Chasing 800
Kiwi legend Reg Cook, 80 yrs, is chasing 800 kph in a shed-built streamliner. No corporate backing. Just Kiwi grit. Come be part of history.
Auckland
An 80-year-old man (80 in a few weeks) from Clevedon is about to attempt something no human being has ever done. Reg Cook wants to drive faster than 800 kilometres per hour in a car he built in his shed.
Not a factory. Not a multimillion-dollar motorsport facility. A shed in Clevedon — where Reg and his team have hand-built Wairua 2: a 1.7-tonne streamliner powered by an 8-litre twin-turbo Big Block Chev V8, designed from scratch with Kiwi ingenuity and an absolute refusal to think small.
The current FIA world record for a piston-powered, wheel-driven car sits at 758 km/h. No one has ever crossed 800 kph. If Reg does it, he will be the first person in history. He's not putting his life on the line for the glory or the record. He wants to showcase what Kiwis can achieve when they strive for their absolute best!
In 2025 at the Uyuni Salt Flat — the only place on Earth long enough to attempt this — Wairua 2 hit 496 km/h on just 40% throttle. The car is ready. It has unfinished business!
Reg has sold much of what he owns to fund this dream.
More than 60 volunteers pay their own way to Bolivia and give their time for nothing. But we have over 200k of logistics to cover: Freight, shipping, Customs, permits, Track Prep, Accomodation, FIA officials, local appliances(Fire,Ambulance), cranes( to offload and uplight containers - no hiab trucks in Bolivia, Fuel, team transport to and from Site, Marshals and so much more.
Every dollar makes you part of the team.
Come along for the ride.
Cook Motor Racing's involvement (page creator)
I am the volunteer Communications Lead for the CMR Team
Use of funds
Track preparation, FIA safety compliance, permits, freight, fuel, and accommodation
Other page links
Latest update
Kiwi Ingenuity at it's best! 30 September 2026
THE CHALLENGE: Grader scheduled to create the track NO LONGER available. 😏
ENTER: CMR KIWI CAN DO Team doing what we do best. Ingenuity and resourcefulness in the face of a seemingly impossible solution.🤔
PROJECT:
*️⃣ Scope the back yards of Uyuni to find what ever scrap metal we can.
*️⃣ Brain storming
*️⃣ Create Grader HEAVY and effective enough to shave off the 'concrete like' surface of the Salt.
OUTCOME:
After amazing 3 days of collaborative team work, Ian Laird & Grant Horn hit the salt for test runs.
Preliminary course preparation now under way 😊😊😊😊
The Basic Salt conditions are Amazingly Good – Better than last year ✅
Latest donations
Thanks Rob. Appreciate your partnering with us in this way.
Hi Nigel! I can understand that! Really appreciate your support.
Very kind of you. Thanks so much.
Thanks George. Appreciate your support.
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