aafo: the major stumbling block we see here...and the first step... would then be to get backers to ante-up the three million dollar purse.....

Kerch: That, I don't think would be hard as it initially seems. I'd go to three guys right off the bat. One of them already spent about four million to try to get the world war two fighters out and that's Bob Pond. The pond racer would fit right into this class. He was just outclassed, when they built that airplane we were going 435-440 mph, by the time they got done we were going almost 470, they were just outclassed. I'd go to Bob Pond, Kermit Weeks, and a guy in Texas named Waltrip, those three guys would just as soon that nobody ever did race a world war two type aircraft ever again. They look at them more as a historic or a national treasure than they do as a racer. I've approached some big companies; Here's a class, it's not just for one year, you get three years of publicity. That changes the whole complexion of a sponsorship deal, when you're talking three or two years of hype prior to an event. You could guarantee publicity over a period of time, not for just one week in Reno, it would be over a long period of time. They would be making an investment that would provide returns over the three years. It would not just be the one event it would be all the time leading up to it.

aafo: With a class of this sort you might even be able to hold more than the one event annually, such as the Formula One class already does.

Kerch: The first thing in forming a new class is how do you get the airplanes? Even though this would only be publicized as a one time deal, you know darn well if you got 30 or 40 or even 10 airplanes,. they would want to race, then they'd want to race more! It wouldn't die...now you have the airplane!

aafo: something else we would like to see would be cross country racing starting say in Cleveland and finishing at the Reno National Championship Air Race event...

Kerch: We did that at Reno for a number of years. About '72 was the last event, they went from Milwaukee to Reno. Most of the entries were fighters, Sea Fury's and 51's. They were just a little different kind of animal, they were configured for a long distance race. When they got to Reno a lot of guys would pull off the drop tanks or extra fuel tanks and race around the pylons. I think they called it the Harold's Club Trophy back in the 60's and 70' and it was a pretty big deal.

aafo: would be great to see that again...maybe even have an open class that allowed for stock aircraft entries.... There's an event to be held early in September called the "Race To Kittyhawk" it's open to all production non-turbo piston aircraft less than 700hp total. I believe they are running around a 500 mile race. The cross country racing could open up a whole new audience for air racing, really generate a lot of interest.

Kerch: In the late sixties when I first went to Reno it was all racing, they did not have much airshow. They had races like Staggerwing Beech races, women's stock planes, a number of different classes of T-6 racing, some modified and some not modified. It was racing all day long, planes in and out of the pits left and right. There were a lot of different classes then that have been done away with.

aafo: .... this could have the effect of the old auto racing "race on Sunday....buy on Monday" theory. If not for buying an aircraft, at least getting people started taking lessons... just might make a bunch of people interested in doing it..... getting back to the subject of the unlimited class being "phased out"..... We'd sure like to see the warbirds stay as a viable class in the event.... Assuming that someday your proposal were to become reality and the new class became known as the unlimited, it would be nice to see the warbirds raced in a separate class...perhaps with some limitations to keep them basically stock, perhaps call it the warbird class. Race them in at least an exhibition manner, much like the vintage auto racing class. They may be old classics, and the racers are a bit more careful with their mounts..but it's racing nonetheless.

Kerch: Exactly...I can see them being exhibition racers....

Since having this conversation with Bill last winter, some of his words have turned out to be very close to prophetic. His idea of a new racing class being nearly spot-on the new Sport Class, with the exception of the engine size (well....the prize money too:)... The addition of the T-28's as another entry class begins to follow the more racing-less airshow theme mentioned by Bill.

The above conversation took place over several months last winter when Strega was still a "hopeful" for Reno '98. We were able to speak with Bill again, after the announcement that Strega would, indeed, not make Reno '98. He was saddened by the events that led to the team being unable to field an entry this year...and a little bit like a fish out of water not having an airplane to shepherd to the races...telling us.. "this is the first time in 30 years that I've not had an airplane for Reno" ..... "I'm goin a little bit nuts not having anything to do!"<laughing> We fully expect to see him at Reno anyway..... Hopefully with an airplane....any airplane!

Author's Note 2002: Since we first published this interview with "Kerch" in 1998, as they say, "much water has passed under the bridge." Kerch now has three more Unlimited Gold championships under his belt with his new team, "Dago Red." Bill has shown no indication of slowing his pace and we would expect that the "winningest" Crew Chief in the history of the sport will continue to add notches to his screwdriver in the years to come.

{some photos used in the original illistration of this story were courtesy of the Team Strega website - version 1997}