I really don't think that the kit car is to blame, but obviously can't say for sure. After all, how many Cobra kits are out there and getting flogged on a routine basis? True, while kit cars don't have to undergo the same rigors as an OE auto maker would, this particular kit model (not necessarily the maker) has been around the block (or track as it may be) once or twice with few major design related failure as I understand it.
One thing that most all of us can say for sure is that we need more details before we can make an accurate assessment of what went on. We can say with a high degree of certainty is that if he were a cat, he'd just used 8 out of his 9 nine lives...