I think there have been several threads about OCIR in the past, but Phil Burgess has a great article about OCIR's final year over at NHRA.com. How many of you guys remember that Snake's cousin Mark actually drove a fuel car? I almost forgot. Also, it was cool that he mentioned a good friend of mine several times, "Rocket" Rod Phelps, who was racing a rocket FC back then. I believe both his rocket dragster and FC are in Big's museum. Anyway, it's a cool story, and it sure is hard to believe that much time has passed.
Burgess OCIR Story (1 Viewer)
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Mike
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Mark drove a number of different cars over the years but never got that big time fuel ride that he wanted.
mike
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got a link? I can never find anything I'm looking for on NHRA.com 
edit...I found one on the 1983 season: NHRA Blogs: Welcome to OCIR Week! Today: The '83 season (Monday, October 27, 2008)
and it reminded me I had a bunch of pictures from OCIR in 1983, some even in focus (I just wish I had a few fewer Coors Lights so I'd have a few more memories :-/ )
my pictures:
Picasa Web Albums - mike - 1983 OCIR Wor...
edit...I found one on the 1983 season: NHRA Blogs: Welcome to OCIR Week! Today: The '83 season (Monday, October 27, 2008)
and it reminded me I had a bunch of pictures from OCIR in 1983, some even in focus (I just wish I had a few fewer Coors Lights so I'd have a few more memories :-/ )
my pictures:
Picasa Web Albums - mike - 1983 OCIR Wor...
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Me too Rich. Being an East Coaster, I think the closest thing we had to an OCIR was Niagara Dragstrip, near Niagara Falls. I remember being there as a little kid in the late '60s to early '70s, it closed in '74. They used to have the Gold Cup event which my dad won once or twice in his A/A. I remember seeing the Coca Cola Cavalcade FC circuit there, with Fred Goeske and a bunch of other big names for the day, maybe Charlie Allen? I also remember seeing Snake, Goose, & Mulligan in their slingshots in what had to be '68 or '69. But I definitely love hearing the stories and seeing the pics from the old west coast tracks such as OCIR and Lions.
Randy
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Wednesday's "Last Drag Race" story is up.
The DRAGSTER Insider
The "Last Drag Race" wasn't really the last drag race at OCIR. The following Saturday OCIR was once again up and running which was the real "Last Drag Race." It didn't include the Dog-and-Pony show, though.
It was the regular weekly bracket series where the folks like me who ran OCIR every weekend (and I mean every weekend) were given the last opportunity to say good by. Kinda like the immediate family of the deceased hanging around a grave site for one last good by after the big crowd left.
Bracket one was called to the staging lanes around 4:00 PM and the lines went clear back past the time slip booth/water hole area well on the return roads around the Eucalyptus trees. For reference, the time slip booth/water hole was past the finish line next to the 5 Freeway. Racing lasted until 3-4 in the morning due to the shear number of cars, which included no pro cars.
Many of the regular weekenders passed on the hyped "Last Drag Race" knowing it was going to be a mess as far as cars, people and the possibility of fans taking OCIR apart after the event concluded. Like Phil's article says, the "Last Drag Race" lasted so late no one had the energy to do anything but go home when it was over. We were glad of that.
At the "Real" Last Drag Race the following weekend, many of the racers who lost in early rounds, rather than packing it up and going home, popped out lounge chairs and stayed a while. Many gathered together to talk about the future of racing in So Cal, why OCIR had to close and to talk about the memories of the Super Track.
I was racing OCIR from 1971 until it's closure, like I said, every weekend. I was either running my car or helpng someone else with theirs. When it closed I sold my stuff and took a few years off. Then in 1989 I ordered and built a TA/FC. Still today, all of us involved back in those days say it just isn't the same. I wouldn't trade the memories of friends and racing at OCIR for anything. I wish racing today meant as much.
Randy
The DRAGSTER Insider
The "Last Drag Race" wasn't really the last drag race at OCIR. The following Saturday OCIR was once again up and running which was the real "Last Drag Race." It didn't include the Dog-and-Pony show, though.
It was the regular weekly bracket series where the folks like me who ran OCIR every weekend (and I mean every weekend) were given the last opportunity to say good by. Kinda like the immediate family of the deceased hanging around a grave site for one last good by after the big crowd left.
Bracket one was called to the staging lanes around 4:00 PM and the lines went clear back past the time slip booth/water hole area well on the return roads around the Eucalyptus trees. For reference, the time slip booth/water hole was past the finish line next to the 5 Freeway. Racing lasted until 3-4 in the morning due to the shear number of cars, which included no pro cars.
Many of the regular weekenders passed on the hyped "Last Drag Race" knowing it was going to be a mess as far as cars, people and the possibility of fans taking OCIR apart after the event concluded. Like Phil's article says, the "Last Drag Race" lasted so late no one had the energy to do anything but go home when it was over. We were glad of that.
At the "Real" Last Drag Race the following weekend, many of the racers who lost in early rounds, rather than packing it up and going home, popped out lounge chairs and stayed a while. Many gathered together to talk about the future of racing in So Cal, why OCIR had to close and to talk about the memories of the Super Track.
I was racing OCIR from 1971 until it's closure, like I said, every weekend. I was either running my car or helpng someone else with theirs. When it closed I sold my stuff and took a few years off. Then in 1989 I ordered and built a TA/FC. Still today, all of us involved back in those days say it just isn't the same. I wouldn't trade the memories of friends and racing at OCIR for anything. I wish racing today meant as much.
Randy
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mike
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I was there that Wednesday too...
bittersweet stuff
bittersweet stuff
Toejam
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I think OCIR, Lions, and other famous tracks that are no more remind us of our Youth. Which is why we are so attached to them! Same can be said where Movies and Music's concerned! Seems everything's the Best when your 18-24 years old!
Mr. Jean
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Those were the days. Great memories at OCIR myself.
The Swegian
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Cool Mike! Even some eye candy shots there.
mike cummings
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You are right on that thought Randy. The thing I remember most about OCIR was how the "little guys" could afford to race fuel cars alongside the "big guys" I remember names like Rodney Flournoy, the Condit Brothers, Sherm Gunn and Ray Romund going up against Prudhomme, McEwen and Beadle on a regular basis. Not something you see much anymore.
And Joe, I think you are right. The old closed tracks remind us of our youth when times were simpler and looking back, seemed much more care free.
I feel old.....
Randy
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You're right there. Back then I towed to the 'County with an SS El Camino and an open trailer I built myself...and I fit right in. In the back was my tool, box, ice chest, floor jack, two jugs of fuel, a couple of quarts of oil under the passenger seat and a couple lounge chairs.
Today, the typical rig cost more than the median single family residence in the US.
Hey Randy, I always enjoy your posts, especially since your still out there doing it. I remember you saying back in the old days that you started racing in a T roadster/altered. Since I grew up with my dad racing in A/A, i love any shots of altereds. I may have asked before, but do you have any pics of your early cars?
Randy
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Here's a couple scanned pages from Popular Hot Rodding January 1981, article and photos by Steve Reyes. It was spread across three pages and a little difficult to scan. Photos were taken in the gravel area between the water hole and the shut down area at OCIR.
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Randy
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A little story on the scoop on top of the carbs of my altered. It was cut from the remains of the hood of Bill Bagshaw's Pro Stocker after he crashed. Ron Butler built it along with the base that sat on the carbs. When I sold the car in 1984, I kept the scoop and base. Right now it's in a pillow case leaning against the wall in my closet.
The guy that bought my altered crashed and destroyed it in El Paso in 1990, just a week before I was scheduled to buy it back. I was planning on restoring it (sentimental reasons, I suppose).
Randy
The guy that bought my altered crashed and destroyed it in El Paso in 1990, just a week before I was scheduled to buy it back. I was planning on restoring it (sentimental reasons, I suppose).
Randy
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Sweet Ride Randy...
We left SoCal in June '83, 6 weeks after k'dubs was born.
Was out at the track several times a month from '77 thru '79,
then I got married... only got to the track a couple of times in '80,
last time was once early in '81... we had mouse in December '81.
So no more 'County, no more dirt trackin' at Corona and Ascot.
d'kid
We left SoCal in June '83, 6 weeks after k'dubs was born.
Was out at the track several times a month from '77 thru '79,
then I got married... only got to the track a couple of times in '80,
last time was once early in '81... we had mouse in December '81.
So no more 'County, no more dirt trackin' at Corona and Ascot.
d'kid
Mike
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71, I was on my 2nd track championship.
Mike
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Watched "Lions" The greatest Drag Strip part 3 today. Great DVD, It really drove home the impact these drag strips had on racers and spectators alike when they closed down. It was agreat time in our lives and for sure it was the golden years of drag racing. Oh well, they can never take away the memories. Thanks Don Gillespie for the trip down memory lane.
