I've got some night time pictures I took from probably that same event. I used to get a press pass. I have a neat shot of the Radici and Wise FC shot from the rear quarter, staged at night, header flames and full grand stands in the back round. I have a day time shot of the Soapy Sales Duster completely sideways on a burn out with the rear slick tucked under the rim. I need to scan and post them.
You can see that was a later photo of OCIR as evidenced by the Perfect Circle win lights. Each side was a large compass lit up in neon and probably 25 or 30 feet tall not counting the pole. In the early days each lane had a huge "Mr. T" where the "T" lit up like a Las Vegas casino in the lane that won.
Mike English and I learned to duck when the marines drank too much. One night it was the marines against the bikers, or better yet, the pit side grand stands against the spectator side grand stands with beer bottles flying back and forth over the track. One guy got killed. Then there was the streaker that jumped out of the back of an El Camino near the starting line. He ran toward the finish line waving his hands and everything else loosely attached. The guy in the El Camino followed him as if to pick him up when he reached the finish line, but changed his mind at about half track and left for the pits leaving the streaker on his own. Instead of hitching a ride back in the El Camino, the streaker got a ride in a police car.
With all the stories out there, they could make a movie like "American Graffiti."
RG
