Jan Opperman The Original Outlaw
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- čas přidán 25. 03. 2021
- Jan Opperman was considered by many to be one of the greatest Sprint Car Drivers of all time. Racing historian and author, Bob Mays highlights the colorful and brilliant racing career of Jan Opperman.
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Thank you for this tribute to my father. I am very grateful........
My dad couldn't stand your dad. Called him "Oprah House" Jealous of Jan's free-lance life style. Bitter he couldn't beat him. Pissed that if both drivers were available, Speedy Bill & Gary Swenson would both pick a long-haired dope-smoking Jesus-preaching hippie over a clean-cut Ray Lee Goodwin any day of the week. And twice on Saturday night. Facts of life. I thought Jan Opperman was cool as hell. Of course, I kept those thoughts to myself.
@@raymond3803 WOW....... your kind words have left me speechless!! Thank you for caring..... and thank you for sharing..... I am very grateful today because of your kindness...
@@p.rossopperman4699 You're welcome. I don't know how kind my words were, but they are true.
Bob Mays might even remember me. From my days racing @ Midwest Speedway & Eagle Raceway.
I've since redirected my interests and efforts toward science. --> czcams.com/video/Fbqmyl9L5XY/video.html
There's a reason why no professor, astrophysicist, astronomer, NASA employee will take my money.
@@faithijn8338 *OMG!* What the hell are you talking about? Who's innocent daughter?
What video are you watching? More important, what illicit drug are you on?
Copied and Paste in the likely case you delete your falsely accusing bat-shit crazy crap.
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Faith IJN
Faith IJN
12 minutes ago
@rayism 24b What a cruel heart you have for what ever measure you sow in the world comes back to you. Just not necessary to hurt his innocent daughter.
He was such a phenomenally gifted race car driver.
Thank you so much for putting this film together. I met Opperman in June of 1976 at Sky Valley Speedway ( 1957 -1977.)
Dang ! now there's a blast from the past. One of the best ever !!
Jan was a phenomenal driver. I watched him race with my father for several years here in Central Pa. I'm friends with his son who is in the comments below. Jan was a very charismatic person, even as a young kid I could tell. I would be in the pits and would wander around talking to drivers. Most would be nice. Jan was always very nice. When you were a kid you could always tell when an athlete or someone of prestige thought you were just being a pain in the ass. Jan wasn't that way. I grew up in the Jack Gunn circuit of the mid 70's.
Kramer’s son I assume. Your dad was a talented driver. Grandparents were from Selinsgrove and when we visited in the summer, we were at Selinsgrove. Your dad, Lynn Paxton, Mitch Smith, Weld, Pitzer - great memories. My uncle owned the 99. Remember Gene Varner driving it early on, but everything changed when Jan was driving. In 1972, they won almost half the races they entered.
@dholliday7700 no, my father was Carl Williamson. He raced with Kramer during the 70's and when I started driving in the 80's and 90's I was very fortunate to get to race with him.
I’ve always thought that, Jan Opperman & Kenny Weld are in the same league as Steve, Sammy & Doug. No doubts about it. 🏁
I agree. Jan was very special.
I was at Jennerstown, PA in 81 when he had that really bad crash. You could have heard a pin drop when they loaded Jan up into the emergency vehicle. He has always been my Hero. R.I.P. Jan
There will never be another opperman
He was my uncle he was wonderful I loved him so very much he was so kind and loving and amazing!!! I have never met anyone like him since!!! He loved God his wife Mary his children and racing I met him as a child he influenced me with kindness and love ❤️ I have never forgotten him ❤️ he was amazing!!!!
The original “Outlaw “ ❤️👍🏼
I had the pleasure , or should I say the privilege of meeting Jan and having a conversation with him at Santa Maria Speedway back in 1979 or 1980 . I was 21 or so , my race car partner Johnny and I had sold our Sportsman that we ran up at Antioch Speedway and I was hot to go sprint car racing , Johnny included , so we had picked up a non roller and had been going to a lot of sprint car races learning all we could and had gone down to Santa Maria Speedway for the World of Outlaws . Jan was running there and I remember that there was a lot of talk of how he wasn't the same . I think Jan had brushed the wall on the back straight , maybe hot laps or something , I just remember seeing bright magnesium fire coming off the RR . Anyway , I was in the infield sitting on some wooden thing ( I had been checking out the track earlier ) and I was by myself just taking it all in . Jan just casually walked over to where I was at , sat down with me and we just started having a conversation about just racing stuff . I don't remember what we talked about , I didn't ask him anything , I know we talked about how deep the moisture was in the track ( I had been checking how deep it was ) he brought up something about an up coming race and we just chatted for 10 , 15 minutes . Talked like we were buddies . He had to go , I probably said have a good run tonight , I didn't see him after the race's were over . I think it was less than a year later he had his second bad crash .
I know this was a long commit but he left a extremely memorable impression on me , one I'll never forget and I am grateful for that , grateful I had the opportunity to meet Jan
We donated money to mops and pops for Jan's Healthcare. We miss Jan and his mom and dad.Rest In Peace and to his son ,God bless you.
My mom had a picture of me as a boy posing with Jan in urbandale Iowa. I was wearing his hat. Mom thought that was incredible
My dad was in charge of trap prep at Calistoga for many years and we lived right across the street from the fairgrounds. My parents weren't church goers so I was a little surprised when dad said that Jan Opperman was going to do a service in our back yard on Sunday over the 4th of July double header weekend. I was only 12 years old, but I remember a bunch of drivers and crews showed up in their jeans and racing t-shirts. It was very quiet. All you could hear was Jan's voice as he had everyone's full attention. I remember the candor of his sermon and how personal it was as he shared his own experiences. He definitely had a different kind of soul.
I saw Jan win a feature in the rain at PortRoyal Speedway one night . It started raining with 5 laps to go and Jan was battling with Smoky Snellbaker wheel to wheel. Neither driver would slow down With 2 laps to go Smoke finally backed off and " Jan the Man" took the win. At the end it was pouring down rain . That was in 1972 .
He was a one of a kind.
Great video thanks for doing it, Jan was one of the best!
In the early ‘70’s Hilly Rife promoted Bedford (PA) & Lincoln (PA). I remember the first night he rolled into the pits at Bedford, there was a buzz. The announcer called him the “Flyin’ Hippie”. All of us kids loved him, most of the adults booed. Then he got out on the big half and ran it in up top, brushing the nerf bar against the wall and pretty soon most everyone cheered for him. He didn’t always win, but he always put on a show.
Saw him at Bedford too he was something special and even a kid could see it
Jan was the greatest sprint car driver ever!
Many would share your sentiments....I believe his Sprint Car is on display at their museum in Lincoln Nebraska....honorable mention to Dave Darland, Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell, Doug Wolfgang, Tom Bigelow, Rich Vogler, Gary Bettenhausen, Larry Dickson, and Sammy Sessions.
Great story about a great guy
I remember watching Jan at Ascot Park in Gardena, CA around 1979-1980, and if I am not mistaken, I believe he had "Jesus is Lord" on either his car, or he had a billboard on the exit of turn No. 2 that had it on there, but I thought it was awesome. I was a fan of his, as well as Bubby Jones, who was my all-time favorite non-wing driver. Both Jan and Bubby will always be inspirations to me, and I will always love them both for it.
Awesome video Bob. I got to set and visit with Jan at knoxville for about 15 min. one time. One of the high lights of my life. Ron
I remember watching him win the Knoxville Nationals in 71 shortly before I left for Vietnam. I didn’t see another Nationals until 1977 when Wolfe won it. I always enjoyed watching Eddie Leavitt (sp?) and wished I could have seen him win his National
Good memories watching Jan race at Williams Grove. It was a great time with the big boys.
I watched him at the Hoosier 100 At terreahaute. It was pure beauty and poetry on dirt rip jan
I watched Jan race in pa in the 70s the very best great video.
I remember seeing that car at my local track a couple years back . I think it was jan’s children that had brought it out can’t remember exactly but i remember that exact orange sprint car. I’d like to add that there is this man we have named Royal Jones ! He owns vado speedway off interstate 10 and he is a dirt track racer . He had quite a history behind him im not sure how far he goes back to racing but he’s still in it to this day and i used to watch him about 20 years ago in las cruces and el paso. Those where the days!! the very early 2000’s
Ralph Heintzlman was also a big part of Jan's legacy. Also Jack Gunn was responsible for him coming to PA.
In the early to mid '70's he was a semi regular at selinsgrove and williamsgrove. There was a stretch in that time period when after folks in the stands would find out that he was there, we would start looking around to see who else was there to finish second.
have to agree. His driving at Selinsgrove was amazing to watch
I watched The Hippie tear it up at Port
Went to Eldora Speedway for first time ever,1972 ,I was 7,Jan won that day
Lots of great sprint car drivers. Doug Wolfgang , Steve Kinser , and many more. And then there's Jan..
No one like him , if he didn't get hurt. He would have shattered every record in history. That's what I'd hear people say. And I think it could have been possible.
He's a legend an always will be!
John Singer was a big part of Opp's success back then too..he was a master car builder ..master set-up guy and master engine builder for years ,,,
Saw Jan Opperman at Manzanita several times from maybe '69 to 1972 or 73.. The "Western World Championships" wich was a big high paying race back in the day. Before the World of Outlaws he was truly an outlaw. Huge car counts at the Western World. Always in November.
it was the ayrton senna of its class in a way Jan Opperman.
fascinating really excellente short documentary
Thanks for posting this .
Thanks Bob! Another great job as usual.
Seen him in Bakersfield Ca, maybe 78/79 on pavement.
Only got to see him race once. Of all things a usac midget race at IRP I believe it was 1976. ASPHALT. He won and put on a show !
He raced at my dads track Midwest speedway Lincoln Nebraska
I have a photo of Jan's first win on pavement. I wonder if they'd like to add it to the collection. He won his first pavement race in a sprint car, driving for my grandfather.
I worked with Al Nunerey from Tn and he raced against Opperman and when his car builder set his car up there was only one man who could beat it and that was Opperman and if he had air in the right rear he was going to beat you
I'll give those old guys credit for racing those death machines back in the day. personally I don't see how any of them survived any flip at all. those had to be the most unsafe cars that were ever raced. all I can say is, "Muy Cajones" to them all.
Jan Opp!
One day Jan was the most popular driver in open wheeled racing and then came that damned accident at the Hoosier Hundred.
Thanks for sharing this. Think Jan's only fear was GOD. He truly believed in our LORD. He sure drove with his head as well as with his foot. GOD BLESS Jan Opperman.
Can anyone tell me the first track he raced on?
I believe it was Johnny parsons Jr. driving over his head like always that caused Jan's accident.
Nice job Bob Mays. I assume omitting Jan's brother, Jay Opperman (killed @ Knoxville) and omitting that it was common knowledge Jan Opperman was associated with the hippie drug culture were both a conscious choice. I'm not about to lend a descending opinion on those choices. You had your reasons.
I think Don Maxwell built 4 of those new style 4-bar cars. All 4 identical. All 4 were fast. Speedy Bill got one (4X) Swenson & Kallweit got one (#99) Ray Lee Goodwin destroyed them both. Eddie Levitt won the Nationals in one (#4J) And Gary Dunkle led the first 15 laps of the Knoxville Nationals in one (#49?) It was the race of Dunkle's life.
Jan Opperman - that sounds like a typical South African name and surname?
He was born and raised in California