Strega

[Donald McMullin]

Any information as to why Tiger is not bringing Strega to Reno this year? Will miss seeing his plane not competing.

[CJAM427]

Re: Strega

Any information as to why Tiger is not bringing Strega to Reno this year? Will miss seeing his plane not competing.

Word on Facebook from Tracey Hughes was that they have a radiator issue. I also read that "radiator" could be referring to the heat exchanger which isn't an easy part to replace.

[supercub]

Re: Strega

Hard to believe they couldn't fix most anything in the 3-4 months till Reno.

[CJAM427]

Re: Strega

I agree, it is odd that they wouldn't be able to fix it by Reno. But maybe its going to cost more $$ than Tiger wants to spend right now.

[supercub]

Re: Strega

Lot of speculation this is pre race hype.................and just a rumor...............time will tell.

[N22252]

Re: Strega

I agree, it is odd that they wouldn't be able to fix it by Reno. But maybe its going to cost more $$ than Tiger wants to spend right now.

Maybe he's donating the airframe the rebuild of Precious Metal?

[Big_Jim]

Re: Strega

Purely stating this as observation with zero knowledge as to what the issue really is and no skin in the game...because I've heard heat exchanger, I've heard cracked block, I've heard.....

But I have ALSO heard that said owner is unhappy with the amount of prize money that is being allocated for the Unlimited Class this year. And given that it is in the best interest of the sanctioning body to have the owner's airplane in the field in September, I would say that the issue is perhaps more political than mechanical.

[GRNDP51]

Re: Strega

Purely stating this as observation with zero knowledge as to what the issue really is and no skin in the game...because I've heard heat exchanger, I've heard cracked block, I've heard.....

But I have ALSO heard that said owner is unhappy with the amount of prize money that is being allocated for the Unlimited Class this year. And given that it is in the best interest of the sanctioning body to have the owner's airplane in the field in September, I would say that the issue is perhaps more political than mechanical.

I haven't heard much about the unlimited allocation this year, but did it change from last year? I imagine last year was stretching it and it's a miracle that we had a strong field that weekend. But I HAVE heard that the jet class got a bigger purse and I assumed that carried over to the Unlimiteds. If not, I really don't know what RARA has going on in the back of their minds.

But hey they could've upped the purse and it still isn't enough for the top Unlimiteds to come, that's very likely... Time will tell time will tell..

[rchevyman]

Re: Strega

Maybe he's donating the airframe the rebuild of Precious Metal?

Haha! Thats great!

[Big_Jim]

Re: Strega

I haven't heard much about the unlimited allocation this year, but did it change from last year? I imagine last year was stretching it and it's a miracle that we had a strong field that weekend. But I HAVE heard that the jet class got a bigger purse and I assumed that carried over to the Unlimiteds. If not, I really don't know what RARA has going on in the back of their minds.

But hey they could've upped the purse and it still isn't enough for the top Unlimiteds to come, that's very likely... Time will tell time will tell..

It was announced last month that the Unlimited prize pot was reduced to $600,000 total.

[RAD2LTR]

Re: Strega

Purely stating this as observation with zero knowledge as to what the issue really is and no skin in the game...because I've heard heat exchanger, I've heard cracked block, I've heard.....

But I have ALSO heard that said owner is unhappy with the amount of prize money that is being allocated for the Unlimited Class this year. And given that it is in the best interest of the sanctioning body to have the owner's airplane in the field in September, I would say that the issue is perhaps more political than mechanical.

The more interesting thing here is that the pilot who was supposed to be flying Strega is now flying Czech Mate. After hearing what Mr Smoot had to say at the NAG banquet, at that time, the odds of CM racing this year were worse than it ending up on a stick as a gate guard on the owner's property. He was less than impressed with the purse, and with the way RARA had treated CM (Finished 2nd and no press). This really begs the question, what has changed for him to be willing to let the plane race again? Based on this alone, it makes me wonder what else is going on behind the scenes.

Will

[Reever]

Re: Strega

Purely stating this as observation with zero knowledge as to what the issue really is and no skin in the game...because I've heard heat exchanger, I've heard cracked block, I've heard.....

But I have ALSO heard that said owner is unhappy with the amount of prize money that is being allocated for the Unlimited Class this year. And given that it is in the best interest of the sanctioning body to have the owner's airplane in the field in September, I would say that the issue is perhaps more political than mechanical.

This is how Tiger negotiates.

[De Camara]

Re: Strega

And
Since Tiger knows how to negotiate these things

I think its good

$600,000 isn't very good for a thoroughbred

Pissing away huge chunks of cash
Just to say you raced

Gets old real fast

And
Since the "Unlimited Gold" class is WHAT DRAWS the people

I'd say
He has good leverage


Say what you will

Is what it is

[wingman]

Re: Strega

But I'm not at all sure that giving Destefani an even bigger portion of that rather paltry purse is going to help air racing. Seems like I remember that a big reason we don't have many stockers is that Destefani extorted a larger portion of past purses for the top few Gold class runners leaving significantly less for everybody in the lower echelons, making it economically really unattractive to bring your million dollar bird to Reno. I don't know if a Reno with 2 or 3 reasonably serious Gold contenders and 6 or 7 stockers will bring crowds to Stead, and sometimes it feels like Reno is headed that way. Maybe Reno just needs to call Tiger's bluff and if he doesn't come, so be it.

I get real tired of Destefani's whining and pressure tactics sometimes. Reno's NEVER been about racers making money. Reno is about racers racing.

Neal

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Strega

But I'm not at all sure that giving Destefani an even bigger portion of that rather paltry purse is going to help air racing. Seems like I remember that a big reason we don't have many stockers is that Destefani extorted a larger portion of past purses for the top few Gold class runners leaving significantly less for everybody in the lower echelons, making it economically really unattractive to bring your million dollar bird to Reno. I don't know if a Reno with 2 or 3 reasonably serious Gold contenders and 6 or 7 stockers will bring crowds to Stead, and sometimes it feels like Reno is headed that way. Maybe Reno just needs to call Tiger's bluff and if he doesn't come, so be it.

I get real tired of Destefani's whining and pressure tactics sometimes. Reno's NEVER been about racers making money. Reno is about racers racing.

Neal

My lips are bleeding...