to have time for other things apart from looking after five males!"

Ray: "Five? How do you arrive at five?"

Lyndsay: "Otto is our thick, dopey looking Labrador."

Ray: (With evil, wicked grin) "Oh, I thought that was Bob!"

Lyndsay talks cryptic to confuse Ray, easily done. "I used to be a Phys-Ed teacher B.C."

"What is B.C.?"

"Before children! I also trained as a vet nurse when Mitch was old enough to head off to school, but right now I’m a House Executive."

On what advice Lyndsay could offer the new chum she says, "Do lots of laps, be professional in your attitude, record in a book any changes you make to your kart and the results, they achieve, good or bad."

One thing this petite mother would like to see in the sport is a true Club Class. "If we can’t run clutches, let’s see a no restart rule (this is happening in Australia now).

This ruling would make an even playing field, at the moment we smaller people are disadvantaged by not being able to push start ourselves if we go off the track for any reason. The kart is so heavy," says Lyndsay, "I weigh 55 kgs, the kart weighs 60kgs which means for me to run in Senior Lights I have to bolt on an extra 20 kgs of lead."

Well between husband and wife, the Cunningham’s have come up with a couple of interesting ideas, let the executive make the rules and tidy up club class a bit more.

If you clap out in a race in Oz, you are not permitted to attempt to restart, you remain fully kitted and stay with your kart until the race is complete. Surely this must cut the accident rate down that is sometimes caused by restarting in traffic and also make for a better driver if you know you are out if you get loose and fall off.

Let’s talk about ‘my three sons’. Mitchell, Wade and Aarron agree that the interest for them began one day when they went to work with dad. His business was just down the road from the Mt Wellington track. The boys would sit on the fence and watch for hours as the micro machines thundered around the raceway.

Mitch and Wade remember the first kart, "It was an old midget," says Wade, "that’s all we know. Mitch and I shared it, our first race was at Mt Welly, we didn’t finish a race!"

"Yeh." Says Mitch. A man of few words.

Harking back to my memorable moment when I was privy to sample the Chivas Cunningham Regal. I went direct to the Mt Wellington track from Rotorua, it’s easy to find, and after practice Mitchell was my tour leader who sat in the passenger seat and guided me to the house of Cunningham.

It was a difficult journey and if it wasn’t for me asking Mitch, "Which way now?" at each corner, I may well still be driving around the outer suburbs of Auckland, very thirsty, hungry, tired and confused and Mitch would have a beard.

No he doesn’t say much, he’d make a brilliant track commentator for a meeting of the deaf!

The nightmare was only half over re the tour, because it was he himself who was to guide me back to the track the next day for the race meet. Don’t consider being a tour leader mate.

The favourite track for Wade and big brother Aarron is Hamilton, Mitch is more flamboyant, his is Bolivar Raceway, Adelaide, Australia.

When it comes to who has what in the current line up of machines, there is plenty of scope.

Mitchell races an Omega TP13 powered by the trusty KT100cc in Junior Restricted class. (TP is a machine built by/for Australian Omega giant Tyson Pearce who’s father Kim is THE MAN in Omega Karts) What, you already knew that? Geeez.

Wade runs a KT100 Omega in Junior Stock and a potent combo of Omega-Vortex in Junior Intercontinental A.

Aarron uses Tony and Omega machines and powers them with Parilla and Itals in Senior Intercontinental A, he also runs Senior Stock Light.

Wade Cunningham is one of Julian Tordoff’s favourites. During the prize giving ceremonies of each of the ’98 Pro Series, Julian would get a big grin on his face as Wade would mooch up to collect his certificate off Julian.

At the moment Wade is knee high to a grasshopper, but on the way up. His bigger bro Aarron is tall and will be seven foot one day!

So Julian loves to tease Wade in an affectionate way and relates the story of his own son Mark.

"Mark was such a little bloke when he was young that he got tagged ‘Flea’, the guy is 6 foot four now and he’s still called Flea." Says Julian, who’s not exactly an inch worm either.

In January 1999, the family went to Eastern Creek, Sydney Australia where Wade competed in one of their top meets, the Oceania.

He did a great job of letting the Aussies know we bred top men here. In the pre-final Wade is competing against Australia’s Ace drivers, he had finished the pre-lims in 2^nd and was on grid two in the pre-final.

The track has exceptionally long straights, the air temperature of 36 degrees and high humidity took it’s toll on drivers and engines. Wade was making his mark when the engine seized, a big disappointment, it put him back to start the final right off the rear of the field.

Shear grit, determination and fine driving saw Wade move up through the bunch to finish 6^th at the flag. What a gun. He also had a good run in the NZ ’98 Pro Series to win Junior ICA class.

Mitchell Cunningham’s most admired kart racer is James Courtney. "Cause he is World Champion." Says the man of few words.

"Mine is Michael Caruso," pipes up Wade, "he will talk to anyone and he’s friendly."

Aarron is more earthy and at least I know his most admired karter, "Yes it’s Brendon Smith", says Aarron, "he is so professional."

Hey Smiffy, you’ve got a good start to a fan club here.

Ray: "Okay men, who is your closest rival?"

Mitch: "Stephen Matthews."

Wade: "Josh Franklin and Fraser Hart."

Aarron: "Hugh Gardiner and Robert Barakat."

Yes, I can concur, all hot shot racers, top stuff.

Ray: "Anyone had any memorable accidents?"

Mitch: "Yep, flipped at Mt Wellington, no injuries."

Wade: "Never." (Hmmm talks as much as Mitchell does.)

Aarron: "I’ve had a few that slowed me down, two lots of broken ribs and shoulders, did that at Mt Welly track and Tauranga and Matamata Street Sprints."

Mitchell Cunningham’s most memorable moment in karting for him was to take 4^th in Cadets in the 1997 Nationals. His ambition is to finish in the top 6 in the ’99 Nats.

Wade’s most memorable moment, though I’m sure he meant less memorable, was to be disqualified at the ’95 Nationals held at Palmerston North. Eeek. His ambition is to race more overseas meets.

Aarron’s best moment was racing at Adelaide, Australia and his ambition in karting is simple, to go well.

The most adventurous of the lads Mitchell, would like to eventually move up to touring cars when he reaches age. The other brothers say no, we think we’ll just stick with the screamin’ demons at this stage.

The future touring car racer has plenty of time to contemplate his wins as he pushes the lawnmower around the Mt Wellington Club grounds when there’s a working bee on. Wade keeps out of sight, out of mind while Aarron is doing an excellent job as co-editor of the Mt Wellington Club magazine. He and Nicola York have recently started the professional publication and are showing much promise, well done team.

And so to what a man does when relaxing and filling the inner karter.

Mitchell is right into roast chicken, coke and South Park, rugby, paint wars, movies and socials. Quite the man about town eh?

Wade is perhaps a little less exotic, he likes mince pie! Coke is his thing also and the Young Ones on telly. Then there’s soccer, rugby and last on his list of priorities is GIRLS.

Yes Wade I remember when girls were only good for pinching. I did it a lot until I got baled up by a parent. Then girls seemed to have a whole new appeal once I hit 14 and they started getting ‘Big T-shirts!’ Oh to be 14 again.

Aarron is more the intellect, he is adventurous with a touch of class. Pasta interests his taste pallet, I note Vodka was on his list but he took it off again, hmmm giving up or don’t the ‘olds’ know about the vodka?

He goes from almost sophistication to !!!………. as he tells me his favourite TV show is the Simpsons, but then recovers nicely by saying that he is also into roller hockey, weightlifting, reading and jet skiing, a versatile chap.

As to the love life of these three eligible bachelors, I have good news, bad news and in-between news.

Mitch says yes, he has a girlfriend, so that rules him out.

Wade is very deep with simply "No Comment." While Aarron says "No."

So there you are ladies, work it out for yourselves.

Ray: "What advice can you offer the new karters."

Mitch: "Do lots of laps."

Wade: "Keep an open mind and try to learn."

Aarron: "Have fun and keep eyes and ears open."

And I love the answer to my last question from Mitchell, though I am having problems trying to work it out.

"What would you like to see added, deleted or altered in the NZKF rule book.?"

Answer from Mitch, "The Stewards!" Ahhh haaa that kills me, he’s covered all the bases there, glad I’m not a steward, I wouldn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Go Mitch.

Wade was a bit more serious and has been doing a lot of thinking here.

"Ban clutches, use sticky tyres in Junior Intercontinental A and introduce Park Ferme.

Aarron is quite happy and says the only thing he would like to see is Park Ferme in F.M.K racing.

When you think about it, the Cunningham’s have a lot to give and have already given to our sport by way of competition, comradeship, volunteer work to keep the clubs tidy and running and good advice based on experience.

There are lot of ‘Cunningham Families’ out there, doing their thing and I think you’re all wonderful. I’d love to write about you all, but I’d be dead a long time before I got finished.

Many thanks to the Bob, Lyndsay, Mitchell, Wade and Aarron for providing me with their time and assistance in getting this story recorded.

I already have my next ‘victim’ lined up, if you read your Kartsport from cover to cover, you will have picked up the clue as to who it is in the last issue.

Enjoy your sport and respect your competitors.

See you at the track.

Ray Tombs.