Ontario Motor Speedway's Demise! (1 Viewer)

[dragstats]

That's true about the seats. I remember being up in the top rows and it was like the track was waaaay out there. I actually took binoculars one year so I could see the cars better. There was a grandstand on the pit side and you could see a lot better from there. Went there one year for the Hangover Nats, & T/F, F/C, etc. Like a mini national event. Couldn't think of a better way to spend New Years Day.

The track does live on...somewhat...those seats were transplanted to the Bandimere track...some anyways.

 

[Z28LT1]

I have a feeling, from seeing old TV coverage and pictures that NHRA would not be running a national event there these days even if the track was still up and running. The shutdown space was just, well weird, and another commenter posted, stands were just too far away. No clue how the pit lay out was and the rest of it, but it just looked really 2nd rate the way the drag strip was on the pit lane.Not the track its self, just the drag racing set-up. Plus, from watching several years of coverage, it appears the right lane was always junk.

 

[glofria]

Interesting history recap from a different prospective.

 

[T.Smith]

Interesting history recap from a different prospective.

I tried listening to this a couple days ago, I had to stop. I wish they would've waited until later to hit the bong.

 

[Cliff]

One thing about Ontario. That was the first track that NHRA sprayed the whole 1320 with the glue of the day. Don Garlits ran his famous 5.63 ET there in 1975. When the track was new, the pavement for the drag strip was really level & record runs were made. The Snake ran the first F/C 5 second run there. The track did go downhill in the later years & the times slowed. I remember that at the end of the shut down area, if you couldn't stop, you just turned left & went out on the oval. Yeah, was a little strange for a drag strip.

 

[Butch]

Yes and unfortunately I knew one racer that didn't make that turn after his chute didn't open. Doug Moody he spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

 

[Sherman, Sherm, & Sherm Gun]

I tried listening to this a couple days ago, I had to stop. I wish they would've waited until later to hit the bong.

Exactly what I thought too! That is why I didn't post it with the other video.

I remember that at the end of the shut down area, if you couldn't stop, you just turned left & went out on the oval. Yeah, was a little strange for a drag strip.

Rockingham has a curved shutdown. NHRA and IHRA held National events there too.

 

[Dennis]

Rockingham has a curved shutdown. NHRA and IHRA held National events there too.

I think you're thinking of the old Bristol track before they re-did that facility.

In any event, here's a 9 year old thread on OMS. I wish the links to the pictures still worked!

http://nitromater.com/threads/questions-about-ontario-motor-speedway.19453/

 

[Crazy]

I went there, a few times. Twice, you could barley see the track, because of the smog. Stopped going. Just couldn't breathe.

 

[robinjackson]

I went to the Supernats/World Finals at OMS in 1974, 1978 (wheezing on the early-morning smog) and 1980.

In 2008, I had a coffee at a Starbucks on Milliken Ave. I commented to the waitress that I was sitting just about where Turn 2 of OMS would have been.

She had no idea what I was talking about. She said she was Ontario born and bred (looked to be mid-20s in age) but had never heard of the Speedway.

"Guess I'll just have to ask my dad about it," she said.

 

[Cliff]

Yeah, that will make you feel old. "Hey, I usta go to Lions Drag Strip". Really? Where was that? Never heard of it. ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 

[Nick Name]

The pit enterance road at the drag races was over the track between turn 3 and 4. One year at the conclusion of the race, we were starting to leave and the late Wayne Davis had his van in the pits and offered to drive us out to our car.
Instead of going out the right way, he drove down to turn 1 and we got out on the track and started around the oval. Wayne had this Dodge maxed out. We got around to where the exit road was and stopped where some official walked up and ask Wayne. "What were you doing out there?" He replied "about 84". The guy looked so upset and Wayne said 'I I supposed you are kicking us out?"

 

[Toejam]

That's true about the seats. I remember being up in the top rows and it was like the track was waaaay out there. I actually took binoculars one year so I could see the cars better. There was a grandstand on the pit side and you could see a lot better from there. Went there one year for the Hangover Nats, & T/F, F/C, etc. Like a mini national event. Couldn't think of a better way to spend New Years Day.

I thought you were talking about Sonoma for a second...