Reno Air Races
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The Reno Air Races, also known as the National Championship Air Races, take place each September at the Reno Stead Airport a few miles north of Reno, Nevada, USA. Air racing is billed as 'the world's fastest motor sport' and Reno is one of the few remaining venues. Begun in 1964, the Reno Air Races feature multi-lap, multi-aircraft races between extremely high performance aircraft on closed ovoid courses which range between about 3 miles (Biplanes and Formula One) and about 8 miles (Jet, Unlimited) in length per lap.
Aircraft in the Unlimited class, which consists almost entirely of both modified and stock World War II fighters, routinely reach speeds in excess of 400 miles per hour. In 2003, Skip Holm piloted Terry Bland's modified P-51D Mustang, Dago Red, and reached an all-time speed record of 507.105 mph in a six-lap race around the eight-and-a-half mile course. The recently added Sport Class racers, mostly homebuilt aircraft, are already reaching speeds in excess of 350 mph.
The Reno Air Races include several days of qualifying followed by four and a half days of multi-aircraft heat racing culminating in the Unlimited Class Gold Race on Sunday afternoon. The event also features civil airshow acts and military flight demonstrations between races, plus vendor areas and a large civil and military static aircraft display.
[edit] Race classes
- Biplane: 3.18 mi (5.12 km) course[1], speeds reaching nearly 230 mph (370 km/h); flown by predominantly aerobatic aircraft such as the Pitts Special and other biplanes. Some faster aircraft are original homebuilt designs.
- T-6: 5.06 mi (8.14 km) course, speeds reaching 230 mph (370 km/h)[1]; match racing for unmodified T-6 Texan aircraft, the USN SNJ versions, and Canadian Harvard variants.
- Formula One: 3.12 mi (5.02 km) course, speeds reaching 250 mph (400 km/h)[1]; aircraft competing in this class must be equipped with a stock, 200 cubic inch (3.28 L) Continental O-200 engine. The aircraft must also have have a fixed-pitch propeller and fixed landing gear.
- Sport: 6.37 mi (10.25 km) course, speeds reaching 350 mph (560 km/h)[1]; consisting of commercial kit-built aircraft. Engines used must be 650 cubic inches (10.65 L) or less, and at least 5 aircraft kits must be delivered to customers.
- Jet: 8.38 mi (13.4 km) course, speeds exceeding 450 mph (725 km/h)[1]; match racing for the Czech Aero Vodochody L-39 jet.
- Unlimited: 8.48 mi (13.65 km) course, speeds exceeding 500 mph (805 km/h)[1]. Aircraft competing in this class are typically warbirds such as the North American P-51 Mustang, Hawker Sea Fury, and Grumman F8F Bearcat, though the class is open to any piston-powered aircraft weighing more than 4,500 lb (2,041 kg).
