Burgess OCIR Story

[You!]

Did anyone here ever venture onto the motocross track at the County? I tried it a couple of times during the week day races...can't remember if it was Tuesdays or Thursdays because I know it wasn't Wednesdays, that was drag strip night.

The M/C track had a really tight right hander first turn, and huge TT jump down the back straight away, (similar to Ascot Park, RIP) and a water jump up towards the finish line. I had no right being out there but it was fun none the less.

 

[Randy]

Did anyone here ever venture onto the motocross track at the County? I tried it a couple of times during the week day races...can't remember if it was Tuesdays or Thursdays because I know it wasn't Wednesdays, that was drag strip night.

The M/C track had a really tight right hander first turn, and huge TT jump down the back straight away, (similar to Ascot Park, RIP) and a water jump up towards the finish line. I had no right being out there but it was fun none the less.

I tried it in Lefty Martin's Bracket One Corvette when I used to drive it back in the early 1970's but it high centered on the TT jump. I didn't have much luck at Irwindale's Speedway track either. The wheelie bar kept taking out the bikers.

Mike, Lefty had been racing at Irwindale in a small block Vega and then a black altered Thursday nights up until earlier this year. Everyone knew him as "Santa." He had a devastating stroke about 6 months ago that has left him partially paralyzed and partially blind. He is able to walk with a walker but will never be able to hold a driver's license again. He will be my guest in my pit on Thursday at the Final's. Greg's Oliver's son Daniel licensed a couple weeks ago at Vegas in my TA/FC and will be driving my car at the Vegas divisional next weekend and the Finals the following weekend. Stop by!

Here's a pic of Lefty's altered in front of my shop.

RG

 

[Randy]

Nice shots Bill. Here was my little single axle trailer from back then. All loaded up and getting ready to go racing. Simpler times for sure and more fun, in my opinion.

I remember that car well!

 

[Nick Name]

Friend of mine was killed on a tractor working on the motocross track.

Jay

 

[You!]

Well, that's a happy story Jay. ?


Jeez...buzz kill.

 

[Jess]

My parents met at a race at OCIR. So without that racetrack I would never have been born!

 

[mike cummings]

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.

So I'm curious Randy. What was more fun? Racing back then when things were simpler and less dependent on sponsor $$ or today with a bigger and more complex operation?

 

[Mike]

Jay, that was our great friend, Steve Crosby,RIP. Tractor didnt have a cage on it and Steve was grading the track for a race and it rolled over on him.

 

[rocketman]

I worked for a particular organization and was asked to go over to Tom Stratton's to take some pics of the Wicked Mean and Nasty TAFC that Blood was lettering over there. I remember looking through the albums that Tom had and all of my favorite cars were in there. I was star struck.

Tom told me several stories. One was Force was on the phone at Tom's shop putting the Polaroid deal together than hung up the phone and begged Tom for 5.00 to get a hamburger. Another one was putting a funny car body on top of his station wagon and then taking it over to the Winternationals. The funny thing is he wouldn't hang around the track. He sort of boycotted the races at Pomona which seemed odd to me. If I were him I would want to sit in the grandstands and see my art in action and BS in the pits.

 

[You!]

Funny car bodies rolling in on a Thursday morning atop Tom's old Plymouth wagon was somewhat common place in the 80's. Sometimes he'd have to make two round trips if he had more than one to deliver.

His philosophy was if you had a race on Saturday, it was O.K. if he had it finished by midnight on Friday! One year at Bakersfield, I opened the back door of my trailer and was almost knocked down by the laquer fumes the car was that fresh! The smell wasn't that strong in his booth as it was in my trailer. I was afraid to touch the damn thing the whole weekend.

And Tom had no love for pretty much anyone at the NHRA.

 

[Nitrobug]

After reading thr OCIR stories and seeing what was left (the wood part of the enterance on sand canyon) I decided to drive by there on saturday after work. I was only 4 when they closed the track but I know my mom and dad use to go out there for the wednesday night races. It was kind of sad seeing that that is all that is left of suck a awsome track. I wish I could of experianced it at least 1 time.

Brandon

 

[Mr. Jean]

Poster from the days.

 

[Rajunz]

Thanks for the awesome stories guys, love these old threads.

 

[mw6789]

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...

That was way cool Mike--thanks for sharing with us poor unfortunates who would not attend. Wonder how some of those cute rears you caught have held up over the last 25 years?

 

[MMac]

My parents met at a race at OCIR. So without that racetrack I would never have been born!

My two kids can say the same thing.

 

[You!]

Mike,

Didn't Kevin win the last race there in the '57? Maybe ran Tuttle in the final? Like at 2:30 am on Sunday?

I can't remember my son's birthdays but I have this type of info stuck in my head...

 

[Mr. Jean]

One of those great memories at the County.

 

[MMac]

Mike,

Didn't Kevin win the last race there in the '57? Maybe ran Tuttle in the final? Like at 2:30 am on Sunday?

I can't remember my son's birthdays but I have this type of info stuck in my head...

No, unfortunately he didn't win the last race. The '57 was never that great of a bracket car when it was in Super Gas trim. When he made it a 10.90ish car it really became a good race car. Too big, too heavy, and too skinny of a back tire to be consistent in the 9s. It was a lot of fun to drive, though.

He's in the process of moving back down to SoCal so Fontana will see a lot more of him next year.

 

[Nunz]

Hey Jean, I never realized you held the record, that's awesome! As I've often posted, with pride, my dad held the speed record in A/A from '70 to '71, and I have a copy of the certificate. That's a pretty special deal, you should be proud. Seeing the photos of your roadster on an open trailer brings me back to my childhood, definitely a memorable era.

 

[Mr. Jean]

Yup, a dream come true for me. A proud time and great memories, of good friends and great racing. Glad you've enjoyed my posts, as I've enjoyed the others here.