Sea Fury winning the GOLD

[WARPT]

Until this year, was the last time a Sea Fury won the Unlimited Gold race way back in 1986 when Rick Brickert won it with Dreadnaught?

[Air Race Addict]

Re: Sea Fury winning the GOLD

Until this year, was the last time a Sea Fury won the Unlimited Gold race way back in 1986 when Rick Brickert won it with Dreadnaught?

Yep! Second time for Dreadnought. First was with Neil Anderson in 83.

[jarrodeu]

Re: Sea Fury winning the GOLD

September Fury is the first 3350 powered seafury to win.

Jarrod

[stuntflyr]

Re: Sea Fury winning the GOLD

In 1971 a Centaurus powered Sea Fury was third in the Championship by one mph to two well known Bearcats with the race numbers 1 and 77.
I think the crew chief was a guy named Kerchenfaut.
Chris...

[Unregistered]

Re: Sea Fury winning the GOLD

In 1971 a Centaurus powered Sea Fury was third in the Championship by one mph to two well known Bearcats with the race numbers 1 and 77.
I think the crew chief was a guy named Kerchenfaut.
Chris...

Bill Kerchenfaut. How many Gold Champs has this man won as a crew chief????

He is amazing!

Steve C.

[Unregistered]

Re: Sea Fury winning the GOLD

Ther's three Sea Furies I'd love to see return in 2007:

#10, #15, and that almost-1971 winner #87.

And what's this rumor about an all new Gold contender Sea Fury in the works?

Still want GGGG next year irregardless.

[flyingjibus]

Re: Sea Fury winning the GOLD

If you mean Conquest One, It in the Smithsonian.

[MustangFan]

Re: Sea Fury winning the GOLD

Bill Kerchenfaut. How many Gold Champs has this man won as a crew chief????

He is amazing!

Here's Kerch's record with Reno Unlimited Gold winners. Got this from the crew bios link on the September Pops website:

1968 - Crew member - Conquest 1
1969 - Crew member - Conquest 1
1972 - Crew Chief - Roto Finish Special
1979 - Crew Chief - Sumthin' Else
1987 - Crew Chief - Strega
1992 - Crew Chief - Strega
1993 - Crew Chief - Strega
1995 - Crew Chief - Strega
1996 - Crew Chief - Strega
1997 - Crew Chief - Strega
1998 - Crew Chief - Dago Red
1999 - Crew Chief - Dago Red
2000 - Crew Chief - Dago Red
2002 - Crew Chief - Dago Red
2003 - Crew Chief - Dago Red
2006 - Crew Chief - September Fury

That makes 16 total, and 14 as crew chief. And if it weren't for pylon cuts and/or deadline infractions (Sumthin' Else in 1976 and Dago Red in 2004) he'd have 2 more..

I agree, he is amazing!

[John]

Re: Sea Fury winning the GOLD

Never mind. Just found where she's on display at the NASM-Dulles annex. Guess next time I am back in WDC I'll have to take a side trip out that way.

We were at DC the beginning of this year. "Conquest 1" is in the Udvar-Hazy Center and sports it's 1972 American Jet (yellow) paint scheme. Looks like it's ready to race again. Jon Sharps Nemesis is there also, as well as a Concord, SR-71, Space Shuttle, Proto 707, B-29 Enola Gay, N1K2-J "George", and many other wonderful aircraft. It is well worth the drive out from downtown DC to see the facility.

[John]

Re: Sea Fury winning the GOLD

Here's Kerch's record with Reno Unlimited Gold winners. Got this from the crew bios link on the September Pops website:

1968 - Crew member - Conquest 1
1969 - Crew member - Conquest 1
1972 - Crew Chief - Roto Finish Special
1979 - Crew Chief - Sumthin' Else
1987 - Crew Chief - Strega
1992 - Crew Chief - Strega
1993 - Crew Chief - Strega
1995 - Crew Chief - Strega
1996 - Crew Chief - Strega
1997 - Crew Chief - Strega
1998 - Crew Chief - Dago Red
1999 - Crew Chief - Dago Red
2000 - Crew Chief - Dago Red
2002 - Crew Chief - Dago Red
2003 - Crew Chief - Dago Red
2006 - Crew Chief - September Fury

That makes 16 total, and 14 as crew chief. And if it weren't for pylon cuts and/or deadline infractions (Sumthin' Else in 1976 and Dago Red in 2004) he'd have 2 more..

I agree, he is amazing!

I find it amazing they got a BIG Sea Fury to go 480 mph!

[speeddemon]

Re: Sea Fury winning the GOLD

I find it amazing they got a BIG Sea Fury to go 480 mph!

Don't forget...he was crew chief for Sherm Cooper's Sea Fury when he won the 1970 Mojave 1000 and '71 United States Cup at San Diego as well...not to mention Tiger's wins in Denver and Kansas City.

[Jason S.]

Re: Sea Fury winning the GOLD

Here's Kerch's record with Reno Unlimited Gold winners. Got this from the crew bios link on the September Pops website:

1968 - Crew member - Conquest 1
1969 - Crew member - Conquest 1
1972 - Crew Chief - Roto Finish Special
1979 - Crew Chief - Sumthin' Else
1987 - Crew Chief - Strega
1992 - Crew Chief - Strega
1993 - Crew Chief - Strega
1995 - Crew Chief - Strega
1996 - Crew Chief - Strega
1997 - Crew Chief - Strega
1998 - Crew Chief - Dago Red
1999 - Crew Chief - Dago Red
2000 - Crew Chief - Dago Red
2002 - Crew Chief - Dago Red
2003 - Crew Chief - Dago Red
2006 - Crew Chief - September Fury

That makes 16 total, and 14 as crew chief. And if it weren't for pylon cuts and/or deadline infractions (Sumthin' Else in 1976 and Dago Red in 2004) he'd have 2 more..

I agree, he is amazing!

Speeking of this, here is a pic of Kerch & Tom counting them up

[stuntflyr]

Re: Sea Fury winning the GOLD

We were at DC the beginning of this year. "Conquest 1" is in the Udvar-Hazy Center and sports it's 1972 American Jet (yellow) paint scheme. Looks like it's ready to race again. Jon Sharps Nemesis is there also, as well as a Concord, SR-71, Space Shuttle, Proto 707, B-29 Enola Gay, N1K2-J "George", and many other wonderful aircraft. It is well worth the drive out from downtown DC to see the facility.

1975 Mojave and Reno.
Chris...

[stuntflyr]

Re: Sea Fury winning the GOLD

Don't forget...he was crew chief for Sherm Cooper's Sea Fury when he won the 1970 Mojave 1000 and '71 United States Cup at San Diego as well...not to mention Tiger's wins in Denver and Kansas City.

Yeah, ya know I posted that he was Sherm's crew chief and I don't think that there is any connect to the masses here. Say it isn't that so many don't know the history but for Tiger's Mustang or Dago or the Bearcat, er I mean Rare Bear. I am always suprised when so many have such detailed answers to some real obscure questions. But this suprises me even more! The crew chief/member list by Mustang Fan is incomplete.

You boys would really like the connections to the past, maybe get some Reed Kinert books (Racing Planes and Air Races, check eBay) and see what racing was like in the sixties (all eight or ten airplanes) and seventies so that you all can get some perspective on the present day success of air racing. As well you will see the Sea Fury (Signal Sea Fury and then Miss Merced, you know the yellow one with a flame job and tiny canopy and the source of the clipped wings on Critical Mass) that SpeedDemon and I are speaking of. Imagine a gold racer powered by a Centaurus passing Lyle Shelton in the '71 Championship race (he did get passed back) and beating Gunther Balz' Roto Finish (1972 winner). This is after it won the '67 Harold's Club cross country race for it's original owner (Michael Carroll, tragically killed in Cobra II on it's Aug. '68 first flight as Cobra III after buying it from Planes of Fame and having it built up as a super gold racer with a Zueschel Allison, clipped wings and huge AeroProp) at the highest post war XC race speed of 418 mph (westbound is tough). There is history out there boys, look it up.
(To recap, Kerch was crew chief on Miss Merced for the Mojave 1000 win in Oct 1970, US Cup 1000 win in June '71 and third in the "gold" at Reno '71; 412mph to Conquest 1 and the Bearcat, ah, er, Able Cat, ah whatever, who were both 413mph.)
Chris...

[speeddemon]

Re: Sea Fury winning the GOLD

Yeah, ya know I posted that he was Sherm's crew chief and I don't think that there is any connect to the masses here. Say it isn't that so many don't know the history but for Tiger's Mustang or Dago or the Bearcat, er I mean Rare Bear. I am always suprised when so many have such detailed answers to some real obscure questions. But this suprises me even more! The crew chief/member list by Mustang Fan is incomplete.

You boys would really like the connections to the past, maybe get some Reed Kinert books (Racing Planes and Air Races, check eBay) and see what racing was like in the sixties (all eight or ten airplanes) and seventies so that you all can get some perspective on the present day success of air racing. As well you will see the Sea Fury (Signal Sea Fury and then Miss Merced, you know the yellow one with a flame job and tiny canopy and the source of the clipped wings on Critical Mass) that SpeedDemon and I are speaking of. Imagine a gold racer powered by a Centaurus passing Lyle Shelton in the '71 Championship race (he did get passed back) and beating Gunther Balz' Roto Finish (1972 winner). This is after it won the '67 Harold's Club cross country race for it's original owner (Michael Carroll, tragically killed in Cobra II on it's Aug. '68 first flight as Cobra III after buying it from Planes of Fame and having it built up as a super gold racer with a Zueschel Allison, clipped wings and huge AeroProp) at the highest post war XC race speed of 418 mph (westbound is tough). There is history out there boys, look it up.
(To recap, Kerch was crew chief on Miss Merced for the Mojave 1000 win in Oct 1970, US Cup 1000 win in June '71 and third in the "gold" at Reno '71; 412mph to Conquest 1 and the Bearcat, ah, er, Able Cat, ah whatever, who were both 413mph.)
Chris...

Right on, Chris.

I have always said if you're going to truly be a 'fan' of the sport then you also need to always be a 'student' of the sport as well.

But then again, I guess that is my place in life as the 'answer man'. Right TOM? :-)