Most six-year-olds spend their weekends at the playground. Karter McKay spends his sliding a speedway bike around the track, and it’s earned him national recognition.
Karter McKay is making history both on and off the speedway track, becoming the youngest nominee across this year’s Speedway New Zealand Awards and the sole nominee from the Auckland Speedway Riders Club. The talented young rider has been nominated for Speedway New Zealand’s Competitor of the Year – Regional Youth Bike Award, with the winners to be announced in Christchurch on Saturday, 18 July.
“Karter is a wonderful ambassador for our club,” said Auckland Speedway Riders Club President Brian Guptill.
“Despite his age, he displays determination, sportsmanship and respect both on and off the track, and that’s exactly what we want to see from our young riders.”
Karter competes in the Peewee Solo Motorcycle class, racing 53cc motorcycles with other five and six-year-olds, and often against seven and eight-year-olds on up to 75cc bikes. The class is designed to introduce young riders to motorcycle speedway in a safe, supportive environment, with an emphasis on learning, sportsmanship and having fun.
A third-generation speedway rider, Karter first climbed aboard a speedway bike in January 2025 and immediately showed he had something special. He won all four of his races on debut and, in just two seasons of competition, has been beaten only once – by a rider four years his senior.
One of his biggest achievements came during the 2024/25 Youth Gold Cup at his home track, Rosebank Speedway, where he became the youngest Speedway New Zealand Champion in history at just five years old.
His 2025/26 season was equally impressive. Across eight major meetings, Karter claimed six victories and two runner-up finishes, and travelled more than 8,400 kilometres with his family to compete against the country’s best young riders.
At the season’s Youth Gold Cup in Christchurch, Karter’s title hopes were dashed after a technical exclusion in his second heat. Undeterred, he won his remaining three races to finish second overall and the only North Island rider on the podium, demonstrating his sportsmanship and grit.
For Karter’s family, this year’s nomination is a proud moment.
“Watching Karter race is really meaningful for us,” said his father.
“Speedway has been in our family for three generations, so seeing him develop such a love for the sport and achieve things we never imagined at such a young age is incredibly rewarding.
“As a family, we’ve travelled thousands of kilometres this season because there are only a handful of motorcycle speedway tracks left in New Zealand. Watching Karter do something he loves makes every trip worthwhile, and the Speedway New Zealand nomination has been an unexpected bonus for all of us.”
Beyond the race results, speedway is built on a strong sense of community, and the McKay family has embraced that spirit, regularly lending a hand and supporting fellow competitors throughout the season.
Away from the track, Karter is a student at Manchester Street School in Feilding. His biggest fans might just be Room A, where his classmates and teacher regularly follow his racing journey, watching videos of his races together and cheering him on from the classroom.
Ask him about his favourite part of speedway, and he’ll tell you it’s simple: doing speedway skids, riding with his mates and catching the ferry to Christchurch for race meetings.
“I love racing, and I’m really excited about my nomination”, says Karter.
Behind this young speedway rider is a team of supporters. The McKay family are grateful for the support and generosity of Karter’s sponsors, as well as the support of family, friends and the wider speedway community.
“Karter has become a very entertaining rider to watch and has a bright future ahead of him,” said Guptill.
“He’s a fantastic representative of our club and the sport, and this nomination is well deserved.”
Everyone at the Auckland Speedway Riders Club congratulates Karter and wishes him all the best at the 2026 Speedway New Zealand Awards.
Header Image: James Selwyn Photos
