A question we are often asked is, ‘Who insures your cars when you take them to the track?’ Well, performance cars and insurance brands rarely mesh, but MUA isn’t just any insurance brand. They are a brand of passion, a brand of thrills and a brand that makes it happen when it comes to high-value classics and engineered insurance options that give you that extra peace of mind when late braking is needed. But there is one place generic insurance providers would rarely venture. The Simola Hillclimb, and that’s exactly where I headed.
Classic Car Friday
Simola is an animal in a race suit. On a typical day, it’s a quiet road that connects to the back of the beautiful Simola estate, but for one weekend of the year, the road changes colour from a coastal grey to an abused canvas of burnt rubber and black lines. It’s a place you need to experience to truly understand just how ridiculous it is. The most expensive custom race cars from around SA are built entirely for this weekend, show up and risk it all. But before the hill hosts the fastest cars money can buy, the classics kick things off with a measure of elegance.
This year, Ivan represented the MUA brand in his gorgeous Cobra. Although this is his second time at the hillclimb, the first outing left a lot to be desired. Rain last year put a damper on the speed, and this year his only goal was to break into the sub-1-minute club. And from the get-go things were looking promising.
The practice runs got his eye in, and on his fourth run, the first of the qualifiers, he broke into the 50s with a 59.928. Unfortunately, a fuel starvation issue put pressure on him during his second qualifying run. Through the stress, Ivan, with the help of the Cobra Club’s expertise, managed to solve the issue and take third in the H4 class final with a time of 1:01.325. He slotted in behind George Davey in his Porsche 911 Carrera at 57.364 and the class winner Enzo Kuun in his fitting Ferrari 348 at 51.237.
One thing is for sure. Ivan’s Cobra provided the angriest noise in the paddock, but as the classics wrapped, a tension in the air became apparent, and the level of excitement started to boil. The classics elegantly left their pit allocations and were replaced with custom tools, tyre blankets and some of the most ridiculous aerodynamics around.
MUA Power
Saturday and Sunday tell a different story. While the classics on Friday gave us a blast from the past with the opportunity to see sporty machines from history driven to the limit, the King of the Hill bumps the excitement up by quite a margin.
750kW doesn’t mean much here, and a fast time is as dependent on the driver as it is the machine. And these machines are monsters.
MUA provided diversity for the weekend’s programme, starting with the small but fiery MasterDrive Suzuki Swift Sports. Although their performance numbers are small, the drivers tell their story. Umar Dhansay and Suhaa Jacobs were making their dream of racing a reality, and with the MasterDrive team’s coaching, they were causing quite a stir in the pits. Umar showed serious potential, while his teammate, Suhaa, was the youngest driver at the hillclimb at 16. That’s right, she doesn’t even have a driver’s licence.
Both put in a serious effort throughout the weekend, but what stood out was just how much these two young drivers lapped up the experience, and it was a treat to see them push their machines to the limit.
Step up a class, and the particularly aggressive Porsche Boxster GTS driven by Eugene Herbert clearly had a bone to pick with the hillclimb. He had the drive of his life and was fast from the get-go. The crowd wasn’t expecting a pretty standard Boxster to bring the fight to the professionals in brand-spanking-new machinery.
At the peak of the road and supercar classes, there is no shortage of serious talent and performance. Think BMW factory drivers in brand-new M4s and M2 RRs or AMG factory drivers and coaches in AMG GT63s and CLE53s. Drivers who live on the track in these very machines and drive at the absolute limit from the start. Well, Eugene brought the fight to these pros in style. He finished the weekend taking second in his A6 class with a time of 50.892, behind a rather rowdy Audi R8 V10 Plus and closely matched to the factory drivers in one seriously impressive drive. It had the noise and the drama, so we are sure he had an absolute blast.
The next driver we kept a close eye on was Art Denisov, an MUA client with a keen interest in Italian performance. Representing Alfa in a stunning Giulia Quadrifoglio, Art too was on the limit from the get-go, finishing the weekend with a podium and very satisfied eardrums. The Ferrari-derived V6 in his Giulia makes a serious noise, and it’s not an easy machine to wrangle, making his time of 49.299 that much more impressive.
In an interview, he raised a good point: “When you are flying into a corner, knowing your car is covered gives you the confidence to corner a little bit faster.”
King of the Hill
The weekend was filled with heart-stopping moments, serious adrenaline and some new machines we hadn’t seen before. The Scribante team brought a battle-scarred Audi TT that launched like a bullet, leaving spectators with ringing ears. Their Sheriff, a dedicated hillclimb-built R35 GT-R, also showed up and impressed, but the modified class crowned a familiar king this year.
Peter Zeelie is famous around the world for his rocket of an MR2 Super GT, which isn’t so MR2 anymore. It’s a hillclimb monster that has competed and dominated overseas, but the past few years at Simola have been a serious challenge due to the increasing level of performance. But he put in one of the best runs I have seen in my five Simola outings, stopping the clock at 37.216.
Clint Weston was my driver of the weekend. Although he was driving an unmodified GT63 S, he was setting times that put most modified, purpose-built race cars to shame. He was untouchable this weekend, and from the first drop of the flag, he extracted a limit from that car that only a few in the world could match. Winning the Sport and Super Class by a two-second margin at 42.616.
But the title of King of the Hill once again went to Robert Wolk behind the wheel of his mesmerising Gould GR55. Last year, his winning streak was interrupted when his car wasn’t ready in time, but this year he was back with the record in mind.
The GR55 is a pre-built single-seater that is part F1 car, part hillclimb monster. It’s light, it’s rapid, and it holds its speed through the turns at levels that are almost unbelievable. Although he had the record to break this year at 34.161, the track temps were a touch too warm, finishing the weekend with a fastest time of 35.024.
The Heroes of Simola
There was a team at Simola, one that never recorded a time but met the necessary safety requirements on the road and provided the customer enjoyment that is paramount to making the hillclimb the memorable event it is.
MasterDrive and their Ford Mustangs played a crucial role at Simola. Responsible for keeping the racing surface in top condition for safety, the team operated a stunning new-generation Mustang GT. The Dark Horse model also gave passenger rides while proudly showcasing the professionalism of the MUA brand.
The Simola Hillclimb consistently delivers thrilling, world-class racing, making it a bucket-list experience for many enthusiasts. While insurance and motorsport rarely intersect, MUA stood out this year by demonstrating that the right coverage can turn dreams into reality – ensuring your most valued possessions are fully protected for complete peace of mind.
