At 70 years old, Jeff Zwart has little left to prove. The American Porsche icon has built a career spanning award-winning film direction, record-setting runs at Pikes Peak and the creation of the globally celebrated Luftgekühlt gatherings. Yet even for Zwart, one legendary challenge remained unfinished business.
More than half a century after first reading about it as a high school student, Zwart has finally completed the East African Safari Classic Rally, widely regarded as one of the most brutal motorsport events on the planet, behind the wheel of a competition-prepped classic Porsche 911.
Run over nine relentless days and covering 2,220 competitive kilometres, the rally put drivers and machines through extremes of heat, mud, dust, water crossings and unpredictable wildlife. Zwart, co-driven by Alex Gelsomino, brought their early F-series 911 home in an impressive 17th place overall from a field of roughly 60 cars, more than half of them classic 911s. The winning entry was also Stuttgart-bred, underlining Porsche’s deep-rooted Safari pedigree.
“This is probably the hardest event I’ve ever done,” Zwart admitted. “In the 1970s, this rally was considered the most difficult automotive event in the world, and I don’t think it’s any easier now.”
The modern Safari Classic traces its origins to 1953, when the original East African Safari Rally was created to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Revived in 2003 for historic competition, the event now runs every two years, this time traversing Kenya’s vast landscapes around Diani, Voi and Amboseli, with Mount Kilimanjaro forming a dramatic backdrop.
For Zwart, the rally was as emotional as it was physical. Gelsomino previously co-drove for the late Ken Block, who competed in the event in 2022 and strongly encouraged Zwart to take part.
“Ken told me how incredible this rally was and said, ‘Jeff, you’ve got to do it,’” Zwart recalled. “Being here with Alex feels like coming full circle. There were some very emotional moments for both of us.”
The challenges were relentless. Suspension damage on day three and a transmission issue late in the rally forced the pair to limp nearly 40 kilometres through a stage in first gear. Remarkably, they lost minimal time and the 911 continued to perform flawlessly until the finish, crossing the line ahead of a beachside awards celebration.
“Every day the 911 surprised me with how well it handled the punishment,” Zwart said. “The team keeping these cars alive has done a super-human job.”
Exhausted but elated, Zwart describes the Safari Classic as “the adventure of a lifetime.” And after days of searing heat and humidity, there’s one thing he’s looking forward to most. “I’ll be glad to be back in the snow,” he said.
