While older brother Wade is competing at the sixth round of the Firestone Indy Lights championship series in Milwaukee in the United States this weekend, Auckland-based brother Mitch will be back where the pair began – racing a kart, in this case at the first round of the 2009 CIK Karting Championship at Newcastle in Australia.

At 22 the youngest of three racing Cunningham brothers, Mitch followed in older brother, and 2003 World Karting Champion, Wade’s footsteps, racing karts here, across the Tasman and in Europe before graduating to single-seater racing cars, first in the United States then back here in New Zealand where over the summer he won New Zealand’s premier category, the Toyota Racing Series.

Last year both Cunningham brothers lived and competed in the United States, Mitch contesting road course rounds of the Firestone Indy Lights championship series, Wade selected oval and road course rounds.

This year Wade has returned to the Firestone Indy Lights series full-time but with a shake-out of the various single-seaters around the world courtesy the world-wide recession Mitch decided to stay in Auckland and evaluate options closer to home.

That, obviously, included Australia, and it is a mark of just how competitive karting is in this part of the world that a return to the premier CIK series was a serious option, one up there with the Australian Formula 3 championship and the various V8 touring car categories.

“Seriously,” Cunningham said before heading to Newcastle yesterday.” I love the CIK style of racing and I’m really looking forward to getting back in a kart and using the Australian championship to keep my eye in for my 2009/10 (car) campaign back here.”

Australia’s CIK championship has been the springboard for any number of international driving careers, including those of the Cunningham brothers and fellow Kiwis Colin Corkery and Brad Tyrrell as well as top Australian drivers Ryan Briscoe, Jamie Whincup and Michael Caruso.

Cunningham will remain loyal to the Italian CRG chassis he and Wade did most of their racing on when they first contested the Australian series and in a nod towards keeping budgets in check all drivers this year will use a spec IAME Parilla KF2 engine and spec Dunlop tyre.

Ends

2009 Australian CIK Karting Championship

Calendar

Rnd 1: May 30-31 Newcastle NSW

Rnd 2: June 26-27 Melbourne VIC

Rnd 3: August 6-9 Raleigh NSW

Rnd 4: Oct 24/25 Ipswich QLD

Prepared by FAST COMPANY on behalf of Mitchell Cunningham Motorsport. To find out more about Mitch contact Ross MacKay on 021 677 919 or via e-mail at ross@fastcompany.co.nz

EDITOR’S NOTE: Hi-res jpgs of Mitch Cunningham are available by e-mailing Ross MacKay at ross@fastcompany.co.nz