No chequered flag in sight for Daytona legend Tony Martin

When something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Like the promises of politicians and rich pastors, for instance. In motorsport, some people also undertake grandiose projects that do not really get off the ground as first envisaged. And then you have Tony Martin.

Near the end of last year, the former single-seater and sports car racing hero made a startling offer to contenders in the national Endurance circuit racing series. His Backdraft company in KwaZulu-Natal would, he said, lend at least 10 of its four-litre Lexus V8 powered Cobra race cars to privateer teams in the 2020 series – free of charge.

All you would need to qualify for the loan car would be to prove you have the knowledge, facilities and skills required to run such a car in a series of endurance races, plus the assurance that you would endeavour to tackle every round of the 2020 championship. Not surprisingly, teams lined up to take Tony up on the offer – and he delivered.

The Lexus V8-powered Backdraft Cobras create a stirring sight on track, with more than 15 of the vehicles expected to tackle the South African Endurance races before the end of the year. Picture: Dave Ledbitter

A few weeks ago the first round of the Endurance Series was held at the Zwartkops Raceway near Pretoria – and the four-hour event saw 11 Backdraft Cobra customer cars take to the tarmac. As with all new race cars – especially those in long distance racing – there were teething problems, but seven of the cars ran the full distance with no niggles. All the drivers professed themselves delighted with the Cobras, and Martin reckons there will be at least 15 of the cars on the grid by the end of the season. But why is he and Backdraft Racing doing it?

“Motorsport has given me incredible pleasure over the years, and, at the age of 70, I figure it is time to give something back. My father, Ian Martin, helped many privateer drivers back in the day, and I feel it is just the right thing to emulate him,” Martin says.

“We have been running Backdraft Cobras in the Endurance series for two years now, and lending people cars to race means we can assist both the involved teams and the series during tough times,” he adds.

The Backdraft Cobra programme comes with technical and parts support from two workshop trucks at every race meeting. Picture: Dave Ledbitter

The Backdraft team did not select the car recipients at random. Tony’s brother, former rally driver Brian Martin, inspected the workshop facilities of every team before giving them the green light, while every racer had to sign a contract regarding the running of their car.

“The agreement ensures that the cars remain standard, as delivered to the team, and that they will contest all rounds of the series. In terms of seat time versus money spent, Endurance racing tops the scale – sprint racing gives you little on-circuit time for your financial investment,” Martin adds.

“Apart from spending more time actually racing your car, you can split the Endurance running costs between two or three drivers, all who will get a healthy dose of seat time over the two days of an event. By lending our vehicles to teams, we eliminate the most costly component of their racing campaign. We also help them with parts and technical assistance, with two Backdraft parts trucks at every race meeting.

From 1974 to 1983 Tony Martin tackled the premier South African Formula Atlantic title chases in a variety of Chevrons and Maurer single-seaters, running under the South Coast Motors banner. Picture: Dave Ledbitter

“That apart, we have Bridgestone on board, with a set of racing tyres going at R11 000. Anybody who has had to buy road car tyres recently will tell you that is a bargain for proper racing rubber,” Martin added.

Uniquely, the racing Backdraft Cobras are fully insured. At Zwartkops, one of the cars spun backwards into a tyre wall, caught fire and burnt out. “It was replaced, and the team will be in action at the next round of the series,” Martin says. Into the eighth decade of his life, he is still remarkably fit and contests the Endurance series in a modified Backdraft Cobra, separately from the loan cars.

“I could never stop racing – if it is in your blood, you have a lifetime affliction. Besides, not racing might mean I have to grow up, as opposed to just growing old, and that is not to be contemplated.” Martin started racing 50cc motorcycles and karts in 1968, from where he moved on to long circuits and the national Formula Vee category.

In 1994 Tony Martin, Sarel van der Merwe and Graham Duxbury took this Kreepy Krauly March Porsche 84G to overall victory in the Daytona 24 Hour race.

From 1974 to 1983 he tackled the premier South African Formula Atlantic title chases in a variety of Chevrons and Maurer single-seaters, running under the South Coast Motors banner. He also shared the Kreepy Krauly March Porsche 84G with Sarel van der Merwe and Graham Duxbury in the 1984 American Camel IMSA GT championship, with a huge highlight the team’s victory in the season-opening Daytona 24-Hour race.

“I still fit into those Kreepy Krauly racing overalls – to enjoy what you have in life, you need to be fit,” he says. The Backdraft lending programme has drawn much attention, with a number of current racers electing to buy the roadsters for competition purposes.

“If you buy the car, we can obviously not dictate that you must run it in standard form, but then you will not be able to compete in the current class for loan vehicles,” Tony says. Whichever way, there should be a large number of the mean-looking roadsters running in the 2020 Endurance championship, at a time when many motorsport categories have been depleted by the ravages of Covid-19.

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