A quiver of Cobras will slither off the start line at Dezzi Raceway, Port Shepstone on March 7 to mark the debut of the Backdraft Racing Series with a three-hour endurance race around the stunning coastal track.
Previously part of the South African Endurance Series, this new racing action package comes after two decades of dreaming and planning and, for the first time, the thunderous Backdraft Cobras won’t just be guests in someone else’s race. They’re the main event, heading up a brand-new seven-round championship built around them—and any other car keen to join the fray.
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The season opener will see a impressive grid of at least 15 of these iconic machines line up alongside a mixed bag of other racers for a proper three-hour endurance showdown. It’s the kind of field size that proves this isn’t just a pipe dream anymore.
Tony Martin, the man behind Backdraft, has been nursing this vision for a long time. He wanted a slice of the racing world that was both sustainable and welcoming, with the Cobra at its heart, but the door open to allcomers.
“In the beginning, there were just a handful of us,” Martin recalls. “We were essentially nomads, racing in any series that would have us.”
As more owners got on board, they carved out their own class within existing endurance champs. But the numbers kept growing, and their popular ‘arrive-and-drive’ model took off. It became clear the Cobras needed their own playground.
“The growth of the competitors and the success of the arrive-and-drive meant a dedicated series wasn’t just a nice idea anymore—it was the logical next step,” says Martin. The move to go it alone was all about protecting what matters most to them: keeping it affordable, building a community, and ensuring the competition stays fierce but fair.
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This isn’t just a KZN series. Working hand-in-glove with Motorsport South Africa (MSA) and track bosses across the region, the calendar is a road trip worth taking. Over seven rounds, the circus will visit six different circuits, with the highlight undoubtedly being a trip across the border to Maputo. That little detail makes this the only SA-based series currently offering drivers a proper international round on their fixture list.
Tony and his cousing Brian Martin have been burning the midnight oil talking to drivers to make sure the new structure actually works for the people who’ll be pushing the pedals.
Let’s be honest, motorsport can burn a hole in your pocket faster than a V8 drinks fuel. The new series is trying hard to change that. With most of the field using Backdraft’s arrive-and-drive package, the headaches of trucking a car around, finding spanners, and forking out for a pit crew are taken care of.
In a move you don’t see every day in local racing, they’ve even thrown in a progressive discount for drivers who commit to the whole season. It’s a smart bit of thinking to keep the grids healthy.
Ask anyone involved, and they’ll tell you the Backdraft bunch is like a family. They’re putting their money where their mouth is, too. Every competitor gets brekkie and lunch on race days in a dedicated hospitality area. “Breaking bread together is what families do,” says Martin. “That feeling of belonging is what we’re all about.”
If you’re heading to the South Coast for the day, there’s plenty to keep the whole tribe entertained. Think passenger hot laps in a full-blooded Cobra race car, live music, SIM racing setups for the gamers, and a packed support bill of tin-tops, historic iron, and screaming bikes.
In a nod to the spectacle of it all, Grid Girls will also be part of the presentation, keeping that classic race-day vibe alive.
The Day’s Running
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Gates swing open at 07:00 on the Saturday (7 March), with free practice and those spectator hot laps happening the day before on the Friday.
The support card is stacked:
- KZN Super Sprint Series
- 150cc C Super Production Motorcycles
- Historic Cars
- PSA Modified Cars
- Motard Motorcycles
- Super GT C Sports Cars
- Sub-500cc C Formula Xtreme Motorcycles
- Super Vee South Africa
…and the main course: the three-hour Backdraft Racing Series endurance race.
Getting In
General entry is a very reasonable R100 at the gate. If you want to get into the hospitality areas or bag a spot for those hot lap experiences, you’ll need to book those online beforehand. It’s set to be a proper day out for KZN petrolheads.
Colin Windell for Colin-on-Cars in association with
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