Vale Noel Ward
By Auto Action
Date posted: 7 August 2025
Australian drag racing star from the seventies, Noel Ward has recently passed away.
Ward passed away at the end of July, leaving behind a major legacy in Australian drag racing.
He became a star by rewriting the record books during the seventies in his “Drag-On” XA Falcon.
Ward blew everyone out of the water when he debuted his XA Falcon in May 1975 and recorded a 10.37s run at 131mph at Castlereagh.
This smashed the national records that had previously stood at 11.25s and 120mph.
It was Australia’s first Lenco-equipped sedan and had a carbureted Ford 351 cubic inch engine with a 4-speed manual transmission.
He carried on racing it in the Pro Stock class with an average speed of 10.889s in a 1/4 mile run across the entire season.
Ward also competed in events in the “Drag-On” across the 1977 and 1978 seasons, ensuring the combination made a big impact on drag racing.
Auto Action sends its condolences to Ward’s family and friends.
Image: Mark Parsons
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