1974 IROC at the Riverside International Raceway
“Spanning the globe to bring you a constant variety of sports; the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. The human drama of athletic competition …This is ABC’s Wide World of Sports.” If anything, the IROC series was a made for TV racing extravaganza.
In 1974 I traveled to Riverside, California (my hometown) with Kim Boose for the second and third IROC races on 10/26-27. I don’t remember how this came about, but I found myself part of the group that put the driver’s names on the cars after the lottery, right before the race. We brought the decals with us from Michigan.
We were part of a team meeting that was hosted by Mark Donohue. Jay Signore and Pete Brock were also there.
After the drivers got into their cars before the start, I poked my camera into a few interiors. I photographed Richard Petty, and then said, “Hey, Richard!” He turned my way with a big grin. Click. That’s the only time I spoke to Richard Petty.
IROC history: The True Race of Champions by Gordon Kirby
Riverside International Raceway, 1974.
A.J. Foyt. RIR, 1974.
Cale Yarborough, RIR, 1974.
David Pearson, RIR, 1974.
"Hey, Richard!” Click.
Richard Petty, RIR, 1974.
Mark Donohue and Jay Signore, Team Meeting, RIR, 1974.
Kim Boose and Pete Brock, Team Meeting, RIR, 1974.
Mark Donohue, RIR, 1974.
Gary Smith, RIR, 1974.
Kim Boose, RIR, 1974.
O.D. Smith, my dad. RIR, 1974.
Michigan International Speedway, 1977.
MIS, 1977.
MIS, 1977.
Richard Petty looks bored. (Not my photo.)
Cale Yarbrough and Chris Economaki, MIS, 1977.
IROC, MIS, 1977.
Back in the day when racing was RACING and not slot cars like today!!
BOY! I still miss Riverside Race Way
Those are really some awesome photos from the
” Good Old Days”
Awesome racing celebrities and Irock cars.
I Luv Irock cars !