Online Reporter
Collin Matiza, Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE local motor racing community is mourning one of its own after the death of veteran driver Ian Howden, a towering figure whose presence shaped the sport for more than three decades. Howden died in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Tuesday morning of cancer aged 66.
He is survived by his wife Heather and their two children, Connor and Jessica.
For many in motorsport, Howden was never just another competitor on the grid. He was a driver, a leader and a driving force whose influence stretched far beyond the cockpit. A former Managing Director of Toyota Zimbabwe, he remained deeply woven into the fabric of local racing, competing in karting, motor rally and main circuit racing with the same enthusiasm that marked his earliest days in the sport.
Howden was more than a motor racing driver, he was the heartbeat of local motorsport.
The sense of loss has been heavy and immediate. Members of the motor racing fraternity spoke of ‘immense and indescribable’ pain as news of his passing filtered through the community.
One of the country’s leading drivers, Adrian Watt, led the tributes, pointing to Howden’s lasting contribution to the growth of the sport.
“It was due to him (Howden) that Toyota Zimbabwe poured so much into motor racing in Zimbabwe.
“Condolences go out to his family and friends. He was really a great guy who will be sorely missed by many,” Watt said.
Two-time African motor rally champion Jamie Whyte echoed those sentiments, describing Howden as a fighter whose impact will endure. “We’ve lost a truly great guy and a real fighter.
“Words cannot describe the enormous sadness within the local motor racing family, as we come to terms with losing Ian. He has left an indelible mark on all our lives, and will be part of everything we have achieved, and everything we will strive for.”
Gary Kirk, who partnered Howden as his co driver in local motor rally events, remembered a man whose competitive edge was matched by his character.
“He was always so focused on performance so it was nice to have someone who was a genuinely good human being.
“This (Howden’s death) is tragic news.”
Another local driver, Warren Thorne, added, “. . . He was a great guy who did a lot for the sport in Zimbabwe. He will be missed.”
Howden’s love affair with motor racing began in Harare, where he caught the bug at a young age. That passion was briefly put on hold as he served his apprenticeship with Toyota South Africa, but once that chapter closed, racing took centre stage.
Early, sporadic outings in a Cortina gave way to a Toyota Conquest. It was behind the wheel of a BMW 325iS, however, that Howden truly announced himself. One daring passing manoeuvre on Gary Kirk, who was already easing towards what he believed was a comfortable victory, became part of local motorsport folklore.
His promotion to Managing Director at Toyota Zimbabwe brought the family back to Harare and with it a new chapter on the track. Armed with a Subaru WRX STi, Howden enjoyed notable success, including winning the Zimbabwe National Saloon Car Championship.
After sampling karting, he turned his attention to rallying, piloting a Mitsubishi Evo in several editions of the once popular Zimbabwe Challenge Rally. With strong backing from Howden and his team at Toyota Zimbabwe, the event earned recognition as the best organised rally on the African Rally Championship calendar.
Away from the race track and rally stages, Howden gave his time to the sport’s administration and development. As a member of the Sables Motor Club committee, he played a hands on role in organising race meetings, improving facilities at both local race circuits and promoting safe driving programmes in high schools.
Yet it was the Zimbabwe Challenge Rally that best captured his influence. Competing alongside the likes of former African motor rally champion Billy Rautenbach and his son Conrad, two time champion Jamie Whyte, Jess Watson, Big “Bigs” Chitima, Colin Schreiber, Richard “Mahobho” Robinson, Craig Green and Stuart Haddon, Howden helped turn the rally into one of the most compelling motorsport spectacles in Zimbabwe and across the continent.
The event stood as a major fixture on the African Rally Championship, renowned for its punishing terrain and high powered machinery, with Mitsubishi Lancer Evos and Subarus battling through some of the toughest stages the region had to offer.
Howden’s imprint on Zimbabwean motorsport is unmistakable. His energy, commitment and belief in the sport lifted those around him. He will be sorely missed.
