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ASH MASON’S LS-POWERED MAZDA RX-7 HEADS FOR MID-FOURS ON A 235

- MARK ARBLASTER

THE 235 radial class has really exploded in Australia over the past few years – as has radial drag racing generally. With the 275 class requiring 2500plus horsepower to be competitive, a bunch of highly refined and super-quick cars have changed to the smaller tyre to make a bigger impression rather than just making up the numbers elsewhere.

One of the real standouts, not just of the 235 class but of the Queensland racing scene of the past decade (stretching back to the Modified Street days), is mechanic and electrical/tuning guru, Ash Mason.

Ash is a car guy through and through, having earned his stripes swinging spanners before opening his own business, Wiring & Tuning Solutions, where he has forged a great name for himself.

At one time he was a rotary guy, which has a lot to do with his current car. It’s a Series II Mazda RX-7 that he owned, then sold, then bought back before making the decision to fit a turbo LS and head to the track.

“I don’t know why I don’t see more of these cars as race cars,” Ash says of the little RX-7. “They have a huge engine bay; they are light, aerodynamic and have a good rear-end suspension set-up.

“Back in the day, this was built as a Mod Street Blown car, and all I wanted to do was fit an LS and run eights,” Ash says. “I was working at Hi-Torque Performance at the time and they were pretty much the LS gurus, so it made sense to go down that path.”