Little more time tonight to recount that first day. This may be long, bear with me.
Dad and I normally would leave for Lions about 3 or so, for this new race at a new track that we had never been to obviously, we left the San Fernando Valley around 2. This day we took I-5 south, past Disneyland a what at the time looked like the "boondocks." We exited at San Canyon, stopped by this really cool old-school wooden screen door in the front country store for some drinks. Over the RR tracks and for the first time ever turned left into the entrance of Orange County International Raceway. After the left the entrance road and a couple of short turns, then went straight along side the RR tracks and some citrus company. We parked the ride with a lot of anticipation.
We walked up to this ultra modern ticket window, payed and walked thru the gate.
If you ever ever walked into a new track for the first time the feeling is electric, you wonder where to sit, where and what is at the concession stand and where are the restrooms. On opening day we decided to get pit passes, at OCIR the walkway wrapped around behind the starting line, I would stop and peek thru it to watch some cars and my dad would call to me to hurry up. LOL. We ended up sitting on the first grandstand, second aisle, top row, end seats, boom the "lions" race blanket was down!
What a place this was, amazing tower, race viewing, concessions, bathrooms and deluxe pits with acres of space. Lighting was awesome and the sound system was excellent.
The race had a monster attendance of over 14,200 fans that packed the joint. Also over 300 cars were in the pits, 300!! After some time dad and I explored the massive pits for quite some time, the "watering hole" that cooled down the hot cars was a show in it's self.
In Top Fuel, Bobby Tapia in Larry Stellings ride won over the Mongoose. James Warren christened OCIR with a record breaking and first in the 80's with a stunning 6.89!!!!! Tapia had top speed I think at around 223 or 224mph.
Funny Car was won by one of my Lions favorite's, Joe Pisano and his great Camaro won over "Rapid" Ronnie Runyon's Corvette.
Top Gas was won by the Freight Train with many over 200mph blasts defeating Bob Noice.
All in all it was one heckuva first night of many more to come at this historic piece of 1320. It would be November till we would be back, and little did Dad and I know how big that November race would be and the history and future events. The next Saturday it was back to Lions. I think we left about midnite getting home late by our Lions standards, well worth it!
Just to show you how good we had it and how rich Southern California was for big meets, check this out.
Lions Drag Strip
8-car Fuel Altered Show-Two, not one, but two, 8-car Junior Fuel Dragster Eliminators-Super Eliminator and Bracket Racing.
Irwindale Raceway
Match Race Madness-5 Separate Match Races-4-TF, 4-FC,1-Top Gas, and a Fuel Altered match race!
[email protected] Announcer
