4 replies to this topic

[Paul Newby]

Sad to report that Howard Marsden, the General Manager of Ford Racing in Australia passed away on Tuesday (19/08/03) after a 7 month battle with cancer. He was only 60.

He was a very astute racing manager with a truly impressive international resume which I am sure would be of interest to TNFrs. I never met Howard, but heard him in interviews and guest commentary, he cam across as a softly spoken erudite Englishman. Here is Ford's profile of the man:

Howard Marsden was one of the most experienced and successful motor racing identities in the western world.


He started his involvement with Ford Motor Company's European racing programs in 1963, as the founder and company secretary of Alan Mann Racing. At the time Ford - and Marsden - were involved in rallying, touring car and sportscar championships in both Europe and the US.


On the sidelines, Marsden and the company prepared cars for the films Grand Prix and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and also prepared a race team for American actor and renowned 'petrolhead', Steve McQueen.


During his career, Marsden was involved with some of motorsport's most famous names, managing Lola Racing Limited for John Surtees, and becoming company manager for Frank Williams Racing.


Marsden's impact on Australian motorsport is just as strong. In 1971 he became Ford's Special Vehicles Manager and managed the Ford Falcon touring car program for the period of the legendary Bathurst victories by Allan Moffat.


Under Marsden's reign, the Falcon GTHO Phase III and Phase IV were introduced, both becoming Australian motoring icons.


Following Ford's decision to step back from motor sport, Marsden accepted a position at Datsun / Nissan. He masterminded four Australian Rally Championship wins in 1976/77/78/79 with Ross Dunkerton, George Fury and Geoff Portman.


He also led the Datsun/Nissan Stanza entries in the Southern Cross and Castrol Rally of Canberra in 1979 with Dunkerton, Fury and Finnish great Rauno Aaltonen.


The 1980s had Marsden back into circuit racing when he directed Nissan's Australian Touring Car Championship program, scoring class victories at Bathurst and winning the long distance championship in 1983 with the Bluebird Turbo.


During this period Marsden was Product Planning Manager and Motorsport Manager for Nissan.


In 1985 Fred Gibson took ownership of the Nissan Motorsport Team while Marsden continued his role with Nissan both in Australia and then Europe through to 1992. Marsden was part of Nissan's entry into Sportscar Racing, including Le Mans.


In 1992 he moved back to Australia and to Tickford Vehicle Engineering, to assist in the development of a range of performance Falcons for the enthusiast market.


With the revival of motor sport at the Ford Motor Company of Australia, Marsden was seconded to Ford from Tickford as the General Manager of Ford Racing.


Marsden instigated numerous programs as part of his involvement with Ford Racing in the new millennium. These included the first in-house designed and built Ford Touring Car since the early 1970s with the BA Falcon; greater funding for Formula Ford; the establishment of the Ford KartStars Series; and most importantly closer ties between teams and the Ford Motor Company.


It's not always that one person's involvement alone can reap rewards, and Marsden always made sure that the very best people were part of his programs.


Marden's leadership has seen Ford back at the forefront in the 2003 V8 Supercar Championship Series. Importantly Marsden has put in place the foundation for continued success in the coming years.


Howard Marsden will be forever remembered for his commitment to the sport, his formidable knowledge and experience, but above all for being one of the sport's true gentlemen.
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[mickj]

This is sad news. By Fords write up Howard Marsden has an interesting career. I have memories of him talking to my daughter aged 3 at Calder yrs ago. I was impressed by him.
RIP Howard.

[eldougo]

Very sad news a very passionate FORD man through and through.

[Bernd]

At least he got to see a Falcon on top in the V8's before he left us.

[Paul Newby]

It is a pity there hasn't been any feedback from our European friends.

Howard was English and he helped for Alan Mann Racing (naturally with Alan Mann) before being involved with Lola alongside John Surtees and then a young Frank Williams and his F2 team.

However it was Aussie legend Frank Matich who was responsible for bringing Howard out to Australia, and its remarkable that that Matich groupie, TNF poster Ray Bell hasn't contributed to this thread.

Here is what Frank had to say:

" I first met Howard when he worked for Frank Williams. He was one of the logistics managers for Frank when he was in Formula Two.

"When I got to know Howard, they were starting on a reasonable degree of success and Howard approached me about a job. I was looking for some people to manage certain aspects of my operation and team. I had a talk with Frank and he gave him quite a good reference, and the reason Howard wanted to come out was to make a new life [in Australia] with his wife and family.

"He's a thorough gentleman, a unique person - extremely unique - and I don't think I've ever met a more polite person in my life!"

A thoroughly unique person whose memoirs would have been fascinating as they covered working for two very different manufacturers (Ford and Nissan) in two different disciplines (circuit racing and rallying) in two different continents (Australia and Europe) and always with positive outcomes.

To casual motorsport observers he was the architect for resurrecting Ford's fortune in Aussie V8 Supercars and is rightly or wrongly seen as the father of the legendary 70's muscle car icon the Falcon GTHO Phase 3.

He will be sorely missed.