Taupo International Motorsport Park Track Days and Go Karts

Taupō International Motorsport Park runs its own bookable menu on the circuit that hosts the Supercars Championship in New Zealand, and the way to drive the full track is in your own car. Taupo Auto puts road cars on the National Circuit for a day of 17 minute sessions, Taupo Moto does the same for bikes, and Taupo Drift opens the Club Circuit to rear wheel drive cars. There is no hire car drive on the menu; the park says more experiences are coming.

The go karts are the walk up option: German built Rimo petrol karts on a 400 metre outdoor track at the park, single karts to 50 km/h and three tandem karts with twin seats so a child rides beside an adult. Groups book the MX5 Fun Drive, a timed slalom and gymkhana in the park's Mazda MX5s on the Club Circuit with an instructor showing the lines first, kart grand prix and slalom packages, or the three hour Drive Safe Advantage course.

The park is on Broadlands Road east of Taupō town, part of the Tony Quinn group of New Zealand circuits and known as Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park before the sale. It suits track day regulars with their own car or bike, drifters, work groups, and families with a weekend afternoon to fill.

• Taupo Auto is your own car on the National Circuit. Drivers are grouped Slow, Medium, Fast and Caged, every group gets at least five 17 minute sessions, and you can move groups on the day through the Track Controller if there is space.
• Taupo Moto is the bike version on the International Circuit: four colour groups from Red for first timers to Yellow for the quickest, 17 minute sessions and at least five of them. Anyone new to the park, or away from it for two years, starts in Red and does the full induction.
• Taupo Drift runs on the Club Circuit, entry through the Centennial Drive gates. Novice A takes any car, Novice B and Advanced are caged cars only, five 20 minute sessions each.
• Go karts: German built Rimo petrol karts, a 10 minute race in a single or a tandem kart. Starts run every 15 minutes with 12 karts per race, singles top out at 50 km/h and tandems at 45 km/h.
• MX5 Fun Drive for groups: the Slalom of the Gods is a 100 metre cone course with a stopping test, about an hour; the Gymkhana is a longer course through the Club Circuit hairpin, about an hour and a half. An instructor demonstrates each course, then it is you against the clock.
• Group kart packages: Kart Grand Prix is two sessions of practice and race with a leaderboard; Kart Slalom Challenge is a knockout ladder of side by side slalom runs to a grand final; MX5 Slalom Challenge is two timed runs in the MX5s. All include GT Lounge access with drinks and snacks to buy.
• Drive Safe Advantage is a 3 hour course, about 90 percent of it driving on the circuit: emergency braking, skid control, cornering and hazard reading, in a morning or afternoon session with tea included.
• GT Membership gives 80 track sessions a year, roughly one day a week, with calendars set three months ahead and the GT Lounge on members' days. The park also hosts the Supercars round, the Historic GP and NZ Superbikes; event detail sits on the venue page.

• Go karts run Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10:00am to 4:45pm. Register at the Go Karts Desk 30 minutes before your start time; late arrivals are not guaranteed a run. A 10 minute break is compulsory between races. The office is open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm.
• Prices: Taupo Auto from NZ$195, Taupo Moto NZ$225 for the full day, Taupo Drift NZ$250. MX5 Fun Drive NZ$129 per person for the slalom, NZ$159 for the gymkhana, NZ$269 for both, groups of 6 to 10, Monday to Friday only. Kart Grand Prix NZ$88 per person, minimum 6; Kart Slalom Challenge NZ$54 per person, minimum 8; MX5 Slalom Challenge NZ$134 per person. Drive Safe Advantage NZ$349 per person, capped at 10. GT Membership NZ$15,000 plus GST to join and NZ$4,950 plus GST a year.
• Kart rules: single kart drivers from 10 years of age and 140cm, with drivers aged 12 years and under speed restricted. Tandem drivers from 16 years of age and 140cm, tandem passengers from 6 years of age and 120cm. Maximum height 2 metres, maximum weight 120kg. Meeting the limits does not guarantee a drive: staff can ask for a lap on a test kart and their call is final.
• Karts: helmet and hair net supplied, your own NZ accredited full face helmet is allowed, closed shoes, no loose clothing or items. Head coverings may need to come off for the helmet to fit. Zero alcohol with breath testing. The kart track stops in rain and restarts at staff discretion.
• Kart booking: online at book.taupomp.co.nz as 1, 2 or 3 races, NZ$54 per race, single or tandem at the same price. Only three tandem karts exist, so the park asks you to call 07 376 5033 to check tandem availability before booking. Kart groups and parties: gokarts@taupomp.co.nz.
• Track days, Taupo Moto and Taupo Drift run on dated events listed on the booking site. Gates open 7:00am, car checks from 7:30am, compulsory briefing 8:30am, installation laps 9:00am, first session 9:15am. Bookings close 4:00pm the day before, no walk ins, each driver books in their own name and nothing is transferable.
• Licence: Taupo Auto and Taupo Drift need an NZTA restricted car licence or higher, or an MSNZ competition licence, and the physical card is sighted on the day. Carrying a drift passenger needs a full licence. Taupo Moto needs a full motorcycle licence or an MNZ competition licence.
• Track day gear: car rated helmet only, motorcycle helmets are refused. Standard road cars with current registration and WOF: long sleeves, long pants and closed shoes. Modified fuel system or half cage: fire retardant suit, gloves and shoes. Full cage: all of that plus a frontal head restraint, which is also mandatory for any car running a 4 point harness or more. Convertibles need a rollover hoop. Single seaters are not allowed. No passengers at Taupo Auto.
• Drift specifics: no front wheel drive, four wheel drive or electric cars, treaded radial tyres only, no semi slicks. Passengers only in a full cage with side intrusion bars, minimum passenger height 148cm, indemnity form and wristband, and no passengers or tandems in the first session of the day. Trailers and support vehicles stay out of pit lane.
• Moto specifics: one piece or 270 degree leathers, back protector, boots and gloves; textiles are refused. A pit garage bike spot is NZ$50 for the day, three bikes per garage, allocated at sign in.
• Add ons: extra kart race NZ$30 per person on group packages; additional drift driver in the same car NZ$65, EFTPOS only, no cash; suites and catering for groups at extra cost. No photo or video products are published.
• MX5 Fun Drive and group drives: drivers from 16 years of age with a restricted licence or higher, closed shoes, all safety gear supplied, a NZ$2,000 credit or debit card bond held for negligent damage and released after if the car comes back clean. Cannot run in rain. Booked through the enquiry form or office@taupomp.co.nz.
• Weather and refunds: unsafe weather postpones a track day and a new date is emailed. No refund or reschedule for a no show or for leaving part way through. On pre paid bookings generally, changes and full refunds are available more than 7 days out; inside 7 days changes are at the park's discretion and can cost the full price.
• Gift vouchers: 1, 2 or 3 kart races at NZ$54, NZ$98 and NZ$132, open vouchers of NZ$195, NZ$225 and NZ$500, valid 24 months, not usable on event tickets.

• Last verified: 18 October 2026
• Official link: https://www.taupomp.co.nz/experiences