Forum: Oklahomatidbits.com General Forum (go)
Moderators:  /  David Smith Jr

Working on it as much as I can

That's cool, man! Lot's of history at that place. Thanks for all the time and effort to share it with all of us. You da Man!!

Let's Go Racin'!!

Can't wait. You do a great job Brian!

I still need pics from that night-

mainly any pics of the very cars that were there. The research part is the hardest.

Looks to be cool

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands 
in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he 
stands at times of challenge and controversy." 
Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Erich Petersen 

Bad Ass Brian,

Ron

Ron Clark
Texoma Motor Speedway
7567 Seymour Hwy
Wichita Falls, Texas 76310
www.texomamotorspeedway.com

Cool stuff!

John Stewart

Retro Racing Custom Model Cars
405.922.6163
[email protected]
Oklahoma City, OK

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Retro-
Racing-Custom-Model-Cars/235624429834292#!/pages/Retro-
Racing-Custom-Model-Cars/23562442983429

Good stuff. Looks like you've got a couple of different years mixed into your preview but still awesome.

The stories that lead to 1986 , basically made it necessary. But the truth too is I'm using everything available . Clips and pics are hard to find on this deal.

But there is enough for a great story.

I guess we could go ahead and start it right here.

When I first heard the NCRA was going to take on USAC, on NCRA home turf, I was worried USAC was going to clean a few clocks! Choices made first, I'm an NCRA guy. Super Modified stock, Super Modified, Champ Dirt Car, didn't matter- The names changed but the lineage was still the same. I did however have reverance for the Indy 500 and the Champ Dirt Cars that used to be the way to get there. I only personally got to see the 1984 show, couldn't get to the rest( too young to ride my bicycle 100 miles up I-35, since that was the only way I could get there).

There were several races held like this, 1 in Florida, 4 in OkC, and maybe others too. And the NCRA corridor was no stranger to USAC either.It turns out, drivers, mechanics, cars, parts, and even an owner or two had made their way from this slice for many moons before Jimmy Reece, Buddy Cagle, Harold Leep, AJ Shepard, Jackie Howerton and quite a few others came along.

But for the USAC lineage, their history went back a ways further, all the way to 1909(first race at Indy). Sure USAC itself took over in 1956, and before that it was the AAA, and before that it was who knows? By the time they got to OkC, they represented 75+ years of world reknowned history carrying the Indy 500 as their 800 pound gorilla. Even in 1986, a Champ Dirt Car driver could make it into the Indy 500, but it was tough to do so. 3 of the drivers in the final A Main on the second night had run the Indy 500 in May '86. A few more left behind in the pits had either run, or would run the 500 before their careers were over.

Not to mention the number of National Sprint Car Hall of Fame material in the show too. As of 2010, 6 drivers in the A main are in so far, and looking at the names in the '86 show, I'm certain more will be added.

I will be burning and uploading the first nights races ---today.

i have a bunch of pics i took....just no scanner

"its useless to put on the brakes when you are upside 
down"   -Paul Newman

Those would be so cool to have . You could put them on disc at CVS an upload them that way.

Youtube is having trouble with me, so the uploads are taking their time (4 hrs+ each).

Could be tomorrow before I have the first nights races up. I have to work tonight.

Okay , whilest we have to wait on the vids to upload---Yesss, I can watch them as much as I want, BUT a race doesn't seem to "happen" until it's seen.

I thought I'd throw in a little background from what I have heard, and correct me if I'm wrong.

1983, and 1984 were an even draw. NCRA-1...USAC-1

1985 was where the drama for 1986 began for the most part.

David Grace and Shane had gotten 2nd in '85. They had to use a left rear wheel that normally used a bleeder-but per USAC rules, bleeder valves were not permitted. So David puts a bolt and nut through the bleeder, checks with the USAC Tech guy and gets the okay to run.

They get 2nd in the A main, and the left rear gets called in. It comes back without the bolt and their 2nd place finish is recalled. They followed protocol, and got ripped.

After 25 years, watching and listening, common sense tells me this is the truth.

Then there is the issue with the 39 USAC car. That's for tomorrow.

Night 1 last chance races- This will be part 1

Okay, I've got time to throw in my two cents on the 39 USAC car.

The 39 car was the Coors Light/Rose Brothers Trucking Special (Blackie Fortune), I guess out of Indiana. It won in 1984, 1985 and was the very same mount Vogler had in '86 for OkC. Ricky Hood won in it at OkC in '84-'85. And also when the California Racing Association came through with the sprinters in 1985, the Rose Brothers won that (USAC vs CRA- OkC) race too with their sprinter. The had the notes on OkC for sure.

For whatever reason, Ricky Hood goes to the Gennessee Beer Wagon (#56 USAC), Rich Vogler gets the #39 AND COORS LIGHT COMES ON BOARD. For 1986, COORS LIGHT sought out what looked like almost invincible combinations , short track wise, to carry their colors. Here's a list of who else they covered that year- Oval combos only noted here

Steve Kinser- WoO-

Brad Doty- WoO

Dick Trickle- ASA- Short track pavement stock cars

Rich Vogler -USAC- Champ Dirt

Rich Vogler- USAC- Sprint

And quite possibly the midget Vogler drove that year too.

So here's the scene for the #39-

Vogler is in, with big sponsor, and looking to demolish anything his predecessor had done. Hood knows this, and wishes to outrun the #39 and Vogler to prove that it WAS THE DRIVER THAT WON.

At this point, the pressure is on for Vogler, and he just happens to be in OkC.

But for the NCRA, THIS NOW MEANS THERE ARE TWO (2), DOMINATE MINDED CARS TO CONTEND WITH FROM USAC. If one falls out, the other takes over, and the buildup of the score between NCRA and USAC gets even more lopsided possibly until the credibility of the NCRA is so down, there may not be many more races like it.

Then there is the issue of "Hometurf" pride.

USAC stated the only way NCRA guys could get in with them is if they got "Temporary Permits". Meaning they (USAC) , come down here, and make these guys get permits to race on their own yard. To make it happen, everybody got permits.

There were rivalries between the NCRA guys too, ...............

But for this event, it looks as if those rivalries were suspended to deal with the incoming posse.

Night 1 A feature will be posted in the morning- IF yewtewbe doesn't screw up.