Durban racing pioneer Manu Khan dies at 81

For those involved in Durban’s racing scene, be it circuit or drag racers, particularly from those during the pre-apartheid era, the name Manu Khan was revered in the Indian community.

Khan was no political activist, however, he did most of his talking with his Ford Escort Mk1.

Khan died at the age of 81 on Friday. For 12 years he battled with cancer, which eventually led to organ failure.

He was considered as one of the first Indian racers to enter stock car racing and run a 10-second quarter mile time on the drag strip, according to his fellow racers.

Shaheen Khan, 51, Manu’s son, said he started building cars with his father at 15 years old.

“We lived together, we moved together, we raced together. He was my best friend. We worked together our entire lives. Losing him really hurt because it was like losing a close friend. We spent a lot of time together until his passing,” said Shaheen.

“My father used to be a phenomenal circuit racer. He captained the SA team twice against England in oval racing at Kings Park.

“He dominated drag racing for like 10 years straight. Many people still come up to me to this day and tell me stories about how they loved him and his Escort when they were kids.

“They told me they took the bus and taxi just all the way to Campsdrift and Margate to watch his Escort race.”

Khan’s friend and part time racing student - Lionel Pillay, said the Reservoir Hills racer was someone he deeply admired and looked up to. Pillay grew up driving Ford Cortinas and said Khan was influential in motivating young racers to become better.

“Manu knew my father who also raced back then. He knew me from the time I was a boy. I had a deep respect for him,” said Pillay.

“He showed us Indian people the way when it came to racing. He raced the stock car circuit in Ottawa before it could be moved to Kings Park Stadium.

“He had this 1600 Mk1 Escort and raced that. At the time, regulations only permitted you to drive a car with a 1600 displacement, but Manu was a genius and he knew how to work around the engine to make his car faster. He was well known for building some of the best gearboxes around.

“After he was done with the stock racing, he entered the drag scene and that's when he built his famous V8 Escort with nitrous. He also had this Mk1 Ford Cortina with a V8 engine which he called the Judge. It was a very famous car in Durban and used to idle like thunder when he came to the Blue Lagoon,” Pillay said.

Pillay said he never raced Khan’s Escort, but if he did, he would have lost to the ole’ man.

“I think his personal best was a 10.9 second quarter mile. It was the first Durban street car to enter the 10. And he set that in 1996 or 1997. At the time, that was not heard of in our community. So we had something to chase,” Pillay recalled.

Another KwaZulu-Natal racing pioneer and fellow petrolhead, Kas Moodley, who came up alongside Khan’s racing prowess, said the 81-year-old was a guiding light in the sport.

Moodley reminisced about their days together at Campsdrift drag racing track, saying his legacy will live through the countless lives he touched throughout his career behind the wheel.

“I had the privilege of watching Mr. Khan's racing career unfold, from his early days on the oval track at Kings Park Stadium. His skills behind the wheel and charisma on the track earned him a massive following, and he quickly became a household name.

“When drag racing first emerged in South Africa in 1989, Mr. Khan and I were among the pioneers who took to the strip at Campsdrift, just outside Pietermaritzburg. Over the years, we competed at various venues, and Mr. Khan's legendary Escort V8 became a fan favorite, thrilling spectators with its incredible performance.

“But Mr. Khan's impact on the sport went far beyond his impressive racing career. He was a mentor, a friend, and a guiding light to many aspiring racers.

“His willingness to share advice and expertise, particularly when it came to modifying automatic transmissions, was unparalleled,” Moodley said.

Kovilan Pillay, 47, another Durban racer that lived “not too far away” from Khan in Reservoir Hills, said his Escort was a revered build among young racers in the late 90’s and early 2000’s.

Pillay said Khan was at Dezzi Raceway a couple months ago, enjoying the drag racing scene in his old age.

“I first met Manu about 25 years ago. I think he was most famous for that V8 escort with the nitrous. The first time I saw him run was at the Margate drags on the south coast.

“I was 18 years at the time and just got into racing. We started with the 14 second cars and when Manu did 10 seconds it was like ‘what the hell just happened’. It was like seeing an eight second run today. Everyone that knew him admired him. He was someone we all just looked up to,” Pillay added.