If you’ve ever found yourself surrounded by the growl of engines, the scent of petrol, and the flash of custom bodywork at the Gas Motor Show, then you’ve been in the orbit of Yash Ori – the woman who runs the show... quite literally. And while you might not see her on social media or striking poses next to a supercar, make no mistake: she’s the one making the wheels turn.
Yash, who studied International Marketing and Management, once found herself in a bind that many students can relate to – how exactly does a textbook on marketing strategy help someone obsessed with burnouts, body-kits and sound? The answer, it turns out, came wrapped in high-octane fumes and a chance meeting with Harry, her now-partner in both business and life.
“Harry helped me see how I could use what I studied in the motor world,” she says. “Now I do the marketing, the logistics, the advertising basically everything except get in front of a camera.”
She thrives behind the scenes planning, coordinating, and obsessing over every detail that goes into pulling off one of South Africa’s most exciting motoring events.
But don’t mistake her laid-back vibe for lack of horsepower. This is a woman who dabbled in drag racing, worked at a dealership, and now steers Gas Motor Show under the banner of her own company, Instabrand Corp – a brand she started but put on hold to care for her ailing father.
Now, she’s back at the wheel, and Instabrand is in full throttle.
Between monetizing the track, negotiating with municipalities, and doing ground-level networking, she’s learning that a lot of power lies in paperwork – not just horsepower.
“People think it’s all fast cars and fun, but there’s a lot of research and admin. A lot of meetings, proposals, permits. I’m constantly figuring out how to help brands advertise – whether it’s a billboard, digital ad, or a full-blown activation at the track.”
And when the engines cool and the last vendor pack-up is done, Yash’s work is still not over.
“Once the Gas Motor Show ends in June, I spend another month just doing the close-out report. Then it all starts again,” she laughs, a little exhausted but completely in love with the madness.
But through all the revving engines and relentless planning, there’s one constant in her life – Marshall, her beloved German Shepherd and undisputed king of the cuddle. “Honestly, 90% of my life goes to him,” she confesses. “If I’m not at work or the racetrack, I’m at home on the couch with Marshall. He’s my baby boy.”
So, the next time you’re at the Gas Motor Show, remember: while you’re staring in awe at a chrome-wrapped Mustang or admiring the drift kings tearing up the tar, the real engine behind the event might just be sitting quietly backstage, probably with a spreadsheet in one hand and Marshall in the other.