Manitoba’s Don Fotti is a sparkling example of both racer and race car longevity……

Don is campaigning a truly impressive and truly classic 1968 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet which is the envy of many race fans out there.

Don’s Cobra Jet is in fact an original car which he has owned since 1971. The car has some very early roots — in fact with it he was a multiple race winner and the track champion at the old Bison/Keystone Dragway located east of Winnipeg – way back when.

Fotti stepped back from drag racing for a time but kept possession of the car.

“In the Spring of 1973 – I hurt the motor and then I ended up getting married a month later,” Don recalled. “Because of that I kept the car in storage for 18 years. But eventually I put myself in position to get the car back out there and I’m having a lot of fun doing it.”

Fotti campaigns his machine primarily within the very popular NMCA racing tour running the car within that circuit’s Nostalgia Muscle Car class. It is now powered by a 428 CID engine which produces over 700 HP.

“We don’t run a roll bar so officially the car is limited to 11.50 seconds in our bracket,” Don explained. “But the car is fully capable of running in the nines if unleashed. I’ve been running a lot of NMCA events in recent seasons – and that’s been a good fit – I finished top ten in points.”

Don manages his racing career with an very interesting occupation too. After being a paramedic for the city of Winnipeg for 27 years — he is now a member of the Perimeter AeroMed Air Ambulance service.

Photos & post by: Bruce Biegler