Shelby 289 Cobra

CSX 2232 'Carreras Colombia'

Having spent its early days racing in Colombia prior to making its way north and across the pond to the U.K. this Cobra would later spend over four decades in single family ownership, biding its time before returing to the track.

Found by DK Engineering in 2017 in a tired state, CSX 2232 was prime for a full restoration to correct FIA race specifications. The restoration work was conducted by G&A Fabrications, Steve Gilby and was overseen by the team at DK. Restored over the course of the following two years, the car was completed just in time for the Tour Auto in 2019.

Driven by James Cottingham and Andrew Smith, the duo was off to a cracking start on day one, placing 1st in the pre- 66 category and 3rd overall at lunchtime. Although a series of later setbacks meant that they were out of contention for an overall win, the team persevered and managed to win six special stages out of eleven contested. A few months later at the Algarve Classic Festival in November, the Cobra partnered with Cottingham and Olly Bryant in a fierce battle for the lead with a pair of E-Type and a Bizzzarrini.

As one would expect, 2020 saw a curtailed year of events but the Carreras Colombia Cobra manged to make one outing at the Monza historic in September. With Cottingham and Harvey Stanley as pilots, the pair started third on the grid and managed to gain an early lead prior to mechanical issues forcing the car to retire.

Roaring back to the circuit for the 2021 racing season, supporrted by Pursuit Racing, with its first event of the season the Cobra returned to the track for the Gentleman Drivers race at the Masters Race Days at Donington Park, racing to a third place finish with Cottingham and Joe Twyman behind the wheel. At the Masters Historic Festival at Brands Hatch, Cottingham and the Cobra finally took the chequered flag in the Gentleman Drivers race, a very well deserved victory.

Be sure to keep a lookout for the 'Azzurro La Plata' Cobra with the Colombian flag stripe, as it will surely be at the front of the grid at many events in the near future!