Parker Wins Heat CONVINCINGLY!

[AAFO_WSagar]

Just back in from Pylon 8... John Parker led the Sport Gold heat race from start to finish! Greenmyer's Legacy gained on him at one point toward the end but Parker seemed to have power in the bank and won, VERY convincingly!

YOU GO JOHN!!!

[Stevo]

Re: Parker Wins Heat CONVINCINGLY!

Sorry to burst the bubble but on the first lap we cut a pylon... John's just not used to running the short course I guess BUT, power in the bank... we might have a little extra

[Lowell]

Re: Parker Wins Heat CONVINCINGLY!

WONDERFUL that 351 is running healthy! Yeee-haw!

Can't wait for a speed. What about Sharp in the NXT and Wright too? Any pressing of #33? Or were they just cruisin'?

[Pete]

Re: Parker Wins Heat CONVINCINGLY!

Details, please.

Sitting at a desk in Palo Alto, and I cant get any information... RARA server has been useless. Things will be better tomorrow cause I'll be there at 7:30.

but could someone let us know who did what? (how about the Miss Gianna/Phantom race?)

Thanks

Pete

[Tin Man]

Re: Parker Wins Heat CONVINCINGLY!

Wayne
What did they do, give you a ride in the TM? All of a sudden your'e a sport class fan.
Tom

[Sky Critter]

Re: Parker Wins Heat CONVINCINGLY!

#33 (Rod VanGrote) was catching Parker but I think both have quite a bit more. I heard someone say that they're still having some trouble with the supercharger belt on the Thunder Mustang. BTW...it sounds like nothing I've ever heard at Reno. Sharp in Nemisis was a bit behind the leaders (1/4-1/3 lap?). Dan Wright pulled out at the start and circled for the rest of the race and made a fine landing under power.

[W J Pearce]

Re: Parker Wins Heat CONVINCINGLY!

I heard someone say that they're still having some trouble with the supercharger belt on the Thunder Mustang. BTW...it sounds like nothing I've ever heard at Reno.

This is true. We just had both supers out of the plane for a little trouble shooting. We found another thing that needed some adjustment and have completed such. Basically Friday will be another "test flight". Everything else seems okay.

There seems to be some negative energy in this thread. So Wayne reporting on something other than the Unlimiteds is bad? Give me a break, he is only one guy doing his best. He would like to cover all classes equally but lacks the man power. If you are not satisfied with the quality or quality of updates the solution is simple. Get you ass up here and post the results from your blackberry after each race. Oh, you don't have a blackberry, well neither do we. Take what you can get or help us do it better.

[Lowell]

Re: Parker Wins Heat CONVINCINGLY!

Bill,

Is there still plans for the Blue Thunder Air Racing web site to have an update each evening? So far I have only see the Sept 10th posting. Am I going to the wrong place?

Lowell

[PropFan]

Re: Parker Wins Heat CONVINCINGLY!

Well, I'm stuck here in the midwest again this year, so I greatly appreciate any info that shows up faster than the RARA site!!!

For a few years, I had a chance to work with some of the Sport Class racers, so I'm more a Sport fan than an UL fan, but I like anything that burns gas and goes fast. I've also been lurking for several years, with only a few posts. But like everything else on the internet, this site is loaded with great insight and inside info, speculation, conjecture, and some just plain BS. The exercise for the reader is to sort it all out, or just don't take any of it too seriously.

Enough ramblin....back to the racing.
Did anyone else notice that the entire Sport Gold field qual'd at over 300 mph? Maybe that's why Wayne (and a lot of others) are starting to pay more attention to Sport Class.

Parker has always been able to get a good jump at the start. I'd credit the huge prop (relative to the other guys) generating some great acceleration. (HP doesn't hurt, of course). But for the past few years, DG would just keep turning up the wick (220, 221, whatever it takes...) until he got past. They he'd just try and run with enough lead to cover up for a plyon cut (which he did at least once). Now that TM has MORE AIR, Parker has his own wick...
A few years ago, I heard that Nemesis was planning to qualify with a couple of inches of throttle travel left. Then they could push it in a bit more each day. I wonder where they started this year? Their website says they are running with a "stock" engine; not a custom Lycoming race engine this year. On their return from OSH this year, they did a speed check at about Reno density altitude, and got about 340 mph (straight and level) on 15 gph. According to my calibrated thumb, that's about 1/2 the power they should be able to get from that engine (if they turn it up a bit...)
So then all 3 top qualifiers probably have some more left... I can't wait to see how it all turns out. Please keep all the info (fact, opinions, rumors...) flowing. I read it all, and sort it out later...

PropFan

[T. Adams]

Re: Parker Wins Heat CONVINCINGLY!

Superchargers??? What superchargers.

[Mluvara]

Re: Parker Wins Heat CONVINCINGLY!

Fully agree with Bill's comments about the reporting. I think those who have reported stuff of ANY sort should be commended for their efforts.

I'll be there Saturday (with CrackBerry) and will attempt to contribute to the fray.

Ed

There seems to be quite a few open wireless networks on the ramp at Reno this year. I turned on my PDA and it started popping up with them. Not sure if one of them is being made free by a sponsor of an aircraft (appears so), but I certainly wouldn't want to inundate someone's network.

Michael

[W J Pearce]

Re: Parker Wins Heat CONVINCINGLY!

Bill,

Is there still plans for the Blue Thunder Air Racing web site to have an update each evening? So far I have only see the Sept 10th posting. Am I going to the wrong place?

Lowell

Sorry but no. That was the plan but I am unable to connect to my home PC. I forgot my own damn password and can not reset (it has been a year since I logged on though). Anyway, I will continue to post updates here (AAFO).

[Propellerhead]

Re: Parker Wins Heat CONVINCINGLY!

Oh Bill,

6 Thunder Mustangs = 4.5 Real Mustangs...

[SpinB]

Re: Parker Wins Heat CONVINCINGLY!

I just can't get past that...'flying egg'....
Whadidya feed that dang chicken?

All kidding aside, I agree with the 'burns gas, goes fast' theory. I think this may be the future of AirRacin'......

[440_Magnum]

Re: Parker Wins Heat CONVINCINGLY!

As a long-time reader here, I don't think there's any "negative energy." I read the "are you becoming a sport-class fan" more as a joke, because so much time DOES get spent on the unlimiteds and most readers/posters here have been wanting more sport class coverage (not less!) And the same goes for me- I used to ONLY care about the warbirds and I'll be honest and say they're still my primary interest, but man-oh-MAN! Thunder Mustang and Nemesis have really raised my interest in Sport Class to a level I wouldn't have dreamed of 10 years ago! I still have trouble getting too excited about Lancairs, but even that is coming along for me thanks to DG going out and methodically kicking a$$ so many times.