Cobra MOTO names Dave Drakes technical program manager
Cobra MOTO has appointed industry veteran Dave Drakes as technical program manager, adding more than a decade of motorcycle engineering and product development experience to the youth motocross manufacturer.
Drakes brings a background that blends award-winning engineering work with lifelong involvement in racing. His experience includes V-twin engine design, extensive vehicle dynamics testing and performance-focused engineering developed with an eye toward cost efficiency. A longtime racer, Drakes helped fund his mechanical engineering education by building engines and remains active in the racing community.
At Cobra, Drakes will lead the development of new gas-powered competition race bikes, overseeing programs from initial concept through production and launch. His first major initiative centers on a new platform aimed at competing for championships in its first year.
“The impact we can have on a racer’s career if we do our jobs right is incredible,” Drakes shares. “We’re giving them a vehicle to carve out their future. A future Supercross champion is going to learn their skills and hone the fundamentals they need to be successful on our bikes.”
Cobra said Drakes’ approach combines deep technical expertise with a rider’s perspective, focusing on purpose-built products that deliver measurable benefits for young racers. The company also sees his leadership supporting broader goals to expand Cobra’s reach beyond national championship competition and into local and regional racing, while reinforcing its commitment to 100% U.S. manufacturing.
Drakes holds a mechanical engineering degree with a minor in mathematics from the University of Hartford and is based at Cobra MOTO’s headquarters in Hillsdale, Michigan.
