Kiwi Mini breaks Land Speed Record at Bonneville Salt Flats

New Zealand’s Project 64 Mini team have made history in with a record land speed in their class of 158.039 miles per hour (254kmh) on Tuesday morning (NZ time), eclipsing the previous standard of 140mph.

The Nelson-based motorsport team have been on the iconic Utah salt flats in their return to Speed Week and had already qualified for a record in the I/BGALT class with their speed of 146.676 mph surpassing the previous mark of 133mph.

Speaking earlier in the week team member Mike Wilson was confident of their chances but admitted that further fine-tuning of the engine was required before they would truly hit their stride.

“To be honest the speeds we’re getting we aren’t that happy with but it’s enough for a record in that class,” he said.

“If we can do around 160 and 165mph then we’ll easily be extending that record.”

With that mark all but reached this morning and further runs to come, Wilson said the feeling in the Project 64 camp was one of exuberance.

“It’s pretty bloody good – I was driving in our second car and there’s been a fair bit of bouncing around from us – when we rang back to the rest of the team we could hear everyone yelling and carrying on.”

Mechanical issues, long queues and close competition for record speeds had made life interesting for the Project 64 Mini team in their quest to reach 175mph at Bonneville.

Saturday proved a frustrating start to proceedings with the mini’s fuel lines failing, resulting in most of the fuel system being purged, cleaned and/or replaced.

Also standing in the way of land speed glory were the former record holders who had claimed back one of Project 64’s speed records this week.

Wilson welcomed the competition.

“I think this time last year we were taking the motor out for the second time so we’re doing much better this year.”

Support from back home has been encouraging for the team, with messages on social media and media attention providing an added incentive to reach their goal.

“I was speaking with National Radio just before and they said no pressure but we’re not doing so well in the Olympics so we needed to do well.”

Wilson said the team were scheduled to stay until the end of speed week on August 19 in order to achieve their goal of reaching 175mph.

However, work commitments dictated that an early return to New Zealand was likely if that speed was reached before Friday.

Kiwi Mini breaks Land Speed Record at Bonneville Salt Flats

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    3 Comments

    • Tony
      Reply

      State of journalism nowadays. It’s like saying WELLINGTON WON THE RUGBY IN THEIR COMPETITION.

      Was that Supoer rugby, NPC, IHC, Under fifteen B squads?

      Unless I missed it somewhere. BUt I can read. So if I missed it – many motorsport fans (who, let’s face it, cannot read) would have also.

    • Tony
      Reply

      Start Date
      Started in 2010
      Short Description
      A mad group of kiwis who broke a world land speed record in a 1964 Mini Cooper 970S at Bonneville Speed Week 2012. We’re going back in 2016.
      Long Description
      Project ’64 is an attempt by a group of Kiwis on the world land speed record for a production car under 1000cc. We are using a 1964 Mini Cooper S using the standard engine block and special head (more details to come). The car was 48 years old when we broke the class record at Speed Week in 2012 with a speed of 146.6mph or 236km/h. Our top official speed was 156mph or 251km/h.

      We are competing at Bonneville Speed Week 13-19 August 2016
      Phone +1 (213) 275-6569 for all media enquiries up until August 24th.
      Awards
      I/BGCC class speed record at Bonneville Speed week 2012 (unbroken) 146.6mph.
      Built
      1964

      There you have it – For real journalism you have to go to FACEBOOK and a guy on an ankle bracelet stuck at home

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