When young karting star Harrison Hoey lines up for this weekend’s Race of Stars event on the Gold Coast, he knows he’ll be taking a step on the path which took Chaz Mostert to Bathurst glory.

Mostert caught the attention of the nation after coming from last on the grid to claim Sunday’s Bathurst 1000 V8 Supercars endurance race at Mount Panorama.

The Ford Performance Racing star, like many elite drivers, began his journey to the top on the nation’s karting tracks.

For 12-year-old Hoey, the youngest driver in Australia’s elite junior karting category, Mostert’s thrilling win has proven inspirational.

“Seeing Chaz win Bathurst last weekend was very cool,” Hoey said.

“To be able to see someone that has come from the same area as me and only a few years ago was racing the same karting classes as me win Bathurst was very inspirational.”

Mostert began his racing career on the Gold Coast, with his now-famous father Eddie taking him all over the country to pursue his son’s dream.

A 2006 Australian karting championship in South Australia proved the launchpad for further opportunities.

This weekend’s Race of Stars event is part of the build-up to the Gold Coast 600 V8 Supercars event to be held at Surfers Paradise on October 24 to 26.

Hoey is hoping a good outing against a field that includes current karting world champion Juan Manuel Correa can be his stepping stone to bigger and better things.

“I was a spectator at the Race of Stars last year, now I’m racing in the top junior class. It’s going to be a lot of fun, it will also be the fastest I’ve ever gone in a kart – I can’t wait,” said Hoey.

Correa is just one of several international drivers heading to the Coast for this weekend’s event, with racers coming from Italy, Belgium, Finland and Holland to take part in the invitational event.

Competitors will range from the youngest in the cadets class through to the high-speed elite KZ2 class where drivers will reach speeds in excess of 160km/h.