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ACCLAIMED ANNOUNCER BRUCE FLANDERS NOW ‘THE VOICE’ OF ORANGE SHOW SPEEDWAY
SAN BERNARDINO, California — Bruce Flanders, Southern California’s preeminent motorsports announcer for more than a quarter of a century, will be the voice of Orange Show Speedway for the 2009 racing season.
Flanders, 63, is a long-time San Bernardino resident but, ironically, never has announced an event at the ASA-sanctioned quarter-mile oval on the National Orange Show grounds. He will fill that gap on his extensive resume when the Super Late Model stock cars headline the opening night program March 28 and his will be the voice heard over a new public address system each racing night throughout the season.
Flanders also will continue a lengthy association with the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach and call the action at that event for the 32nd year in a row April 16-18.
“Bruce was definitely my first choice,” new OSS promoter Rick McCray said. “I’ve always been impressed at the way he can make a night at the races interesting for everyone with his humor and his knowledge of the sport.
“He belongs in the Inland Empire and I’m glad we could bring him home.”
Flanders, who spent the past 10 years at the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, said when he was initially contacted by McCray and asked what it would take to get him to work at OSS he treated it as a joke and replied “a new public address system.”
Flanders realized how serious the offer was just a few hours later, when he got a phone call from McCray’s representatives asking what specific components he would like in the new system. Then he sat down with McCray and his daughter, Toni McCray, and found their enthusiasm contagious.
“One face-to-face meeting with the McCrays is all it took for me to decide that I wanted to work with Rick,” said Flanders, who for several years was the primary announcer for the CART champ car series. “I did hold off on my decision for a couple of days. My dad (Earl) always said if it’s possible, sleep on the important decisions before committing.
“I am now committed, and every race day I get to work at one of the most storied racing facilities in California.”
Greg Cozzo, the announcer for the past five seasons at OSS, will provide winner’s circle and pit road interviews and talk to spectators.
Flanders made his debut as a motorsports announcer by calling the speedway motorcycle races at Costa Mesa Speedway on June 13, 1969. Since then, he’s been involved in almost every form of automobile and motorcycle racing. Along the way, he’s accumulated an enormous knowledge of racing and racers that enables him to color his commentary with both historical and hysterical anecdotes. That’s an invaluable asset at times.
“Occasionally the racing just plain out sucks,” Flanders said. “It’s very difficult to keep an audience interested in a show that isn’t any fun at all. I try to inject fun into every event, every show. That, along with great racing, is what keeps fans interested and coming back.
“When the racing is great, it doesn’t need an announcer, the show builds itself. Some of the most amazing races were amazing because you just got to watch and be awed.”
For information on sponsorship and promotional opportunities and for answers to questions regarding competition rules and requirements, please contact Best in the West Racing by telephone at 909-885-9000 or by e-mail at [email protected].
For all other information, please contact Jim Short by telephone at 951-203-2649 or by e-mail at [email protected]
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