Quiz for Speedy/BigJim/Whoever...

[wingman]

Well, not really a quiz, but a question...

This airplane had a racing history that spanned something like 35 years. Can you come up with a list of all the pilots who raced it? Race numbers? I can think of 6 or 7 pilots off the top of my head...

[Big_Jim]

Re: Quiz for Speedy/BigJim/Whoever...

Well, not really a quiz, but a question...

This airplane had a racing history that spanned something like 35 years. Can you come up with a list of all the pilots who raced it? Race numbers? I can think of 6 or 7 pilots off the top of my head...

1946 Thompson Trophy Race, HL Pemberton, race #21, 10th place 304.406 mph.

1976 Mojave, Lefty Gardner, race #28, 4th place Silver race 314.308

1976 Reno, Steve Hinton, race #1, 5th place Consolation race 320.387

1978 Reno, Don Whittington, race #8, 5th place Trophy Race #1 308.07

1978 Reno, Vernon Thorp, race #8, 4th place Trophy Race #2 298.63

1979 Miami, Bill Whittington, no race number, 1st place Stock Plane Race 287.769

1979 Miami, Jimmy Leeward, no race number, 4th place Medallion Heat Race #1 270.384

[wingman]

Re: Quiz for Speedy/BigJim/Whoever...

Thanks Brad -- that's pretty much the list I came up with. I wasn't real sure about Vernon Thorp...

1976 Reno should be Race #4. Interesting that it seems Steve ran it faster than anyone else.

Quite a Race history for a plane I never once saw anybody work on. I never ever saw the engine.

I wonder how many planes Thorp raced over the years.

Neal

[Big_Jim]

Re: Quiz for Speedy/BigJim/Whoever...

Thanks Brad -- that's pretty much the list I came up with. I wasn't real sure about Vernon Thorp...

1976 Reno should be Race #4. Interesting that it seems Steve ran it faster than anyone else.

Quite a Race history for a plane I never once saw anybody work on. I never ever saw the engine.

I wonder how many planes Thorp raced over the years.

Neal

Vernon infrequently raced planes for other people.

He was Gary Levitz's relief pilot in the two 1000 mile/kilometer races in 1971. At Mojave '75 he ran John Stokes "Centex Aviation" Sea Fury (where he set a record for the number of pylon cuts in a single race). Reno '75 he ran John Stokes P-51 (Bob Hoover's former N2251D, and part of Reno lore with the 'Garbage can ADI'). At Reno '77 he flew Bill Hubb's P-51 (it's now called "Pecos Bill", I don't think it was named back then...but Bill Hubbs was the then-mayor of Pecos, TX). He flew the P-63 for Whittington in one heat at Reno '78. And the last time I remember him racing was at Reno '79 when he flew "White Lightnin'" for Lefty.

[Big_Jim]

Re: Quiz for Speedy/BigJim/Whoever...

This was just one of my favorite childhood Reno stories regarding Vernon Thorp. At Reno '75 John Stokes had Vernon race his bone-stock P-51. So Vernon and Ralph Payne drove into Reno, found a hardware store, purchased a plastic garbage can and some copper tubing...strapped the garbage can in the back seat of the Mustang, redneck-rigged an ADI pump to it and went out to race it.

In the Medallion race, Vernon was actually leading the race...until they drained the garbage can dry, and then the engine temps started to rise, so he had to pull the power back and ended up finishing way in the back of the pack.

At the time the Levitz team had their infamous Ramp Rat Reports on the chalkboard in their pit--updated daily. Number 7 in the picture reads "Thorpe (sic) says: What I needed wasn't a bigger engine, but a bigger garbage can!"

Just a bunch of guys going out having fun. I think all of these photos were given to me by Ron Fortune, who worked on Gary's crew.

[FlyKidChris]

Re: Quiz for Speedy/BigJim/Whoever...

This was just one of my favorite childhood Reno stories regarding Vernon Thorp. At Reno '75 John Stokes had Vernon race his bone-stock P-51. So Vernon and Ralph Payne drove into Reno, found a hardware store, purchased a plastic garbage can and some copper tubing...strapped the garbage can in the back seat of the Mustang, redneck-rigged an ADI pump to it and went out to race it.

In the Medallion race, Vernon was actually leading the race...until they drained the garbage can dry, and then the engine temps started to rise, so he had to pull the power back and ended up finishing way in the back of the pack.

At the time the Levitz team had their infamous Ramp Rat Reports on the chalkboard in their pit--updated daily. Number 7 in the picture reads "Thorpe (sic) says: What I needed wasn't a bigger engine, but a bigger garbage can!"

Just a bunch of guys going out having fun. I think all of these photos were given to me by Ron Fortune, who worked on Gary's crew.

Now that's a great post. Thanks for the history lesson.

[RandyGoss75]

Re: Quiz for Speedy/BigJim/Whoever...

geekley.....

[ignomini]

Re: Quiz for Speedy/BigJim/Whoever...

Wish I was ten years older. Too young for all that fun.

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Quiz for Speedy/BigJim/Whoever...

Vernon infrequently raced planes for other people.

"At Mojave '75 he ran John Stokes "Centex Aviation" Sea Fury (where he set a record for the number of pylon cuts in a single race).

au contraire my friend, If'n you remember he was tied in the number of pylon cuts in that race............. Jim Pate was just starting to race the Bearcat, and Lyle suggested that he chose a well seasoned veteran to follow around and get a feeling for the course. So Jim started following Vernon in John Stokes Sea Fury. Vernon who knew his airplane wasn't fast enough to run with the pack started completely cutting the back two or three pylons way inside only running about three quarters of the distance. on each lap so that he could look good to the crowd instead of falling farther and farther behind. As Vernon cut pylons so did Jim.

Vernon laughed so dang hard when I walked up to him after the race and told him what happened. So he didn't come in last place. Jim with the Bearcat did.

John

[Big_Jim]

Re: Quiz for Speedy/BigJim/Whoever...

au contraire my friend, If'n you remember he was tied in the number of pylon cuts in that race............. Jim Pate was just starting to race the Bearcat, and Lyle suggested that he chose a well seasoned veteran to follow around and get a feeling for the course. So Jim started following Vernon in John Stokes Sea Fury. Vernon who knew his airplane wasn't fast enough to run with the pack started completely cutting the back two or three pylons way inside only running about three quarters of the distance. on each lap so that he could look good to the crowd instead of falling farther and farther behind. As Vernon cut pylons so did Jim.

Vernon laughed so dang hard when I walked up to him after the race and told him what happened. So he didn't come in last place. Jim with the Bearcat did.

John

Set....tied....last....second to last. It was still Vernon's idea to 'make his own race course'.

[GeeBeeZ1931]

Re: Quiz for Speedy/BigJim/Whoever...

Set....tied....last....second to last. It was still Vernon's idea to 'make his own race course'.

What fabulously funny stories!