I was born around the time Opp passed away. I've never heard Jan speak. So, I'm glad this interview is around because we need to hear to these legends of our sport! They lived the history. Which is the most important thing in history!
I remember in the winter of 79-80, they announced that Jan was going to drive the Ofixco car out of Tulsa on the NCRA and the Okc and Tulsa weekly shouws. That was before they ran sprints and were running cars similar to USAC dirt cars. He ran the first race in Tulsa on the big track and looked really bad. I went to the pits afterwards and they were already loading up. He was out of the car the next day. A friend of mine had talked to him earlier and told me that he was still screwed up and was talking really fast. He wondered if he was on drugs. I don't think he was on anything but i wouldn't be surprised if his brain wasn't operating properly. It is sad when people have a head injury and attempt a comeback. Rarely do they ever come back 100% and it seems more often than not, they get injured again.
I was a little kid going to williams grove in 70`s. I remember Jan Opperman, Kenny Weld, Mitch Smith racing. I told my grandmother that one day I would be out there..lol...she said if I did she wasn`t going to watch..I made it , she never missed a race even when she was sick and dying of cancer..won a lot of races and two williams grove track championships, I miss my grandmother, she was a hoot...ended up meeting and becoming friends with Mitch Smith, he gave me one of the mugs that say "Mitch Smith sack USAC"..pretty cool
Jan was one of the very best to strap on a helmet bar none. Saw him at Terre haute a couple of times. Man was just a great driver and person. May him and Kenny Gary and host of others race in peace
It is an excerpt from a weekly subscription racing report from the early eighties...weekly cassettes were sent out covering auto racing. The National Sprint Car Hall of Fame has a set in its archives....
I remember when dad told me the hippie was racing I think I was 6/ years old in the Midwest at Midwest speedway a high bank 1/3 mile dirt track ! He drive the wheels off a car
P. ROSS/OPPERMAN - I'm guessing that you may just be a close relation to him, so I'd say, you've every right to question who put this up on RU-vid, and even have it taken down, should it not be to your satisfaction in any way. I feel for your distress this video may cause for you.
