“For him to come out and lower the record and win the competition division on his first day is an achievement,” says Anthony’s father Tony Marsh.
Mr Marsh’s son, 21-year-old “Ants”, was number one of the Competition class with a time of 6.89 seconds at Meremere last Sunday.
He also lapped up the quickest run of the day at the Fram Autoline Dragway’s 1st Points Score
Meeting of 2009 by setting a new Australasian record of 6.84 seconds, beating the previous record (6.90) and its holder – his dad.
Mr Marsh says he wasn’t bitter when Ants, a first-timer to the track, beat his record, but he says the younger Marsh member will probably remain in the hot seat from now on.
“I think I’ve lost my seat,” says Mr Marsh, who owns East Tamaki’s Marsh Motorsport.
“I’ll still have a skid occasionally, but my involvement will be looking after the car.”
The self-confessed “old man” still has one up on his son - Mr Marsh has been “chasing the 200mph” mark for a while.
Mr Marsh stills hold the closest speed and more importantly, the world record of 199.17mph.
“When you run a quarter mile it takes us six point whatever seconds, and when you get to the end you’re going ‘x amount’ of miles per hour, we are trying to break 200mph (321kph).
“We’re the closest with a naturally aspirated car”, which does not have a turbo or super-charged engine.
The father-son duo raced and won their class with their “Metalman Ford dragster” (pictured below right), with Ants in the driver’s seat for the first time.
“This is actually the first race car I’ve ever driven.
“It’s an adrenalin rush but when I’m sitting at the start line that’s when the nerves kick in.”
The new record holder is proud of his time but worries if he outshines his old man, he may not end up behind the wheel again.
“I’m hoping to keep driving, but at the rate I’m going Dad might kick me out if I do too well.”
And his father will kick him out if it looks like their vehicle will crack the 200mph mark.
“I said to Ants the other day if it looks like we’ll get the 200 he’s getting out of the seat, I want to hop back in because I want to be the first to do it,” jokes Mr Marsh.
Fram Autolite Dragway hosts the 2nd Points Score Meeting, which is also a twilight meeting on February 14.
