OCIR (being a LA resident I was at a bunch of these events), Night time Funny Car racing, the flames coming out of the headers, the dry hops, back then the pursuit of a 5 sec run, sometimes 40, 50, or 60 cars entered, etc etc etc!! Thanks for the memories. It was why I loved this sport. :-) They could bury me with these videos of night time Funny car racing, especially from the 70's & 80's, and I would be so happy in heaven!!
Afterthought: "Big Jim" also went on to win the NHRA World Finals later on that year, in his own car ....'The Fireman's Quickie". In the Final Round, he faced off against the Orange Baron of Gary Burgin. Burgin smoked the tires and Jim ran a fine 6.10 @ 235 mph. When it came to "the County", nobody knew the track better.
They'd both been going at it,along with the other F/C greats local and national, for 10 years----Dunn's direct-drive 'Cuda and the Braskett and Burgin Vega in '71. I'll always be indebted to the USAF for stationing me at Norton AFB in San B. for being at that '81 World Finals-----the Fisher's Fever T/F, Beck's monster dry hop in the final before the 5.57, Raymond Beadle in the 1st round at 6.00 beating Henry Harrison in the Jam-Air Special Corvette's 5.98. AA/Dale went 5.89.
Actually, this is the first race for the new car, and it is definitely Jim Dunn filling in. Mike wasn't available yet for this race. The announcer also confirms it. I remember this run well. The car left so hard, and pulled hard through the whole run1
@thevmanvj That was my first NHRA National Event I attended. I was all of 8 years old and was hooked from that moment.... And Jim's 81 Quickie still is my favorite car....EVER. I was at this race too.... and I remember my dad's jaw dropping when Big Jim laid down that 5.85..... ONLY AT THE COUNTY!
@scal92253 Remember when they would run the jet cars with the fog rolling in? The whole area would light up orange and cars on the freeway would stop to see what the hell was going on.
Afterthought: "Big Jim" also went on to win the NHRA World Finals later on that year, in his own car ....'The Fireman's Quickie". In the Final Round, he faced off against the Orange Baron of Gary Burgin. Burgin smoked the tires and Jim ran a fine 6.10 @ 235 mph.
@nitroholic2002, I don't know who the announcer is, but I'm pretty sure it is not Steve. They had only a couple of regulars that they used. I will try to find out.
yes, Steve Evans said "Big Jim" Dunn. Mike had not completed all of his License runs. This extremely rare footage 'cause this was kind of a one-time deal. None- theless, 5.85...WOW.
The land was owned by the Irvine Company… The property was simply leased. Irvine Company gave OCIR president, Charlie Allen a one year lease extension for 1983. That gave Allen enough time to put together a new track in Chandler, AZ....That track would be known as Firebird Raceway Park.
Irvine Company owned every damn thing out there..... First they close the race track… Not long after, they chased out the Marines ..... greedy bastards!!
OCIR (being a LA resident I was at a bunch of these events), Night time Funny Car racing, the flames coming out of the headers, the dry hops, back then the pursuit of a 5 sec run, sometimes 40, 50, or 60 cars entered, etc etc etc!! Thanks for the memories. It was why I loved this sport. :-) They could bury me with these videos of night time Funny car racing, especially from the 70's & 80's, and I would be so happy in heaven!!
Afterthought: "Big Jim" also went on to win the NHRA World Finals later on that year, in his own car ....'The Fireman's Quickie". In the Final Round, he faced off against the Orange Baron of Gary Burgin. Burgin smoked the tires and Jim ran a fine 6.10 @ 235 mph. When it came to "the County", nobody knew the track better.
They'd both been going at it,along with the other F/C greats local and national, for 10 years----Dunn's direct-drive 'Cuda and the Braskett and Burgin Vega in '71. I'll always be indebted to the USAF for stationing me at Norton AFB in San B. for being at that '81 World Finals-----the Fisher's Fever T/F, Beck's monster dry hop in the final before the 5.57, Raymond Beadle in the 1st round at 6.00 beating Henry Harrison in the Jam-Air Special Corvette's 5.98. AA/Dale went 5.89.
i hope you know this is gold
Actually, this is the first race for the new car, and it is definitely Jim Dunn filling in. Mike wasn't available yet for this race. The announcer also confirms it. I remember this run well. The car left so hard, and pulled hard through the whole run1
@thevmanvj That was my first NHRA National Event I attended. I was all of 8 years old and was hooked from that moment.... And Jim's 81 Quickie still is my favorite car....EVER. I was at this race too.... and I remember my dad's jaw dropping when Big Jim laid down that 5.85..... ONLY AT THE COUNTY!
I remember this race well.. I miss night racing so much.
@scal92253 Remember when they would run the jet cars with the fog rolling in? The whole area would light up orange and cars on the freeway would stop to see what the hell was going on.
It took a world record to put The Snake back on the trailer that night.
Afterthought: "Big Jim" also went on to win the NHRA World Finals later on that year, in his own car ....'The Fireman's Quickie". In the Final Round, he faced off against the Orange Baron of Gary Burgin. Burgin smoked the tires and Jim ran a fine 6.10 @ 235 mph.
No Dwight… That was not Mike or Dave McClelland....The announcer that night was Steve Evans
You could not ask for a better replacement for Roland Leong.
Nobody knew the track better, than “Big Jim” Dunn.!
@ddguild1 That is the voice of Steve Evans.
@nitroholic2002, I don't know who the announcer is, but I'm pretty sure it is not Steve. They had only a couple of regulars that they used. I will try to find out.
That definitely is Jim driving. Mike wasn't available to drive the new car that day, so his dad filled in.
I was there !
Richard Schroeder was known to announce regularly there.
yes, Steve Evans said "Big Jim" Dunn. Mike had not completed all of his License runs. This extremely rare footage 'cause this was kind of a one-time deal. None- theless, 5.85...WOW.
love them dry hops
Is that Steve Evans doing the Track announcing?
Love the dry burnouts!
Could Mike McClelland have also announced there?
Nope… This is the voice of the late Steve Evans.
The other “Steve” weekly worked in the tower ...Steve Crosby... helping with display board.
Why did they close OCIR ? What a shame..
The land was owned by the Irvine Company… The property was simply leased. Irvine Company gave OCIR president, Charlie Allen a one year lease extension for 1983. That gave Allen enough time to put together a new track in Chandler, AZ....That track would be known as Firebird Raceway Park.
@monte61 Because the owners of the land thought they could make more money if the property was an industrial park. Probably true though.
Irvine Company owned every damn thing out there.....
First they close the race track… Not long after, they chased out the Marines ..... greedy bastards!!