First Time

[Dave65882]

Given this is so close i can taste it, and have been reflecting on my first time at the races, I figured this could be good to see how others remembered their first time at the air races.

Myself, was 7, mom slinging 21, some guys (no doubt picking up on her) offered her to go and she said sure as long as my son got to go too. Guys by the name of Little John, and many of the Ice family took me under their wings and got me hooked at an early age. Getting smuggled into the pits under the assumtion I was Lyle's son, talking to Clyde Ice about flying, seeing al the planes......wow. Been going ever since and just got the pleasure of taking my own son to the races full time last year.

One other quick memory - won the race pool for the gold race when everyone else broke down and the turtle (slow and steady Dreadnaught) won the race and I won wow 75 bucks.......for a kid i thought i was set for life.

[Fly-By Knight]

Re: First Time

I got into warbirds in the late '80's when I was 11 or so and my Dad bought an SNJ-5. We had it for 3 years or so, and had a lot of fun with it, going to airshows and just general playing around. Lots of aerobatics!!

Growing up, I always wanted to go to the races but never was able to until about 6 years ago. Then I met, and eventually became a crew member of my current race team. I was all set to go to the races for my first time.........in 2001. Then we all know what happened

A year later I was finally able to make it out, and have been hooked ever since!! Barnham and Bailey doesn't hold a candle to the air races, this really is "The Greatest Show on Earth!!!"

FBK
T-6 Race #'s 12 & 37

[Dave65882]

Re: First Time

Very cool. My brother is going through something simular.....trying to get on a team and be a part of the air races full time given last year was his first year and he is hooked........

[AirDOGGe]

Re: First Time

Well, you asked.

It was 1981. A good friend and co-worker calls me Saturday morning and asks if I would like to go up to Nevada to meet some of his friends at some "air racing event". We were both into RC planes and airshows, so I said "let's go".

He picked me up in his little VW Rabbit, and we started heading for the Sierras and Reno. All we took were a couple of sleeping bags and a change of clothes.



When we arrived at Stead after getting some directions to it in Reno, we didn't know what was going on, or where his friends would be. We parked in a free lot out behind the general admin stands (where motor-homes park in reserved spaces today), and started heading in. It seemed like a lot of people were heading out...

There was nobody manning the gate. This was well after 3:00pm, and we didn't know that the races had concluded for the day. We walked out in front of the stands, and saw what looked like an Me-109 sitting on it's belly out on the runway, with scores of spectators walking out to it or already surrounding it. We looked about for his friends unsuccessfully for awhile, and eventually headed back to the car to eat what cold dinner we had picked up in Reno.

We were pretty much just sitting around in the car, trying to figure out what to do, when my friend excused himself to go use the Port-o-Johns behind the lot. He was gone what seemed an unusually long time.

When he finally returned, he told me that his friends were in a campsite just 2 cars behind us, and he had been sitting and talking to them all this time. We grabbed our stuff and joined their site.

The evening was spent around a Hibachi campfire, hearing stories of past races through the 70's..... of a little bearcat on the blacktop with a HUGE engine and wings clipped so short nobody understood how it could fly, of the Red Baron tragedy, of a race season in the late 70's so cold that they had to sit in the near-empty stands cocooned in their mummy bags, with just their shivering, frost-coated faces peering out, and more...I was transfixed.

We didn't bring any tents the first trip, being as unprepared as we were, so we camped under the stars that year near the old yellow fire station (gone today), gazing up at the unbelievable number of stars. Back then, Stead wasn't so developed and illuminated at night, and I even managed to spot a faint satellite slowly passing overhead for the first time in my life.


The next day, we got up early morning and right away headed out to the gates 30 minutes before they were opened at 7:00 am. Upon opening, we made a dash for the general stands and managed to secure a wide portion of the top row fairly close to the reserved sections.

Once we had our territory staked out, most of the group headed back to camp briefly to grab some coffee, breakfast and Port-o-John duties, while a few "bookmarks" remained behind to save our spots. They were relieved a short time later so they too could grab some munchies & liquid caffeine.

I was so blown away by the various races, airshow performances and everything else that Race Sunday '81 is all a blur today. I'm sure all the beer didn't help.


I cannot recall any specific race events that year, and we had to leave for home around 3:00 in the afternoon because we had to be at work early the next day. And so, I never got the see Jennie take the gold, nor any gold-class racing during my first trip for that matter.

But what I DO recall is that I was hooked.....Reel me in and heat up the frying pan! Just the sight and sounds of the Bronze and Silver class aircraft was overwhelming, the other race classes facinating, and the airshow was the best I ever saw (so much happening in one day!).


I went every year for all of race week for the next decade, pre-race Monday to post-gold Monday.

Because of unavoidable circumstances, I wasn't able to make it every year, and I missed a bunch or race weeks in the 90's, but I get to as many RAR's as I possibly can. I've managed to attend the last 10 in a row so far...

Here's to many more!



.

.

[speeddemon]

Re: First Time

1971. Four.

I can remember it was very cold and windy. I have faint memories of the T-6 standing up on its nose at the beginning of the racehorse start, as well as seeing Mike Loening groundloop Boise Bitch/Miss Salmon River during the Championship race. I WISH I could remember more of the Gold race, but alas.......

[GRNDP51]

Re: First Time

All,

This is my first writings on here as a new member. I have read allot of the threads and found the "First Time" to be the most enjoyable and meaningful. Well here's my story.

My dad and I have always been into aviation all of my life but never made it to Reno. When my son was about 1 or 2 we all noticed that he had the aviation bug allot worse than the rest of us so when he was 4 we decided to pack our bags (and the car seat) and head out for Reno.

It was just the three of us my dad, my son and myself on a quest to experience the Reno Air Races together.

We made the drive for Los Angeles in no time and pulled into our Hotel (I won't mention the name). It was terrible. It was like an old 50s movie in the middle of the slums of Reno. We were new with the whole experience and didn't know what to do. But my son loved it. I think he still loves it due to the fact it was our first year.

Some race planes were parked up and down the streets of Reno. With the lights and the planes we all were ready for the races the next day.

The next morning we got up early and headed for the races. I'll never forget with my son in hand and my dad on the other side we walked through the "Reno Air Races" arch. It looked great! We spent the next four days from sun up to sun down with a 4 year old at my side just taking in the experience. He knew all of the different types of planes and picked his favorite "Da Go Red".

When the last race came on Sunday afternoon and the event was coming to a close my son said "Dad can't we just stay and sleep under the wing of a plane" Wow! He really does love it!

We all haven't missed a race since. My best friend even moved to Reno for other reasons but meets us there every year. My son counts down the days from the day we leave ever year. The races have been a real blessing to me to be able to spend time with friends and family that share a common interest.

As for my 11 year old son he is currently taking flying lessons and can't wait to have some influence on the Air Races some day. See you in 07'

Blue Skies.

[Air Race Addict]

Re: First Time

1971. Four.
I WISH I could remember more.......

And THIS from the guy who can tell you who came in fourth in the bronze heat on Saturday back in 79 or 3rd in heat 2A in the Detroit hydro races in 64????????????????? I will have to relate my story, however it is sort of a novel so I need some time to compose it, as it was an epic journey that launched me on a career of attending

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: First Time

My first time was, almost, 1964.... when they were out on the way to Pyramid Lake.. we rode to where we could see how far away they were and realized, we didn't have enough water or energy to finish... man did I EVER screw that day up!

My actual first time was '79 and other than the obvious memory of almost losing Steve Hinton, what I remember most and have always marveled at when watching from the stands (where you truly do get the best feeling of the drama of the race) is how awesome it is when the bronze takes the course.. Warbirds turned up to where you'd never heard them before.. Then a bit later, the silver takes to the sky and WOW.. It was amazing how much MORE turned up they were...

Then, finally, the gold's take the course and my jaw dropped! Nothing anyone could have told me about would have described the sound of the tortured engines driving the props, beating the air ahead of them into submission!

THAT is what I remember most and have always cherished the most..

I will say, though the view up close from the pylons is something beyond verbal description, and I'm not going to say this for any other reason than that it's true. The actual DRAMA and minute to minute feeling of the races your best place to watch and experience it is from the stands.. You can get a good place to watch from the crowd line in the pits but you truly get the feeling while in the stands.. the crowd around you and the excitement in the air is infectious.. See you at the races!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Wayne

[flyingjibus]

Re: First Time

1980 was my first year, I was 3. All that I really remember was hiding in the van when the planes were going over head. Back when it was allowed we would go out on the course during the saturday races. Incredible is all I can say. I agree with Wayne when he says the best all around experiance is too be had in the stands, but based on the videos and pictures I have seen from the pylons that view is nothing compared to what was to be experianced on the back side of the course when they are flattened out going full tilt directly over head. I get goosebumps every time I think about it. been every year since then except one.

14 days and counting!!!!!!!!!!

[Leo]

Re: First Time

I got hooked on the whole "warbird' idea when I bought my first Air Classics in 1973. Did'nt know they were around till then except in history books! Went to Reno in 76 and 77 but only for the afternoon on Sunday. 78 was the blizzard year but I made it (and froze) for the day. Went for the whole week from 79 till 85, when family pressures made it a weekend thing. Once I got my father-in-law hooked, we got to do Thurs. thru Sun. for years. Started taking the son in 95 when he was 4 and he's been right with us every year, in some ways more of a fan than either of us! He's been our runner for the seat in the morning since he was about 8.
Now that we live nearby it has become a week long event again for the last 5 years. I've been able over the many years to see and do a lot of things out there, visit the pylons, rides, parties. Gone when I'm broke, once with pneumonia, twice in a back brace. Lived thru every conceivable weather condition (sometimes all in the same day) and seen the races from everywhere out there (actually Air Dog, we must have been seated almost together in 81, we had the last, top row seats next to reserved from 79-84. Remember the group with the big white box and all their stuff hanging over the back rails?) and Wayne is right, the stands are still the best place to get the whole feeling of the event. And after all these years the hair still stands on end when they come down the chute and the sound builds!

[speeddemon]

Re: First Time

[B]And THIS from the guy who can tell you who came in fourth in the bronze heat on Saturday back in 79 or 3rd in heat 2A in the Detroit hydro races in 64?????????????????

Come on....Mike Bertz in Race 60...finished behind John Dilley, Dick Doll, and Uncle Vernon Thorpe in Lefty's P-38.

U-55 Gale V with Rex Manchester driving. Finished behind Tahoe Miss and Miss Exide.




You know I HAD to.

[Air Race Addict]

Re: First Time

Come on....Mike Bertz in Race 60...finished behind John Dilley, Dick Doll, and Uncle Vernon Thorpe in Lefty's P-38.

U-55 Gale V with Rex Manchester driving. Finished behind Tahoe Miss and Miss Exide.




You know I HAD to.

DOOOD! You need some professional

[ShermB]

Re: First Time

I learned of the NCAR while taking my primary at Cal Aero at Paine Field. Dual instruction was followed with hangar flying/ debriefing in Club 51, in the shadows of three beautiful Warbirds prepping for the first annual NCAR. The first race I attended was in 1968, my last vacation before starting Dental Hygiene classes. My brother and I camped in a KOA outside of town and were on a VERY limited budget. We watched the Saturday races from outside the fence, sitting on the roof of his car. Even then, the PA system was loud enough to hear the play by play, and of course the action was in the sky. My first paid admission wasn't until 1972 and my attendance was spotty until 1985. I have attended and volunteered every year since. Wouldn't miss it for the world. The sights, the sounds, the friendships are what it's all about!
Betty

[speeddemon]

Re: First Time

DOOOD! You need some professional

Well...actually I had to look both of them up. But it serves you right....

[Air Race Addict]

Re: First Time

Well...actually I had to look both of them up.

LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA hands over ears, (where's that woman when you need her OH DAAAsher............ I now return you to our original thread. Sorry about that everyone.