(Photo by Dave Kommel)

Today, 2017, Al and his son Scott are still active in the sport with their awesome Jet Dragster, called Wicked Sensation!

(Photo by Badrooster Images – Chris Kauffman)

PHOTO EXTRA SLIDESHOW

Mike English, the voice of Bakersfield, full time NHRA National event announcer, and guest announcer at Tucson Dragway Reunion – 2017. (Brad Baker photo)

Fifty years later, the same Dick Kreiger, Bracket Terror of OCIR, is now a regular winner in Las Vegas driving his American Dream ’23 T-Bucket Roadster. (Brad Baker photo)

My wife, Sherry, continued to work at the Raceway full time (office and tower) for nine years.

My Race Director’s position gave way to becoming Public Relations Director at Bill Thomas Race Cars, the position Mike Jones held prior to OCIR.

(Rare view from inside the OCIR timing tower. Sherry is the lady in white recording times, the couple second from the left, are David and Karen Carpenter ‘The Cartenters’ who loved attending OCIR!)

When Pro Stock started in 1970, Howard Harmon and I fielded a Bill Thomas-sponsored Camaro for Day 1. When GM stopped racing I migrated my Pro Stock operation to Dave Smith’s Precisioned Speed Shop, also in Anaheim. Today, 2017, Dave is still very active with Dave Smith Engineering near Exeter, CA.

Due to my involvement with four major Drag Strip operations by the early ‘70s, I helped start and promote the ‘West Coast Pro Stock Association’. Our efforts resulted in Mike Jones featuring Pro Stock along with Top Fuel and Funny Car in the ‘All Pro events at OCIR. That led to the WCPSA sponsoring a Match Race between Butch Leal and Bill Jenkins on a Wednesday night at OCIR. Butch won the two of three with his ’71 Hemi Duster against Jenkin’s new wave small block Chevy Vega.

Bill Bagshaw won the 16-car companion race over Anaheim’s Sonny Bryant.

This photo of the Brute Force Funny Car was not from the opening night at OCIR, but it was during the early Mike Jones era. (The score board says Coca-Cola) and the rookie driver needs no further introduction. John Force went on from his beginning in the early ‘70s to become the winningest Funny Car driver in history!

Under the direction of Mike Jones and later, Bill Doner and Steve Evans, OCIR became a Mecca for big time Funny Car racing. The Mfg. Championships gave way to a 64-car extravagance and finally 100 Funnies were advertised.

Almost immediately after getting started, General Manager Mike Jones saw the benefit of the ‘grassroots’ racers who filled his bracket program each week. He increased their prize money and became the first Southern California track to pay semi-finals too.

Two of the early Bracket Pioneers were Gary Dodd and Larry ‘the leg’ Legowski. Dodd successfully drove his Connell Chevrolet Camaro as a Pro Stock when the class opened in 1970.

Getting their start during those early days were these three folks; Roger Brown, Doug Caves, and Lee Hunter. Roger, who became the leading Bracket Winner at OCIR when the Fiat Coup was painted and lettered ‘Wild Fire,’ is now retired and still resides in OC. Sadly both Caves (it is his motor in pic) and Lee Hunter have passed.

Another Day One winner was the ‘Freight Train’ of John Peters in Top Gas Eliminator. The car was driven by Bob Muravez, who masqueraded as ‘Floyd Lippencott Jr.’ back then.

In Super Stock action on Day 1, Wiley Cossey drove the SS/B Hemi Barracuda from Hooker Headers to a final round finish. Later in 1970 when Pro Stock started, Jim Clark raced the car as the ‘Hemi Express’ out of Engine Dynamics in Monrovia, CA. Today in 2017, Clark is still active in the sport and now features two original ’68 – 69 Hemi cars in the Nostalgia A/FX class.

At the recent Muscle Cars At The Strip presented by Painter Motor Company at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Jim Clark’s vintage Dodge still wears the Hemi Express livery which Jim made famous at OCIR in 1970. (Brad Baker photo)

In 1971, the Dunn & Reath rear engine Funny Car was the scourge of Southern California drag racing including OCIR!

Today, 2017, 46 years later, the same Jim Dunn fields this 7 Eleven sponsored FC at all 24 NHRA National events.