Ready To Rumble? Who's Gonna Do What At Reno 2003?!

[Unregistered]

Good News/Bad News

Great News for the T-6 crowd!!!

There's some scuttlebutt in the T-6 arena that the 2 of Hearts team is likely to have the race plane fitted with a rebuilt engine, and should make it to Reno. This news did not, I repeat, DID NOT, come directly from the 2 of Hearts race team, but from a close affiliate that I have in the T-6 class. I certainly hope that this turns out to be accurate information.

Well, for every up there's down (...or something like that!!)

Bad News for the Unlimited Silver Class

It appears that last years Unlimited Silver winner, Race #21, Sea Hawk, will be a very likely scratch from Reno '03. Two blown cylendars within the last month were the initial cause for alarm. After the 2nd cylendar blew, the plane was being lifted onto a truck for transport, and that's when the real damage was caused. The rear strap, strung around the fusalage, between the cockpit and the tail, that was used to lift the Sea Fury onto the truck was aparently not fastened properly. When the airplane was lifted, the strap "pintched" the fulelage causing relatively serious damage. Repair work is currently being done on the Sea Fury, but it does not apear that they are rushing to make Reno this year.

Hey, I didn't do it, I'm just sharing the news. Don't shoot the messenger man!!!

FBK

PS - Hey Wayne, what are the chances that we can get a spell checker on this thing?!?!?!?

[Bill@Interstell]

Back to Race Talk, I like it!

I think you guys and gals are overlooking Vodoo. I say if Matt hadn't gotten flagged for a questionable jump start he would have taken it that year. I think the plane is a fast as any, and Matt flys one of the best courses out there (low and tight). I think they have been very conservative with the airplane and are just looking for the right opportunity to turn it loose. As mentioned in a pervious post, it takes a lot extra to pass around the outside. I say if Vodoo gets a good start, they can take it.

My .02

Speaking of being hard to come from behind, I think Strega beat Rare Bear at least once by gettiing out front at the start. I remember hearing John say that with the big prop when you pore the coal to it, it stears the airplane. Looking at the rotation direction, that should turn the plane toward the inside of the course causing application of opposite rudder. What about it John? Does that slow the Bear down, make it hard to control, or is it just plain hard to pass when the guy in front of you feels the charge your prop puts into the air and grabs the throttle as well?

[hattend]

I think Voodoo will be slowing down. This month's Air Classics shows a picture of Voodoo with a stock canopy being fitted. It also showed a current picture of Strega, no engine....[sigh]

[Mr_P]

Originally posted by claylemon
Are you saying that we have a radial sleeper?


Clay

It may take another year or two but definitely a future Gold contender.

[Mr_P]

Voodoo's future

I have read that Voodoo is turning into a ride and they are installing a double canopy.

[Mr_P]

Overlooking Voodoo?

[COLOR=blue]Voodoo may have stood a chance if she had a team that worked together and had a pilot that wouldn't blow up engines. Matt blew up several engines including Bears and Voodoos.

[BadIdea]

Don't blame the bearcat engine on Matt.
Made metal on the test flight w/ Penny flying.
The engine was sick well before Reno.

Go figure, Me stickin' up for Matt.

[Unregistered]

Get facts straight

The bear's engine was not up to the task and was not in good shape to begin with. Matt had a host of problems to contend with that were not his fault and not known until after he was at Reno. John Penny flew it that week and could do little better. Voodoo was raced per the owner's direction by Matt and done well. I don't believe he blew one up. Hannah had problems with that and perhaps should have landed for a check before the prop governor failed due to a leak. It had not seemed right but attempted qualifiying anyway. Should have landed to be on the safe/less expensive side. Matt flew Voodoo well and jump started a race that should have been called for a restart attempt rather that start and penalize. It is not without precedent, as race 45 had to cause a restart before.
George Lakes III

[The Phantom Samurai]

Restart??

You've got to be kidding! Given that many of these racers are very low on all fluids after a successful start and subsequent race, what makes you think they could possibly afford to regroup, do the circuit behind Peavine and start again? Whether this has precedent or not, it's simply not feasible.

As for Matt and Voodoo, yes, he did have an engine failure prior to Reno 2001 during a test flight in Ione. I have no idea as to the cause of the failure, but a couple rods came through the case nonetheless.

During qualifications at Reno '99, Bob Hannah did have a high pressure hydraulic line fail which caused the prop to go flat, but that falls strictly into the category of "stuff happens". Bob did an outstanding job getting the racer back down in one piece, and should be commended for doing so. My $0.02.

TPS

[Unregistered]

Matt's inability to have the engine in a race condition prior to Reno was greratly responsible for it's failure. He and Bill Jones were told by Mel Gregoire that the engine was in poor condition for racing, and that it needed several repairs, repairs that Matt chose not to do. However after getting scared to death trying to fly the airplane it did not matter how fast the plane could go Matt could not. John Penney went twelve miles an hour faster with three hundred horsepower less during the same day.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Originally posted by Unregistered
Matt's inability to have the engine in a race condition prior to Reno <snip>

Can we not revisit this old issue?

Let's take this back on track.. what's upcoming for *this* year....

Wayne Sagar

[Leo]

A lot of expensive, shiney planes are going to go fast and turn left....
Wayne's truck will beat Sparky for the Bronze by a hood ornament, only to be penalized for multiple pylon cuts. Wayne claims they are safety cuts, the sun was in his eyes, judges tell him to clean his windows next time.

Leo

Looking forward to some competition this year!

[Mr_P]

MASS

I really believe that Critical Mass stands a chance this year from seeing the last years performance. I'm saying this banking that Tom built up a race engine just as good or better than the original engine he used in 2000.

[Fly-By Knight]

Way to get the discussion back to Reno '03, Mr. P!!!

I tend to agree with you. Critical Mass has had more than their share of bad luck in the past, it's definitely time for them to show us what they can do. CM has been one of my favorites since I started following air racing, and I'd sure like to see them turn some good laps.

Voodoo is due for a good show too. However, they seem to have gone backwards as far as setting-up the plane for racing with the de-evolution back to the bubble canopy and all. On the other hand, if you look back in history, Furias took similar steps with reverting back to a standard canopy from the turtle-deck, as well as rebuilding the tail to a more stock profile. Even after those changes were made, they continued to have a pretty good racer, despite last year's performance.

In 2 weeks it will be time for these teams to lay it all on the line!!!!!

FBK

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: MASS

Originally posted by Mr_P
I really believe that Critical Mass stands a chance this year from seeing the last years performance. I'm saying this banking that Tom built up a race engine just as good or better than the original engine he used in 2000.

I've got to agree. CM has a virtual "clone" of the Rare Bear engine. Despite those who will always say that you can't push a Sea Fury through the air as fast as smaller (lighter) airplanes, my very foggy crystal ball tells me that, this airplane has always had and still does have a very good chance at being up there on Sunday.

Just looking at Tom's performance in 2000, when he was making up time after passing the "back markers" it sure looked like he was gaining ground on Dago and Voodoo.. until the ADI problems caught up to him..

At the very least, he's going to be one of (at least) three VERY strong round engines that will will be testing the mettle of the tightly wound Dago Red motor..

Yes, Dago has one of the finest teams in the sport, yes they have one of the most adequately funded programs going, yes they have Skipper at the helm and Kerch on the ground... but...

Despite the stated confidence of the Dago camp that they can do it. I don't think we've seen that airplane pushed really hard for a full race. We've certainly seen her have problems at the end of a race, lady luck holding off *just* long enough for the airplane to finish in the big money (ahem) slot.

No bout a doubt it... iss gonna be a hell of a year to miss if you aren't going to make it!

If you are one of the unfortunate without plans made to go... break the other plans and SHOW UP...

It's gonna be an amazing year!

Wayne