Prize Money

[Skyracer]

Re: back in the good ole days Bob Love called it...

..."racing for sparkplugs"....the golden age of air racing!

...and if you're running an R-4360 that's not a bad payday.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Prize Money

It's disappointing that we continue to RARABASH each year. Whether it's too much money changing hands in the wrong direction or selling water to try to make ends meet, this panel always seems to find fault, somewhere along the line.

I think it's extremely important to consider that none of us know exactly what it takes to have continuing air racing, annually for the past 44 years+ and an additional training session held each June for over a decade. It's pretty obvious when you look at all the failed attempts at making air racing work elsewhere, that the folks at RARA know something we don't know.

As much as I'd like to see greater prize money and the additional racers that this money might put in the field, I seriously don't think that RARA is being stingy with the funds they *do* have. 9-11 almost killed the races, 2004's cold weather hurt them due to the fact, they make a lot of the annual budget by selling beer and beer does not sell well when people are freezing... well.. .unless I'm around..

The races are put on, almost exclusively, by volunteers, in reality, there are very few paid positions at RARA. Almost to a man and woman, the folks you see riding around in or on vehicles with RARA shirts on are, indeed, not getting a dime for their efforts. ALL of the "rat patrol" or "cat herders" as some of us call the folks who escort the blessed few who get media access at RENO are volunteers, they even drive and bash around in their own personal vehicles to do it!

And when you get right down to it, even though, greater purse would make it easier for some of the "less fortunate" race teams, I don't think any of them race with $$ in front of their eyes, they do it because they love the competition, the "home town" atmosphere that is RENO.

It's rumored that a RARA official of long ago once said to a group of unlimited pilots, something to the effect that "they would race for a bucket of poop, if we made them bring their own bucket"...

I think at the time, it was meant as an insult but it's really an offhanded compliment if you ask me! These men and women risk it all just to do it, ask Will Whiteside if he does it for the money... Ask John Penney or Lyle Shelton if they did it for the money, ask any of them the same thing. You'll probably get some grumbles but in the end, this is a special breed and other than getting what they need to go faster, $$ is probably low in the list of what they need to race.

So anyway... next time you feel like throwing stones at RARA, think again of the failure of any other venue to EVER go more than a year or two.. maybe three. They MUST be doing something right, maybe like keeping some money in reserve so they can weather a bad year or other unseen financial needs. They certainly have been at it a long time..

[JET1]

im not bashing..

I am a RARA...putting on the races takes an unbelievable amount of effort each year by by both paid staff and volunteers. I spend tons of money each year at both PRS and NCAR. I have been doing it for 30 years...there must be some cure out there for this affliction! maybe Dr. Phil could help me. Sunday on the ramp I always think boy I'm glad its over then it sinks in and I say jeez I can't wait till June!

It's disappointing that we continue to RARABASH each year. Whether it's too much money changing hands in the wrong direction or selling water to try to make ends meet, this panel always seems to find fault, somewhere along the line.

I think it's extremely important to consider that none of us know exactly what it takes to have continuing air racing, annually for the past 44 years+ and an additional training session held each June for over a decade. It's pretty obvious when you look at all the failed attempts at making air racing work elsewhere, that the folks at RARA know something we don't know.

As much as I'd like to see greater prize money and the additional racers that this money might put in the field, I seriously don't think that RARA is being stingy with the funds they *do* have. 9-11 almost killed the races, 2004's cold weather hurt them due to the fact, they make a lot of the annual budget by selling beer and beer does not sell well when people are freezing... well.. .unless I'm around..

The races are put on, almost exclusively, by volunteers, in reality, there are very few paid positions at RARA. Almost to a man and woman, the folks you see riding around in or on vehicles with RARA shirts on are, indeed, not getting a dime for their efforts. ALL of the "rat patrol" or "cat herders" as some of us call the folks who escort the blessed few who get media access at RENO are volunteers, they even drive and bash around in their own personal vehicles to do it!

And when you get right down to it, even though, greater purse would make it easier for some of the "less fortunate" race teams, I don't think any of them race with $$ in front of their eyes, they do it because they love the competition, the "home town" atmosphere that is RENO.

It's rumored that a RARA official of long ago once said to a group of unlimited pilots, something to the effect that "they would race for a bucket of poop, if we made them bring their own bucket"...

I think at the time, it was meant as an insult but it's really an offhanded compliment if you ask me! These men and women risk it all just to do it, ask Will Whiteside if he does it for the money... Ask John Penney or Lyle Shelton if they did it for the money, ask any of them the same thing. You'll probably get some grumbles but in the end, this is a special breed and other than getting what they need to go faster, $$ is probably low in the list of what they need to race.

So anyway... next time you feel like throwing stones at RARA, think again of the failure of any other venue to EVER go more than a year or two.. maybe three. They MUST be doing something right, maybe like keeping some money in reserve so they can weather a bad year or other unseen financial needs. They certainly have been at it a long time..

[ebutner]

Re: Prize Money

You got that right... It's an affliction. I don't thnink the Drs can help and I don't want them to. If I can get the whole week off next year I'll be on the volunteer list. Can't wait till next year.

Eric

[DWYER]

Re: Prize Money

We just need an energy drink sponser!! Then the REAL air races can grow too!

[MT mechanic]

Re: Prize Money

how much did the gold unlimited race winner win???

[David E. Wells]

Re: Prize Money

how much did the gold unlimited race winner win???

Mor'dn everybody else...D.

[BillA]

Re: Prize Money

Mor'dn everybody else...D.

Plus a cool trophy and a yellow jacket.

[tow-3]

Re: Prize Money

and a cool watch

[thunderstangfan]

Re: Prize Money

It's disappointing that we continue to RARABASH each year. Whether it's too much money changing hands in the wrong direction or selling water to try to make ends meet, this panel always seems to find fault, somewhere along the line.

I think it's extremely important to consider that none of us know exactly what it takes to have continuing air racing, annually for the past 44 years+ and an additional training session held each June for over a decade. It's pretty obvious when you look at all the failed attempts at making air racing work elsewhere, that the folks at RARA know something we don't know.

As much as I'd like to see greater prize money and the additional racers that this money might put in the field, I seriously don't think that RARA is being stingy with the funds they *do* have. 9-11 almost killed the races, 2004's cold weather hurt them due to the fact, they make a lot of the annual budget by selling beer and beer does not sell well when people are freezing... well.. .unless I'm around..

The races are put on, almost exclusively, by volunteers, in reality, there are very few paid positions at RARA. Almost to a man and woman, the folks you see riding around in or on vehicles with RARA shirts on are, indeed, not getting a dime for their efforts. ALL of the "rat patrol" or "cat herders" as some of us call the folks who escort the blessed few who get media access at RENO are volunteers, they even drive and bash around in their own personal vehicles to do it!

And when you get right down to it, even though, greater purse would make it easier for some of the "less fortunate" race teams, I don't think any of them race with $$ in front of their eyes, they do it because they love the competition, the "home town" atmosphere that is RENO.

It's rumored that a RARA official of long ago once said to a group of unlimited pilots, something to the effect that "they would race for a bucket of poop, if we made them bring their own bucket"...

I think at the time, it was meant as an insult but it's really an offhanded compliment if you ask me! These men and women risk it all just to do it, ask Will Whiteside if he does it for the money... Ask John Penney or Lyle Shelton if they did it for the money, ask any of them the same thing. You'll probably get some grumbles but in the end, this is a special breed and other than getting what they need to go faster, $$ is probably low in the list of what they need to race.

So anyway... next time you feel like throwing stones at RARA, think again of the failure of any other venue to EVER go more than a year or two.. maybe three. They MUST be doing something right, maybe like keeping some money in reserve so they can weather a bad year or other unseen financial needs. They certainly have been at it a long time..

in a way i agree...but then you take a look at what red bull has done in such a short amount of time and things just dont add up!
things aren't going to change and like the rest of yall i show up and spend my yearly savings to get my fix.
but you will never get me believe that this is the best they can do...im done

[mrcraigarcher]

Re: Prize Money

in a way i agree...but then you take a look at what red bull has done in such a short amount of time and things just dont add up!

I may be mistaken, and someone please correct me if I am, but I'm pretty sure the aerobatic airplanes flown in the Red Bull circuit don't cost quite what it does to restore and/or modify a WWII warbird. Plus those airplanes each have their own corporate sponsors as well!

Red Bull has found success by taking air racing and turning it into NASCAR. (cringe) Not that there's anything wrong with that. We live in a free country based on a capitalist economy - they're free to do what they want. You have to ask yourself, "Do I really want my races to look/feel like the Red Bull circuit?"

To me, Red Bull and Reno are just two similar but different things, and should remain that way. At Red Bull you get a great sense of cutting edge technology and one style of skill. At Reno you get the same sense of cutting edge technology (Nemesis, Phantom, etc.) mixed with a deep sense of history and heritage (ALL the warbirds, Tuskegee Airmen, Bob Hoover, Bud Anderson, the Heritage Trophy). Not to mention the piloting: Is there a cooler pilot alive than John Penney? Asking Reno to take more of a Red Bull approach is like asking downhill skiing to be more like snowboarding half-pipe.

(side note: I saw the Red Bull show at Reno a few years back. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and would love to see it again. The purpose of this post isn't to mock Red Bull, but to point out the differences between it and the National Championship Air Races.)

By the way, this is my first post (I think) on this board. Go easy on me!

[Leo]

Re: Prize Money

beer does not sell well when people are freezing

They need to sell scotch there somewhere! Ahh, the old days when we used to bring our spiked coffee in on cold days. I was real upset at the banning of food and drink, and the cost hikes inside the gate for same a couple years ago. Also the slow depletion of decent General Admission seating has frustrated me. But RARA has to keep it all going, and without the vendors all they have is tickets. Those are expensive, but not if you really look at all the costs at other events. Jeez, my last NASCAR foray a few years ago almost put me into bankruptcy. Finding bargains is work but I managed to keep my total week cost below $200 for 2 people and that aint bad!
Like Jet 1, when asked if I had enough on Monday, I said yes, I never wanted to hear a plane or hold a camera or sit in a lawn chair again. By Tuesday night I was digging thru my photo's, putting down notes and wishing it was back. Worse than a drug addiction.
I think they are in danger of pricing the casual family with 2 kids out of it, simply because most can't afford the tickets, food and trinkets. But I did see a lot of 'em there this year. The races themselves seem to be a draw only to those that really appreciate them. The thousands that get up Saturday or Sunday morning and say, "let's go to the Air Races" are coming to see the Thunderbirds and the flip flops. I was amazed Saturday how the stands emptied after they flew, and never fully refilled. No fault to the fans, it's what they came for. Just seems that if that is what the crowds are coming for, some concession has to be made for them and more of that included, if Red Bull Racing fills the seats then bring it back. I liked the program this year a lot, mucho racing and just enough slow down to nap. All in all I figure that my cheapness is (by necessity) a part of the problem RARA has. Bring a quality event in and not go broke. I don't like everything about them, had some MAJOR beefs with them many years ago, but they do good!

[MT mechanic]

Re: Prize Money

one more time back to the original question

How much did the unlimited gold winner win??

[hg2992]

Re: Prize Money

Let me help you MT,
How much prize money did the 2008 Reno gold unlimited winner receive?

[wyhdah]

Re: Prize Money

I may be mistaken, and someone please correct me if I am, but I'm pretty sure the aerobatic airplanes flown in the Red Bull circuit don't cost quite what it does to restore and/or modify a WWII warbird. Plus those airplanes each have their own corporate sponsors as well!

Red Bull has found success by taking air racing and turning it into NASCAR. (cringe) Not that there's anything wrong with that. We live in a free country based on a capitalist economy - they're free to do what they want. You have to ask yourself, "Do I really want my races to look/feel like the Red Bull circuit?"

To me, Red Bull and Reno are just two similar but different things, and should remain that way. At Red Bull you get a great sense of cutting edge technology and one style of skill. At Reno you get the same sense of cutting edge technology (Nemesis, Phantom, etc.) mixed with a deep sense of history and heritage (ALL the warbirds, Tuskegee Airmen, Bob Hoover, Bud Anderson, the Heritage Trophy). Not to mention the piloting: Is there a cooler pilot alive than John Penney? Asking Reno to take more of a Red Bull approach is like asking downhill skiing to be more like snowboarding half-pipe.

(side note: I saw the Red Bull show at Reno a few years back. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and would love to see it again. The purpose of this post isn't to mock Red Bull, but to point out the differences between it and the National Championship Air Races.)

By the way, this is my first post (I think) on this board. Go easy on me!

Welcome to the board. Is that easy enough? Now prepare to be flamed on the next post . J/K