"Before Ben even got in the seat he had no idea how to even operate a clutch, so to lear so much in such a short time is outstanding," Rob Conder said.
"We are a family of runners and Ben is still with the Wanganui Harrier's Club and also plays rugby. He just loves getting out there and doing it. He wanted something to do after school so I suggested he might want to go down to my cousin David Tunnell's TPE workshop in London St and sweep the floors, which he did.
"The dragster was down there and dallas and his father Dave Rowan asked if wanted a drive in it - that's how it came about."
The dragster is powered by a 250cc Honda motorcycle engine and is capable of faster runs than young Conder has produced, but it is early days.
"My son Dallas has produced faster runs, but Ben has only had a couple of drives, so has a lot of improvement in him. He's taken to it like a duck to water really," Dave Rowan said.
Meanwhile, fellow Whanganui racer Jason McKillop, who is also part-sponsored by TPE, finished runner-up in the Super Sedan division in his Holden Torana.
Both these racers will be definite starters in the annual Wanganui Road Rodder's Street Drags on Taupo Quay on March 5.
And in the luckless category, Dean Scott watched his chances of increasing points in the International Hot Rod Association racing series in Masterton literally go up in smoke.
The Whanganui racer suffered bell housing damage after a series of start line wheel stands in his powerful 1500hp, supercharged Chevvy-powered Holden ute.
Scott was aiming to improve on his previous best of 8.3 seconds (265.5kph or 165mph) for the standing quarter mile at the Masterton Motroplex drag racing track in the latest points round of the IHRA championship.
The hard landings from the start line wheel stands proved too much for the vehicle's bell housing at the beginning of his third pass.
