1983 Winston World Finals

More classic drag racing.  This time, it is the curtain closer on the 1983 NHRA season, from Orange County Raceway in Irvine, California, the Winston World Finals.  This event, is historic for many reasons, not the least of which is that it was the last drag race ever held at OCIR.   

In the beginning of this broadcast, funny car driver, Mike Dunn, driving the Hawaiian Punch Special for car owner Roland Leong, suffers his second terrible wreck of the season, with a massive explosion.  Another few of these were seen in drag racing in later years, and it is a violent experience when the supercharger sitting just below the fuel injector, explodes, literally vaporizing the AA nitro funny car in a ball of fire, much like a nuclear device or a stick of dynamite is set off inside the motor.

The fiberglass body disappears, and Mike Dunn, firmly strapped into the racing seat, and roll cage of the car, goes on a wild ride he'd just as soon forget.  Dunn, tumbling down the track, with more flame and parts and pieces of the exploded motor clanging and rattling around as they fall off of the car.  This was Dunn's second horrifying wreck of the 1983 season, having also had a tremendous fire at the 1983 Spring Nationals at National Trail Raceway in Columbus, Ohio.  That drag strip is one of if not the shortest on the circuit and Dunn's Hawaiian Punch Special, at that time, too, was in a ball of flame, running through the emergency catch net similar to that found on an aircraft carrier to stop speeding fighter jets, dislodging the body, but fortunately, keeping the fire off of Dunn, who runs away immediately and is probably thinking, "oh my God!  Where am I?" as it looks at the end of the race track like he is the only person out there, like man's first walk on the moon.

Eventually, the NHRA Safety Safari and their paramedics helped Dunn to safety, while at Orange County, thankfully he did get out of the car, and in both cases, he was unhurt.  The racing for the 1983 championship in the nitro classes is also intense.  Enjoy the top fuel and funny car action, as there was no Pro Stock racing, in this particular telecast.  Steve Evans and Dave McLelland call the action.