Formula One Gold

[yakdriver]

Lowell Slatter in #31 Fraid Naught won convincingly. Race time of 5:57.577/256.723 mph. Second place was over 30 sec behind and 234.873. There is even more potential in this airplane and will be better next year. Don

[FlyKidChris]

Re: Formula One Gold

Lowell Slatter in #31 Fraid Naught won convincingly. Race time of 5:57.577/256.723 mph. Second place was over 30 sec behind and 234.873. There is even more potential in this airplane and will be better next year. Don

What happened to Endeavour and Hot Stuff? We were in the pits and missed the start, but I think those two didn't launch...

[yakdriver]

Re: Formula One Gold

Both were DNF. I don't know why. Don

[wingman]

Re: Formula One Gold

Thanks Don. I'm hearing a runway collision with possibly serious airframe damage -- Endeavor perhaps ended up on its nose? No injuries that I know of.

Congratulations to Lowell. That is a great Race speed. Dan Gilbert also would be proud of what his baby did today.

Neal

[Sven42]

Re: Formula One Gold

Hot Stuff was not moving so Endeavor came from the back and ran in to him. I'm sure he couldn't see it coming because the tail wasn't up yet. Looked like Endeavors left gear leg contacted the right wing of Hot Stuff, which spun around while endeavor went on it's nose. It was a far shot, so hard to see more details. They said both pilots were ok, but Thom may have an injury to his hand.

It's really sad to have two superb IF1's get damaged right when things are picking up. Some facebook posts are saying totalled, but lets hope some carbon fiber and elbow grease can fix them as good as new.

Fraed Naught was just like Nemesis used to be- FAST! There was a good battle for second and I sure like seeing a Shoestring back on course.

Steve

[Race 29]

Re: Formula One Gold

Thank you for the info Steve!

Race 29

[Sven42]

Re: Formula One Gold

Thank you for the info Steve!

Race 29

Sure thing.

I couldn't tell when or if the engine quit on Hot Stuff, but it seems like the starter should not have dropped the flag if the prop wasn't turning. Once he dropped that flag, there was just about no way to avoid an accident.

[wingman]

Re: Formula One Gold

That's a real shame. I'd hope not totalled -- those carbon fibre airplanes are pretty tough. The downside, though is that they are difficult to repair. Losing either of these airplanes would be a big blow to the sport, in many ways.

They are both works of art -- two of the most beautiful and best finished airplanes I've ever seen.

I wonder how Thom would have been in front of Endeavor? Steve should have been in the front row and Thom in the second row.

Thank you, Steve.

Neal

[Sven42]

Re: Formula One Gold

I'm not sure why they started that way, but Endeavor was in 3rd row with Knotty Girl. He should have been on the front row.

[wingman]

Re: Formula One Gold

Yeah, that seems really strange. There were no published penalties or anything from Heat 2A -- Endeavor finished second, and Thom fourth.

[wingman]

Re: Formula One Gold

Not a happy result for "Miss Min" either. Looks like she finished a strong second, but was bounced back to fourth for a pylon cut.

Neal

[Hotel Sierra]

Re: Formula One Gold

Is Fraid Naught the old Dan Gilbert Shadow?

[Sven42]

Re: Formula One Gold

Same race number, same n number but apparently a completely different airplane. Wonder what happened to Shadow? It doesn't show up in the registry as "deregistered".

[wingman]

Re: Formula One Gold

Actually no. Dan was never totally satisfied with Shadow, and after a couple of years racing it sold it and started a new airplane with the goal of beating Nemesis. The new project went on for years, slowly coming together in Dan's garage in Belleville Michigan. By the time it was done Dan didn't feel he could race it safely due to age and eyesight. Eventually Lowell Slatter bought the airplane, which I don't think had ever flown (but I could well be wrong on that point), and modified and developed it into what took the Gold today. It's quite a story. I think today is a real vindication of Dan Gilbert's vision, as well as Lowell Slatter's ability to build on those beginnings and create a spectacular Gold Race winner.

Congratulations to all involved.

Neal

[Sven42]

Re: Formula One Gold

Thanks for the good info!