Friends of a man killed after he was struck by a car while unloading goods in Auckland on Monday are angry at his needless death.

Aaron Chan died when he was hit by a car and thrown about five car lengths from where he had been unloading his truck in West Coast Road, Glen Eden, about 6.30pm.

Two men were arrested yesterday and will appear in Waitakere District Court today charged with reckless driving causing death.

Detective Sergeant Roger Small, of Waitemata CIB, said the two were a 35-year-old New Lynn man and a 28-year-old man from Whangaparoa.

He did not rule out the prospect of further charges.

Mr Chan's friends were angry at what they saw as a needless death caused by what witnesses said was boy racing.

Ryan Leong told The New Zealand Herald he hoped the drivers spent the rest of their lives knowing they took the life of one of the nicest people he knew.

"His life has been robbed from him by some selfish idiots. I don't even want to think about how his parents will cope, losing their youngest son."

His brother-in-law had watched in horror as Mr Chan was hit by a speeding car.

Station Officer Bryan Marsden of the Glen Eden Fire Service said firefighters pulled Mr Chan from the car and tried to administer first aid.

"At that stage he was still alive but he slipped away while he was there. He didn't last long."

Police said they would continue their inquiries into the incident until all witnesses had been interviewed and other routine investigations such as those carried out by the Serious Crash Unit had been completed.

They were interested in talking to anyone who saw both a Blue Nissan Skyline and a White Subaru WRX travelling along West Coast Road before Mr Chan's death.