Ash Marshall was an early convert to drag racing, racing a variety of sports and production cars in events organised by CAMS, but it was his exploits in the AA/Fuel dragsters he imported from the US in the 1960s that made him a legend in local drag racing circles. In 1969 he became the first Australian to break through the 200 mph barrier to cement his place in the sport’s history in Australia. Now living in retirement in the US Ash talks to Australian Hot Rodder about his racing career.

Channelling defined hot rodding in the 1960s. Young hot rodders all over the country were using the technique to achieve a lower, sportier look for their old Fords. When John Bowker built his classic ’34 roadster in the early 1960s it was only natural that he channelled it

It was only natural that after young guys built their first hot rods that they race them, on the street at first, then at more organized meetings at places like Pakenham, the first drag strip in Australia, and then at Riverside Dragway at Fishermans Bend on the banks of the Yarra River in Melbourne. From those humble beginnings drag racing spread all over the country with tracks springing up in almost every state

Norm Longfield never set out to build a stunning show-winning hot rod when he began the build of his ’23 T-bucket, but by the time he’d finished he had one of the most beautiful hot rods ever built in this country and a swag of show trophies