12/24/98 AAFO.COM UPDATE It has been written elsewhere that the wonderful sport of Air Racing was dying. That the very effort to rebuild and race vintage warbirds would, in the end, be responsible for their demise. Well, we're here again to tell ya "it ain't so!"
Long a favorite on the Reno circuit, this always exciting Wright R3350 powered Bearcat was absent from the competition for the gold in '98. To say the growling sound of Lyle Shelton's Bearcat was missed this year would certainly be an understatement! The rivalry between this airplane and anything fast with a pointed nose is legendary at the annual high desert competition known as "Reno". Due to engine problems during the final laps at Reno '97, as well as further engine complications, Lyle Shelton's fast Cat has been lingering in a hanger located at Stead.... awaiting funding and a workable engine.... Some wondered if we would ever see the airplane in the air again at Reno.
Shirlee tells us "Today [Dec 23] we are finishing up an engine so that after the first of the year, we can get it to Reno and get the plane flown back to Van Nuys. Once the plane is back from Reno, the engine, the wing tanks, the accessories, most all moving parts are coming off, being repaired, replaced, or modified. Some things are secret, but I can tell you that basic restoration is being done to the plane in preparation of racing in Reno in 99. Yes, the Bear is on the way to coming back!" This is great news.... Unless you are one of the teams that will have to contend with this beast next year!!!!!!!!!!!! We've reported here of the damages from the '97 incident, or at least the obvious one. We asked Shirlee what all had gone wrong with the powerplant.....
What else is going on with Rare Bear Racing? Shirlee tells us "The crew for 98 is changing, and slimming down. The team is being aggressive in getting back to Reno ready to do some serious flying, serious winning, and serious record backing speeds..........Sponsorships are still being explored.......Money, as well as volunteer crew, are just two very important concepts to the plane." Hummn.... Reno '99... Strega is due back (more on this later), Dago will return for sure, Miss Ashley II is for sure going to be there and will likely be much faster..... As always the monster that fears nothing, Dreadnought, will be there.... Voodoo is an unknown, but likely will appear.... Critical Mass, absent this year due to uncompleted engine improvements (ones that will make this airplane way faster) is scheduled to race... Now then..... Add to this mix all the other possible contenders for the gold and the verrrry fast Lyle Shelton's Rare Bear and once again, the upcoming Reno Air Races promise to top all previous events in excitement and competition!....... It just doesn't get any better than this! MERRY CHRISTMAS! [click here for further information on the Rare Bear] story by: Wayne Sagar |
[home][air racing][photo gallery][general-military-history][links][news][sims][site map]
copyright
©1997-98 Airport Fence Productions,
Inc.
-All Aviation FlightLine OnLine-
Reproduction of any part of this website,
without prior permission, is forbidden.