The Finish Line
In Memoriam
JIM MARSH DIES APRIL 29

by Chris Martin
Photo by Bob Snayko

Jim Marsh was one of the very last (maybe Phil Tadlock in 1967 or Adams-Enriquez in subsequent years) injected nitro-burning fuel dragster drivers that stole headlines from the blown and injected Chrysler crowd. On March 14-15, 1964 at the West Coast Championships at Fremont Raceway in Northern California, Marsh pushed the Logghe-Marsh-Steffey/"Slot Racer" injected 389-cid Chevy C/Fuel Dragster to the sport's first seven-second run by an unblown dragster. In defeating teams like Masters-Richter, Zeuschel-Fuller-Moody, Greer-Black-Prudhomme, and in the final, Ted Gotelli and Denny Milani, Marsh ran an unheard of 7.92 with a best speed of 187.92-mph. That same year, Marsh switched the "Slot Racer" over to a unique streamlined body with an injected motor and later a blown Chevy motor with mixed results.

Reportedly on April 29th of this year, Marsh died from lupus. It was his 66th birthday.