The Cobra Club brings the heat to Suncoast
The second Cobra Club Concourse event of the year took place recently at the Suncoast Casino in KwaZulu-Natal, amid some wet weather, dry humour, and warm camaraderie, as has come to be expected from this well-established national club.
The crowds were still treated to a spectacular show even though only ten of the twenty cars that entered actually rolled onto the grounds that day due to the weather. After relocating to undercover parking, the entries consisted of two cars from the City of Gold and eight cars that were accustomed to living at sea level in Durban, all of which were Cobras this time, unlike the Daytonas and GT40s that joined the Cobra collection at Silverstar Casino a few weeks ago.
“The rain may have made things a little more tricky than we would have liked, but what was special was the number of owners that pitched, without their cars, going out of their way to make an effort to just be a part of the community,” mentions Club chairman Kenneth Ella. “The KZN Cobra owners understand the importance of the local Cobra community, and meeting so many of them certainly honoured the spirit of the club and comes back to the very reason we have been doing these events for decades now.”
Embodying this local spirit were Tony and Brian Martin, owners of the KwaZulu-Natal-based Cobra building outfit, Backdraft, who also finished in the top three on the day. Like Superformance, Backdraft are mythical in the local Cobra community, racing cars regularly in the gruelling 9-hour and marketing their locally built AC Cobras globally for export to many happy owners around the planet.
Also making a noteworthy effort was Frans Geldenhuis, who trekked his KCC Cobra all the way from Jozi (after missing the Silverstar event), only to end up winning the KCC category at Suncoast, thus ensuring his efforts were indeed well rewarded. Alongside Frans on the national highway to Durban was none other than the Club Chair himself, Kenneth Ella, whose LDS Cobra made it onto the second step of the podium for the day. Overall winners in summary then were Brian de Beyer taking the win with his white Backdraft Cobra, Kenneth Ella in second with his red LDS Cobra, and Tony Martin with his ‘Dodge Viper Blue’ Backdraft Cobra.
Prizes on the day were similar to the Joburg event, with the R20k grand prize sponsored by Hi-Q for the national winner still on the line. All entries received attendance certificates, with the majority receiving trophies as ‘top ten’ finishers. The top 3 winners also scored custom ‘Xignature’ removable number plate holders, a custom-fit car cover from Supercar Covers, merchandise from the Cobra Club, and a free annual club membership for 2026.
Other noteworthy prizes on the day included Tony Martin for best interior, Kenneth Ella took the honours for best exterior, while Brian de Beyer walked away with the best engine bay of the day.
The weather unfortunately meant no mass start on the day, meaning no slot machines were seen shaking from the roar of these Cobras on the gambling floor, but this did not mean that the judges were let off the hook in any way. Carrying clipboards this time around included royalty like Bryan Martiz, who also acts as vice president of the Jozi Porsche Club, and Backdraft maestro Byron Wollentine, who, based on many years of building fine Backdraft-specimen Cobras, knows how to recognise the fangs from the tails.
“While the numbers may have been smaller, the Durban fleet on display were certainly not shy of the quality we would expect in a Concourse,” confirms Ella. “Both the judges and the club members were suitably impressed with the local American muscle on display.”
There were some unusual examples in attendance too. Tony Martin’s blue Backdraft Cobra had tongues wagging, thanks to its unusual hardtop setup – Coupe Cobras are not a common sight. Ivan Lerm’s orange road-legal Cobra, known for its class-winning prowess at the annual Simola Hillclimb event, also raised a few eyebrows. The silver Shamrock Cobra of Clinton Cordes, with its infamous broad matt-black stripe, was another little treat for spectators and club members alike.
The Durban owners’ feedback on the challenges of keeping their Cobras in concourse condition was also fascinating. The coastal moisture, versus the drier Highveld, means that Durbanites need to keep their Cobra garages moisture- and dust-free, along with keeping a close eye on rust and corrosion in general. Humidity overall is an ongoing concern. But the plus side, as Ella points out, is the extra horses these naturally aspirated snakes pick up at sea level. “My 302 V8 felt like it picked up at least 15% more power down at the coast,” mentions Ella, “making it quite the handful.”
The day’s main sponsor, MUA Insurance, was gaining speed at the coast. This was their second event of the year working with the Cobra Club as a sponsor and is a favourite among the classic owners – thanks to both their belief in the provenance of the club and MUA’s ability to offer specialist motor coverage to such a fraternity of like-minded petrolheads.
Vajra Singh, CEO at MUA, mentions that “While the weather may have been a bit damp, it’s heartening to see that the spirit of these Cobra Club owners was certainly not dampened. They certainly believe in the community which they are a part of, and it’s this same community spirit through which we govern MUA. This warm community belief is part of the ethos of MUA and something we strive to maintain with both our dealer and customer bases. We will always be proud to sponsor Concourse events like these, which share similar passions and values to MUA. Providing cover and protecting machinery like this is an ongoing privilege at MUA and not one we take lightly.”
The third and final Concourse event of the year, again headlined by MUA Insurance, takes place at the Killarney Motor Show in Cape Town in early November. More on that event to follow – we’re expecting there to be a bit of a showdown between the various Cobra manufacturers in SA!
