Once met never forgotten. A man larger than life with an indomitable spirit and a ‘Kiwi Can Do’ attitude. Today at 77 Reg calls himself the Geriatric, but his spirit is still a teenager with the craving to go faster. He still, fearlessly drives his own cars down the ice at over 500 mph.
Reg started his life on the family farm in Alfriston, surviving an early speed habit driving farm machinery and horses. He grew into a cocky teenager, a competitive sportsman and a legend in motorsport.
With his first mini, Reg scared the bejezaz out of South Auckland locals with his wild antics while clocking up innumerable speeding tickets. He was very popular amongst the lads at high school who were only too happy to become passengers during his daring escapades. He was a South Auckland legend.
Although a renegade, Reg had a sharp intellect. Somehow managing to achieve good grades at school, he was able to follow his love of animals to study to become a vet at Massey University, where his speed status widened.
Over the years Reg has developed a mind infusing science with the no. 8 wire mentality. Being his own self taught mechanic, he challenged his cars and his enthusiastic teams to go faster than seemingly possible with the tinkering and dare that imbues success.
Few can boast a racing career spanning more than 50 years and as many trophies.
Beginning with circuit racing during the 60’s, never out of the money in gravel bashing rallys in the 80’s, and finally turning to the ultimate speed thrill, land speed racing on the salt at Bonneville USA, claiming 5 World records. On their first run there Reg and his team surprised the Bonneville officials and competitors (and probably themselves), by unassumingly claiming a world record . Today Reg still holds that record.
The man now labeling himself as the ‘geriatric’ at 76 belies the passion, stamina and spirit he is still infused with. He has now set himself and his team the ultimate speed challenge on the Salt Flats in Bolivia 2023.
Reg’s goal is not just to achieve another trophy, but to demonstrate to a new generation whom he feels is losing the ‘Kiwi can do’ mentality, and prove the impossible just might be possible if they dare.
Written by one of his team