FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ORANGE SHOW STADIUM RETURNS TO DIRT TRACK RACING WITH “DOC GRIFFIN MEMORIAL”
(San Bernardino, CA, April 17, 2013) Dirt Entertainment is pleased to announce the “Grand Re-Opening” of the Orange Show Stadium in downto...wn San Bernardino, California on Saturday, April 27, 2013 with the First-Annual “Doc” Griffin Memorial. This historic event will not only return Orange Show Stadium back to its clay roots, but also kicks off the 66th continuous racing season at Orange Show Stadium!
The Orange Show Stadium was opened as a clay oval on May 1, 1947 and has since become the longest running speedway in California history. The track was paved in 1964 and has played host to some of the most legendary racers and races over the years. Names like A.J. Foyt, Parnelli Jones, Bill Vukovich, Roger Ward, Jimmy Bryan, Bobby Unser, Rick Mears, Ivan Baldwin and Troy Ruttman have all circled the famous quarter-mile raceway doing battle in their race cars.
In 2012, the track was dormant for nearly an entire calendar year, until Dirt Entertainment took over promotion of the facility and provided one final race on pavement on December 15th to keep the racing streak alive. As soon as the final checkered flag fell on that night, several loads of clay were delivered to the fairgrounds to transform the popular family raceway into a mud-slinging thrill factory.
The 2013 racing schedule will complete the 66th consecutive season at OSS.
Robert “Doc” Griffin was the father of Richard “The Gas Man” Richard Griffin of Silver City, New Mexico. “The Gas Man” was a dominant force in CRA and SCRA competition during the 1990’s and early 2000’s driving the potent “Lil Red Sucker” #50 Madera Produce car owned by Ron Chaffin and wrenched by the legendary team of Bruce Bromme Senior and Bruce Bromme Junior. Richard took home five (5) SCRA Championships during his career and became one of the most popular drivers in the series history.
At an early age, Richard convinced his father, Robert “Doc” Griffin to let him race. His career started in flat track motorcycles, later progressed to stock cars and finally matured into slinging fire-breathing sprint cars. During his racing career, Richard was the Fleet Manager for Doc’s oil, gas, and propane distribution company, Griffin’s Propane, Inc. It was selling gas products that actually gave him his nickname “The Gas Man”.
Known for his sense of humor and genuine personality, Robert “Doc” Griffin was also very popular amongst fellow racers and within the racing community. Doc passed away on March 25, 2013. In his honor, the season opener to be held at the newly re-opened Orange Show Stadium on Saturday, April 27th will be known as the Inaugural “Doc Griffin Memorial”, and will feature URA Unlimited Sprint Cars and California Lightning Sprints, along with the Young Guns, Senior Sprints, Limited Midgets and an exhibition by the WRA Nostalgia cars from the ‘50s and ‘60s.
The URA Unlimited Sprint Cars will race for a special purse, which was increased by Chaffin Motorsports, Madera Produce, and the friends of Robert “Doc” Griffin. The winner of this year’s Unlimited Sprint Car Main Event will take home $4,000.00, and Main Event qualifiers are guaranteed $400 to start. A full purse breakdown will be posted at
http://www.dirtentertainment.com. The purse will be paid in cash the night of the event.
PRACTICE NIGHT
A practice session will be held on Friday, April 26, 2012. For more details, please visit the website listed above. Racing haulers will be allowed to park overnight at the fairgrounds.
RACE NIGHT
General Adult Admission will be $15.00
Military/Seniors/Students: $10.00
Youth ages 6-12: $5.00
Youth 5 and under: FREE (with paid full price adult admission)
Parking is always FREE!
For more information, please email Doug Bushey at
doug@dirtentertainment.com.
Dirt Entertainment would like to thank its corporate sponsors for the 2013 season, which include Neff Rental, Avi Casino & Resort, VP Race Fuel, Pick-A-Part Auto Recycler, Macro Air Technologies, and RockAuto.com. We would also like to thank our supporting sponsors, Chaffin Motorsports, Madera Produce, OneDirt.com, Sprint Car Driving Experience, Circle Track Performance, Trackside Parts, Speedway Fire & Safety, and our advisory supporters Walt Boyd, Paul Colston, Roy Cline, and Rick McCray.
Video and DVD productions of the racing events at Orange Show Stadium and Route 66 Motorplex are available from Raceway Video. For more information on these productions you can contact them via their website at:
http://www.racewayvideo.com/.
Orange Show Stadium is located on the National Orange Show Fairgrounds at 689 S E St, San Bernardino, California 92408, in downtown San Bernardino (home of the popular Route 66 Rendezvous in September), approximately one hour east of Los Angeles and one and a half hours North of San Diego. From the 215 freeway, take the Orange Show Road exit and head West, then turn left (North) onto South E Street.
URA…THE FUTURE IS UNLIMTED!