Marina Anderson Realizes Her Dream

Fans and racers alike were treated to something special during Saturday night’s Burndown at Sundown. Marina Anderson, a motivated and enthusiastic young lady realized a dream by successfully completing her licensing runs in the family owned and built A/Fuel Dragster. Up until this point, Marina had taken the necessary incremental steps to get fully licensed. The only thing left was the required two full passes above the minimum threshold of 6.20 seconds and 205 MPH.
Friday evening brought the first attempt, and the time slip read 6.27 at 185 MPH. Almost there, but 24 year old Elmhurst College graduate reported lifting at 1000′ as something didn’t feel right. The crew went to work to make sure the car was at its best on Saturday.
Throughout Saturday, experienced racers came to lend the 2017 Champion Spark Plugs’ ‘Search for a Champion’ finalist and her crew assistance and support, including Anthony Dicero Racing, Hirata Racing, Jared Dreher Racing, Mia Tedesco, Krista Baldwin, and Zizzo Racing’s Mike Kern.
At 5:40 PM the Anderson Family Dragster was pulled to the line. Once the tree came down it was evident that Anderson was on the gas all the way to the stripe on this run. As the board lit up with “5.844” and “223.54” a cheer went up by the crew. Yet celebration time was short lived as the clutch and Jerry Darien built engine needed to be serviced for the next attempt.

A few hours later Anderson Family Dragster Racing towed Marina to the line in front of a large Burndown crowd. The crew fired the car, Dad Scott Anderson guided Marina into the beams. Then Marina hit the loud pedal. With pipes lit all the way down the track, the clocks showed 5.632 at 231.99 at the end of the run.

 
It must be noted that this run would have placed Anderson 9th in qualifying for the 8 car Top Alcohol Dragster field. Eleven cars tried to get into the Quick 8.
Now it was time to celebrate.

Photos & Story Courtesy of Bill Swanson.