There’s an old motorsport saying that goes: if you’re a billionaire and want to become a millionaire, get involved in racing. While it’s often said as a joke, anyone who competes regularly knows motorsport can be a serious financial commitment, especially in endurance racing where preparation, tyres, fuel, logistics, and mechanical reliability all play a role.
At Induction Noise, 2025 has firmly been Andre’s most active year on track. His motto remains simple: “Everything must be raced.” And while we often tease him as being more passion than pace, his racing experience and speed proves otherwise.
A once-in-a-lifetime chance… until it wasn’t
In the lead-up to the Killarney 6 Hour, Andre was offered the chance to race a prototype, open-cockpit endurance car – an exceptional opportunity for any driver in South Africa.
The car had recently competed in sprint races at Kyalami, running as part of the broader program linked to the annual Kyalami 9 Hour weekend. Unfortunately, the prototype suffered a mechanical failure and could not be repaired in time for Killarney.
With the event approaching, it looked like Andre’s endurance weekend was over before it began.
A late call-up: Backdraft Cobra co-drive
Just two days before race day, an alternative opportunity came through: a last-minute co-drive in a Backdraft Cobra Roadster, paired with Bruce Avern-Taplin. Bruce is well known within the Toyota racing community having previously held key R&D and engineering roles at the company. He is also a Killarney local, thus the perfect driving partner for the event.
Backdraft is well known for building and selling modern interpretations of the AC Cobra philosophy, but their motorsport program is equally impressive.
Backdraft is owned by Tony Martin, a South African racing legend and one of the winners of the 1984 Daytona 24 Hour, alongside Sarel van der Merwe and Graham Duxbury. That pedigree matters, because it filters down into how the team operates, prepares cars, and supports drivers.
Backdraft Racing runs a fleet of race-prepared Roadsters available through purchase or rental, supported by a full race team. It’s an approach that makes endurance racing accessible to drivers who don’t have the infrastructure to run a car independently.
The Backdraft package includes:
- full mechanical support
- pit crew and strategy assistance
- logistics and event setup
- troubleshooting support throughout the weekend
For a multi-hour race like the Killarney 6 Hour, that level of backup can make the difference between a classified finish and an early retirement. So, with nothing but a handful of laps under his belt in the car, Andre was ready.
Race day strategy and format
The Killarney 6 Hour format pushed both drivers and car:
- stints of one and two hours for each driver
- a one-hour break in proceedings – very unique in endurance racing, but a chance to recharge and do a systems check
- consistent traffic management
Endurance driving isn’t just about lap times. It’s about managing long stints at high speed while balancing brakes, tyres, and mechanical limits.
Even for experienced drivers, doing repeated stints at race pace (while regularly touching 200 km/h and beyond) is a different level of fatigue compared to shorter sprint races.
Race days don’t always go your way
Race day didn’t unfold cleanly.
The car suffered an early rear puncture, costing time getting back to the pits and resetting momentum. There were braking issues during the 1st half of the race, significant enough that the team replaced the front discs during the break, which helped restore braking confidence. Unfortunately, these weren’t the only setbacks.
A VVTi solenoid on the Lexus V8 came loose, dropping oil during a stint and stranding the car with no oil – forcing a recovery and repair. Again, the Backdraft team worked their magic to get the car back on the grid in under an hour. To add another sting in the tail, the clutch started slipping. And then, the final nail in the coffin, the engine gave in during race overtime.
To be clear, these challenges weren’t a reflection of the car or the team’s preparation. No, this is racing and sometimes the odds simply are not in your favour. Where it not for the professional setup, track time would have been limited to minutes rather than full hours of race time.
Due to the clock accidentally running into overtime, the team was still classified in 14th place overall. Not bad considering all the challenges!
The Backdraft Cobra performs
Adding context to the weekend: a Backdraft Cobra won overall, which is a strong statement about what these cars can do in the right hands. It reinforces an important takeaway: These Roadsters may not have the outright pace of modern high-downforce machinery, but with:
- strong mechanical support
- seat time
- confidence in traffic
- consistent stint management
…they can fight right at the front of the pack.
What’s next for Induction Noise on track?
Andre came away from the event with one clear conclusion: he wants more. And from our side, the plan is to join him on track more often next season. There are already rumours of an Induction Noise endurance entry being considered.
So if you enjoyed this one, there’s a good chance this won’t be the last endurance race report.