Bill Kerchenfaut runs the Rolls Royce Merlin engine of Dago Red. The engine held together to provide pilot Skip Holm with a qualifying run at 496 mph – later downgraded to 489 mph – then took him to his third National Championship, and the aircraft's third National Championship in a row. One takeoff later, in preparation for the 500 mph lap attempt, the engine destroyed itself when it threw a rod.

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