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Dave Alexander is going to Bonneville, can you help get him there?

26 February, 2025

The Spirit of New Zealand Bonneville
Dave Alexander is building a ‘Lakester,’ a car engineered specifically for land-speed racing and powered by a turbocharged Nissan RB30 engine. He needs our support to get him to Bonneville Speedweek, August 2025
Here’s Dave’s land speed record mission in his own words.

“My name is Dave Alexander, and I am on a mission to set a land speed record of over 420 kph at the iconic Bonneville Salt Flats.
With decades of experience in motorsport dating back to the 1970s, I have had the honour of competing at Bonneville before, where we achieved three records in just one week with my home-built car from New Zealand.
My latest creation is an impressive 7-metre ‘Lakester’, engineered specifically for land-speed racing and powered by a turbocharged Nissan RB30 engine. As a self-employed engineer, fabricator, and welder, I took on the challenge of building this vehicle in my shed with support from a small team of skilled friends.
In February 2025, we successfully completed the build and ran the car on a hub dynamometer, ensuring all systems were calibrated and functions tested. This marked a crucial milestone in our journey. Now, we face the next challenge: packing the car and transporting it across the globe to compete in ‘Bonneville Speedweek’ 2025.
We invite fellow New Zealanders and speed enthusiasts to join us in this exciting endeavour. Your support is essential to cover the shipping and transport costs to get our car to the U.S. in August 2025.
Every contribution counts, and you can make a difference by donating online at
Give-A-Little.com. https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/spirit-of-nz-bonneville-lakester
Together, we can put the fastest-ever New Zealand record in the books at Bonneville!”

The Spirit of New Zealand Bonneville Lakester
Email: [email protected]
For more information

Press contact David Mead
Phone: (027) 245-0770
Email: [email protected]

Owner Contact details
Dave Alexander
Phone: (027) 233-6532
Email: [email protected]

Lunch with… Jim Palmer

16 April, 2025

In the 1960s, Hamilton’s Jim Palmer won the prestigious ‘Gold Star’ four times and was the first resident New Zealander home in the New Zealand Grand Prix on five consecutive occasions. He shared the podium with Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham, Bruce McLaren, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, Denny Hulme, Jackie Stewart, and Chris Amon. The extent of his domination of the open-wheeler scene in New Zealand will probably never be matched or exceeded. Yet he’s always been modest about his achievements.

NZ Classic Car magazine, May/June 2025 issue 399, on sale now

13 April, 2025

Who would have thought it would become such a worldwide motorsport star when Ford introduced the humble Escort in 1967?
Its popularity, particularly in Mark 1 form, is now of iconic status. Our cover story for this issue is on a 1968 Ford Escort Mark 1, Alan Mann Racing Tribute. We talked with the owner of this very special Escort, finished in tribute also to the owner’s father.
“Most children love speed, and motorsport typically comes courtesy of a parent, and Elliott is no different. His engineer father, Mark, had a love for motorcycles and going fast; however, when children came along, he swapped two wheels for four, in the form of two Ford Escorts.
Little did Mark know it at the time, but the humble Escort was about to weave its way into the family fabric once and for all.
After emigrating from London to New Zealand, Elliott recalled one evening when he was 14 being invited to tag along by his father, helping a friend convert an Escort road car into a racing car. This was the pivotal moment when Elliott remembers the motorsport bug taking over. He knew he had to have his own one.”