As long as we're talking trivia...

[speeddemon]

--What caused Bardahl to drop sponsorship of Chuck Lyford's Mustang in 1966, only to come back with him again in '67?

--What owner actually considered mating an R-4360 onto his Mustang fuselage?

--In 1972, Mira Slovak was not allowed to race his P-39 at Reno because he arrived after the 'deadline'. Mira knew beforehand that he was going to be late. What was his reason?

--There have been at least two 'one-eyed' race pilots. Can you name them?

[RandyGoss75]

Trivia

Do I get to play? ;-)

[speeddemon]

Of course YOU get to play, Clown-boy...ya big thilly! But for the last question, YOU have to not only name the pilots, but tell me what classes they raced in, and what races (if any) they won. :-)

Speeddemon

[RandyGoss75]

Trivia

DOH!

[speeddemon]

Where are all the 'experts'?

I'm disappointed. I figured with all the self-proclaimed 'experts' and wanna-be 'historians' out there that at least SOMEONE would try to take a stab.

I know Goss knows....because he's just a know-it-all-geek like myself...and sometimes I think we were twins separated at birth.

But where is everyone else? The questions weren't THAT hard.

[Anders]

One-eyed pilots

OK, I can tell one one-eyed race pilot - you didn't say it had to from the Reno era: Jimmy Wedell!
Anders

[mayday51]

..........someone admits to being "related to Goss"....in public?

......Oh the humanity..............




....yep,I know where Bakersfield is......right by Fresno (?)





.............thanks for the fun & info guys !

[Phantom Samurai]

One-eyed race pilot...

Only know the answer to half of the last question - Frank Sanders was one of the one-eyed race pilots in question. Frank never raced at Reno because his blind eye was his right eye, which wouldn't allow him to see any a/c passing high on his right side. Not a problem at Mojave; everyone turned to the right!

TPS

[wingman]

And another was Wally McDonnell, who raced Sea Fury #106, whose papers now grace #99 after the original was destroyed in a Minter Field hangar fire. I first met Wally at the Mojave Air Races, where he campaigned a Douglas B-26K (!). It was actually one of two B-26s at that race, along with a Hellcat. Some unique photo opportunities!

Neal

[speeddemon]

--What caused Bardahl to drop sponsorship of Chuck Lyford's Mustang in 1966, only to come back with him again in '67?

BARDAHL'S PRIMARY SPORTS MARKETING ARENA WAS HYDROPLANE RACING. IN JUNE 1966, A RADICAL NEW MISS BARDAHL HYDROPLANE WAS DESTROYED AT THE PRESIDENTS CUP IN WASHINGTON D.C. DRIVER RON MUSSON WAS KILLED. LESS THAN TWO HOURS LATER, ANOTHER ACCIDENT (INVOLVING THE MISS BUDWEISER AND NOTRE DAME) CLAIMED THE LIFE OF OLE' BARDAHL'S SON-IN-LAW, REX MANCHESTER. LOSING TWO DRIVERS ON THE SAME AFTERNOON WAS ENOUGH FOR BARDAHL TO COMPLETELY WITHDRAW FROM ALL FORMS OF MOTORSPORT FOR 1966.

--What owner actually considered mating an R-4360 onto his Mustang fuselage?

AFTER THE CRASH LANDING AT RENO 1971, MIKE LOENING TRUCKED THE WRECKAGE OF 'MISS SALMON RIVER' BACK TO HIS HANGAR IN IDAHO. HE PURCHASED A SURPLUS R-4360 WITH THE INTENT OF MATING IT (NOT SURE 'HOW') TO THE MUSTANG FUSELAGE AND RACING IT AGAIN AT RENO. BUT LIKE SO MANY OTHER 'PROJECTS', IT DIED ON THE VINE AFTER LOENING FROZE TO DEATH AFTER A CRASH LANDING IN THE WILDERNESS.

--In 1972, Mira Slovak was not allowed to race his P-39 at Reno because he arrived after the 'deadline'. Mira knew beforehand that he was going to be late. What was his reason?

SLOVAK WAS A CAPTAIN FOR CONTINENTAL AIRLINES. A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT (NOT TO MENTION GEORGE MENNEN'S MONEY) WAS PUT INTO "MR. MENNEN". BUT SLOVAK, WHO HAD A LONG REPUTATION OF FAVORING THE 'FAIRER SEX', HAD A DATE WITH A STEWARDESS ON THE NIGHT BEFORE THE RENO QUALIFICATION DEADLINE. MIRA PETITIONED THE R.A.R.A. COMPETITION COMMITTEE FOR A 'WAIVER', BUT WAS DECLINED. THEY TOLD SLOVAK THAT IF IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HIM, HE WOULD SHOW UP ON TIME. HE DIDN'T. THEY DIDN'T BEND. GEORGE MENNAN WALKED AWAY IN DISGUST, AND SLOVAK LEFT, VOWING NEVER TO RETURN TO RENO.

--There have been at least two 'one-eyed' race pilots. Can you name them?

KUDOS FOR THE JIMMY WEDELL ANSWER. I WASN'T THINKING BACK THAT FAR, BUT IT IS ON THE MONEY, NONE THE LESS. AND A TIP OF THE HAT TO NEAL TOO, FOR WALLY MCDONELL. I HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT HIM.

IN PARTICULAR, I WAS THINKING OF FRANK SANDERS. AS WAS POINTED OUT IN THE POST ABOVE, FRANK ONLY RACED AT MOJAVE. IN FACT, HE WON THE 1971 MOJAVE 1000 IN HIS #232 SEA FURY.....WHAT IS NOW MIKE BROWN'S 'SEPTEMBER FURY'.

THE OTHER HIGH PROFILE PILOT I HAD IN MIND WAS T-6 RACER PAT PALMER, WHO FLEW TWO BRIGHT ORANGE T-6'S (#9 GOTCHA!, AND #99 GOTCHA!!) AND WON RENO THREE TIMES, AS WELL AS THREE MOJAVE CHAMPIONSHIPS.

[Gobojo]

One eyed race pilots

Did everyone forget the original one eyed race pilot? Wiley Post!

Trick answer, although I qualified to race at Reno in a T-6, I never did race. I'm one eyed too...

Gordon Bowman-Jones