O.C.I.R. opened in August 1967. In July of that year I was helping to tighten the bolts on the guard rails working for a friends construction company. I was 13 years old. I was at the very first race and the "LAST RACE" in Oct 30th 1983. I was at nearly every race until it closed. I was on the PITS side at this race. Over the years there I raced my own 57 NOMAD (13.78 @105) 62 Impala (16.24@ 87) 68 Camaro (12,58@112) Happy to have this video. Great memories.
Thanks for sharing this. The late 70s to early 90s has to be my favorite era of drag racing, reminds me of being a kid and watching with my Dad on weekends.
I was there with my Dad and a friend from school who had never been to a drag race before. Unfortunately OCIR, one of the best facilities/tracks, would close in '84. RIP OCIR and thanks for all the good times and great memories.
I lived down the street and could hear the cars racing. It was a sound of beauty and a call to the track. Those were the days and I wish they never took that raceway out.
What a flashback to OCIR!!! Loved that track. Watched many races, even drove my own car a few times. My how safety has changed in TF, and car development. Loved the commentators. They spoiled us, didn't they?
This was probably the golden Era for me I was a little kid in the 90s it was like 92 and I found my grandpa s old nhra tapes and he had em all man I started watching the 79 season he had the winter national s the US national and the world finals of 79 and I was hooked
Dearly missed Dave McClelland and Steve Evans they were the best man Chris economaki sucks big Wang man I hate that guy but Evans was a God darn legend man
When I was growing up, I remember listening to these cars racing on weekends. That raceway was part of our childhood. I used to race dirt bikes on the track that was adjacent to the drag strip. The smell of exhaust still lingers in my head
These videos are priceless thanks for posting …I was a little kid in New England visiting Epping with my dad getting my first doses of Nitro when some of these guys were running….
It was a bummer when OCIR closed forever, that place was the tits. Pit areas were a bit shabby but the racing, the crowds, atmosphere, everything else was off the scale awesome.
I was there for that race - lots of memories at that track! I did a few grudge night drags made in my ‘69 Cobra Jet Mach One and also did motorcycle drags there.
TFMC? If ya did, hell I probably saw ya race! I too was there in 83, unfortunately don't remember much about this one, little too much Jim Beam & afew other assorted substances 🥴 Had a very high tolerance for those things, but come'n off have'n the flu, well excuses-excuses 😉
I remember attending this race, The last one held at OCIR. It's interesting how far drag racing has come. Door cars now run quicker and faster than the fuelers in 83
As much just flat out Bad luck Snake had during his driving career, it's amazing he won as much as he did! I was at this race, but I let my party'n overload my senses that time & can't remember most of it LOL! Too much Delorean dust & Jim Beam as I recall, life in So-Cal was just a big party in those day's 🥴👍
I wonder is there any film/video of the Funny Car 64 for future Classic Videos? I'd get a kick hopefully out of seeing Funny Car 64's be even Premiered Formally in Space or On Front Channel TV in some shape.
I totally second that motion! 😃👍 I was at those Manufacturers 64 meets & there was NOTHING COOLER! 🤔... Well, maybe the Dragracing Grand Prix's at Irwindale Ca, but it was hard to beat OCIR on a warm summer's night 💪😎 Fox Hunt anybody? 😏
Riverside International Raceway was just about 🤔....45-50 mile's East of OCIR, but they did have Drag-Racing on the back-stretch at RIR back in the 60's 👍
No, Terry Capp, former TFD US NATIONALS Winner. I believe Ron Capps was actually on Shirley's team at this time in NHRA history, as a junior crew member under Raun Tobler 👍
He tells a story were he shut the engine off after hearing/ feeling something was wrong. Roland told him " unless it's on fire or upside down,keep your foot in it" I can do that said Mike.
@@nicolas2970 Well, nobody on google seams to know 🤷🏻♂️ Everything I found just says he purposed, but nothing that says it actually happened. Big & Pat were such a wonderful love story, I gotta say I kinda hope the second wife didn't happen. Of course, that said, it's Big's life, not mine & whatever he did, I hope he's living out his life Happy! 👍
@@nicolas2970 Hey bud, just came back to say Big did get remarried, you were absolutely correct 💪 I hope someday soon Hollywood make's a big $$$ movie on Big Daddy's amazing life story, but I'm 60yrs old now, so they best HURRY!! 😂👍
Orange County International Raceway..... O.C.I.R. - “The County“…."The Super Track" I helped build the track at only 13 years old in July 1967. They gave us tickets to the first event and I was infected, injected addicted to drag racing since. I was at the track over 100 times for the next 18 years until "The Last Drag Race" Oct 29th 1983. I always wanted to make a scale track so I finally hit ebay and bought every legendary car I could find that I saw at the track prior to 83. My one of a kind Tribute display has over 400 cars and a scale 22 foot drag strip. With a monitor playing every video I could find on the track. This one will be added. I made a video of my display that is at my page
Better racing,best commentary these were great days.
Steve and Dave, the best commentator combo in Drag Racing ever!
Best pair in all of Motorsports IMO & I've heard um all 💪👍
@supertubr Brock was a great guy, but not even on his best day 🤷🏻♂️
O.C.I.R. opened in August 1967. In July of that year I was helping to tighten the bolts on the guard rails working for a friends construction company. I was 13 years old. I was at the very first race and the "LAST RACE" in Oct 30th 1983. I was at nearly every race until it closed. I was on the PITS side at this race. Over the years there I raced my own 57 NOMAD (13.78 @105) 62 Impala (16.24@ 87) 68 Camaro (12,58@112) Happy to have this video. Great memories.
Thank you, thank you, for sharing a slice of life.
Thanks for sharing this. The late 70s to early 90s has to be my favorite era of drag racing, reminds me of being a kid and watching with my Dad on weekends.
I was there with my Dad and a friend from school who had never been to a drag race before. Unfortunately OCIR, one of the best facilities/tracks, would close in '84. RIP OCIR and thanks for all the good times and great memories.
Actually OCIR held their final event under the heading the "Last Drag Race" two weeks after the World Finals on Oct 29th, 1983.
I grew up in Orange Ca. back in the day I saw multiple races here @ OCIR!. They were amazing, soo much fun. This was the real era of drag racing
I lived down the street and could hear the cars racing. It was a sound of beauty and a call to the track. Those were the days and I wish they never took that raceway out.
What a flashback to OCIR!!! Loved that track. Watched many races, even drove my own car a few times. My how safety has changed in TF, and car development. Loved the commentators. They spoiled us, didn't they?
This was probably the golden Era for me I was a little kid in the 90s it was like 92 and I found my grandpa s old nhra tapes and he had em all man I started watching the 79 season he had the winter national s the US national and the world finals of 79 and I was hooked
I prefer to watch these races over todays meets. I loved working the WWCS meets at NEDway when I was in HS in the early 80's.
I was there...thank you Dad!!!
Man I miss Steve Evans........ No announcer even comes close today.
Dearly missed Dave McClelland and Steve Evans they were the best man Chris economaki sucks big Wang man I hate that guy but Evans was a God darn legend man
When I was growing up, I remember listening to these cars racing on weekends. That raceway was part of our childhood. I used to race dirt bikes on the track that was adjacent to the drag strip. The smell of exhaust still lingers in my head
These videos are priceless thanks for posting …I was a little kid in New England visiting Epping with my dad getting my first doses of Nitro when some of these guys were running….
I grew up in OC and near that drag strip. Sure missed it after it closed. Thank you Irvine Company!
Great video I always liked going to the drag races I made it to the World Finals in 77 when it was at Ontario Speedway Thank You for the great video
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! MANY HAPPY MEMORIES!!! THANKS FOR SHARING!!!!
It was a bummer when OCIR closed forever, that place was the tits. Pit areas were a bit shabby but the racing, the crowds, atmosphere, everything else was off the scale awesome.
Thanks for posting! You guys have better classic show selection than NHRA.tv, haha!
I have a few Diamond P telecasts from the mid to late 80's on VHS from the NASHVILLE NETWORK if anyone is interested in presenting them on RUclips.
OCIR wow, I remember my Dad, Jim Bernard, racing his Top Fuel Drag Bike at this track. This and Ontario were home.
That's it so long for now,this has been a Diamond P presentation, Steve and Dave the very best
I was there for that race - lots of memories at that track! I did a few grudge night drags made in my ‘69 Cobra Jet Mach One and also did motorcycle drags there.
TFMC? If ya did, hell I probably saw ya race!
I too was there in 83, unfortunately don't remember much about this one, little too much Jim Beam & afew other assorted substances 🥴 Had a very high tolerance for those things, but come'n off have'n the flu, well excuses-excuses 😉
@@Slinger43 well, the haze above the grandstands was not entirely tire smoke !
Holy shit, what action, those were the days 1/4 mile.
That's when racing was Old School Cool!
I remember attending this race, The last one held at OCIR. It's interesting how far drag racing has come. Door cars now run quicker and faster than the fuelers in 83
I was there too, from camp Pendleton 76-84. Was good times. This brought back some good memories.
It amazes me that you can see the sketchiness compared to these times too new times.... Straight savages. Insane to think how far we’ve came
As much just flat out Bad luck Snake had during his driving career, it's amazing he won as much as he did! I was at this race, but I let my party'n overload my senses that time & can't remember most of it LOL! Too much Delorean dust & Jim Beam as I recall, life in So-Cal was just a big party in those day's 🥴👍
This is awesome ... Thanks for the cool vhs gold !
I wonder is there any film/video of the Funny Car 64 for future Classic Videos? I'd get a kick hopefully out of seeing Funny Car 64's be even Premiered Formally in Space or On Front Channel TV in some shape.
I totally second that motion! 😃👍
I was at those Manufacturers 64 meets & there was NOTHING COOLER! 🤔... Well, maybe the Dragracing Grand Prix's at Irwindale Ca, but it was hard to beat OCIR on a warm summer's night 💪😎 Fox Hunt anybody? 😏
Great memories
I use to love Diamond Sports.
Steve Evens was the voice of dragracing amazing how it's all gone dwn hill,to just boring and bullshit!
In 83 they still went a 1/4 mile. This should be good.
It was! & thanks to the saved video tape, it still is!! 💪😎
#1320orNothingAtAll!!
The song in the beginning is Frank Stallone far from over👍👍👍👍👍
Coronavirus sent me here...just watching old races.
Dunn was never done " roland leung ? Absolutley a classic.
The most UNDERRATED driver in NHRA history! Big Jim's kid was a bona fide Baddass! 💪😎
Was this track part of riverside international speedway
No, OCIR was located off the 5 fwy and Sand Canyon Ave in East Irvine Ca.
Riverside International Raceway was just about 🤔....45-50 mile's East of OCIR, but they did have Drag-Racing on the back-stretch at RIR back in the 60's 👍
Steve Evans...and I remember when 250mph was fast and 2000hp was crazy...till Kenny bernstien did the first 300mp
Awesome machines!
10:14 Ron Capps?
No, Terry Capp, former TFD US NATIONALS Winner. I believe Ron Capps was actually on Shirley's team at this time in NHRA history, as a junior crew member under Raun Tobler 👍
I was a young man in 83. I was 17.
Me too 👍
Mike Dunn sure was hard on engines and himself in those
He tells a story were he shut the engine off after hearing/ feeling something was wrong.
Roland told him " unless it's on fire or upside down,keep your foot in it"
I can do that said Mike.
I wonder if Jim Dunn asked Roland (are you trying to kill my son ?)😮
Rolland tried so hard to kill Mike.
where was Big Daddy?
In 1983 Big briefly retired from driving to open the Museum of Drag Racing in Ocala Florida with 1st wife Pat
@@nicolas2970 only wife!
@@Slinger43 Did he never marry Lisa Crigar? in 2015
@@nicolas2970 Well, nobody on google seams to know 🤷🏻♂️ Everything I found just says he purposed, but nothing that says it actually happened. Big & Pat were such a wonderful love story, I gotta say I kinda hope the second wife didn't happen. Of course, that said, it's Big's life, not mine & whatever he did, I hope he's living out his life Happy! 👍
@@nicolas2970 Hey bud, just came back to say Big did get remarried, you were absolutely correct 💪
I hope someday soon Hollywood make's a big $$$ movie on Big Daddy's amazing life story, but I'm 60yrs old now, so they best HURRY!! 😂👍
They had to shorten the track because the car were going to fast.
DIAMOND P SPORTS CAVALCADE
Orange County International Raceway..... O.C.I.R. - “The County“…."The Super Track" I helped build the track at only 13 years old in July 1967. They gave us tickets to the first event and I was infected, injected addicted to drag racing since. I was at the track over 100 times for the next 18 years until "The Last Drag Race" Oct 29th 1983. I always wanted to make a scale track so I finally hit ebay and bought every legendary car I could find that I saw at the track prior to 83. My one of a kind Tribute display has over 400 cars and a scale 22 foot drag strip. With a monitor playing every video I could find on the track. This one will be added. I made a video of my display that is at my page