With 180 Days to Go Its Like A High Stakes Poker Game

[Desertdawg]

Wow, with the 50th Anniversary 180 days away the unlimited class is looking like a high stakes poker game.

In the center of the poker table is a big pile of mouth watering prizes, including: money, 50th Anniversary Trophy, bragging rights, gold, trophy queens, titles to planes, lost spirits and other mystical booty.

Thom Richards and crew representing Precious Metal #38 have stepped up to the plate big time. Over the last several years they have methodically prepared themselves for this match and are holding the best hand.

Some old time players never even sat at the table, others simply folded early.

3 cards have been dealt, hidden behind Thom's glasses are nerves of steel and confidence knowing they have couple aces in the hole.

The table still has some great players in the game, will be interesting to see if they raise on the next card.

[SkyvanDelta]

Re: With 180 Days to Go Its Like A High Stakes Poker Game

Who are going to be the front runners in the Unlimited Class and what will their Qualifying Speeds be at Reno 2013?

[Tigercat24]

Re: With 180 Days to Go Its Like A High Stakes Poker Game

Assuming Strega stays home, Voodoo is never sold, Furias never races again, Czech Mate gets ready in time and Rare Bear gets its 'team issues' sorted out, my guess is something like this:

77 Rare Bear 492 MPH
38 Precious Metal 480 MPH
86 Czech Mate 473 MPH
232 September Fury 469 MPH
8 Dreadnought 444 MPH
71 Sawbones 423 MPH
11 Miss America 417 MPH
114 Argonaut 400 MPH

[Race5]

Re: With 180 Days to Go Its Like A High Stakes Poker Game

Assuming Strega stays home, Voodoo is never sold, Furias never races again, Czech Mate gets ready in time and Rare Bear gets its 'team issues' sorted out, my guess is something like this:

77 Rare Bear 492 MPH
38 Precious Metal 480 MPH
86 Czech Mate 473 MPH
232 September Fury 469 MPH
8 Dreadnought 444 MPH
71 Sawbones 423 MPH
11 Miss America 417 MPH
114 Argonaut 400 MPH

Better adjust that a little. Only 6 airplanes will be in the Gold just like last year.

[Tigercat24]

Re: With 180 Days to Go Its Like A High Stakes Poker Game

There were 7 racers in the Gold this past year:

Strega (1st)
Sept. Fury (2nd)
Dreadnought (3rd)
Sawbones (4th)
Miss America (5th)
Rare Bear (DNF)
Precious Metal (DNF)

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Re: With 180 Days to Go Its Like A High Stakes Poker Game

Assuming Strega stays home, Voodoo is never sold, Furias never races again, Czech Mate gets ready in time and Rare Bear gets its 'team issues' sorted out, my guess is something like this:

38 Precious Metal 490+ MPH
86 Czech Mate 473 MPH
232 September Fury 469 MPH
8 Dreadnought 444 MPH
71 Sawbones 423 MPH
11 Miss America 417 MPH
114 Argonaut 400 MPH

Fixed

[dabshr]

Re: With 180 Days to Go Its Like A High Stakes Poker Game

232 all the way! May not qualify fastest, but, hard to pass on the course!

[RAD2LTR]

Re: With 180 Days to Go Its Like A High Stakes Poker Game

Fixed

Nice Careful though, I don't know that you want to show what you might have in your hands this early. Still, its fun to get into other competitors minds. Nothing like a little intimidation early in the season. The cool thing is, you guys might just pull it off.

Will

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Re: With 180 Days to Go Its Like A High Stakes Poker Game

Nice Careful though, I don't know that you want to show what you might have in your hands this early. Still, its fun to get into other compeditors minds. Nothing like a little intimitation early in the season. The cool thing is, you guys might just pull it off.

Will

New engine and a bunch of airframe cleanup. That's all we have, but it should be worth quite a bit. I bet canopy and wing alone give us enough to reach that mark. Then we can run at rated T/O power +/- just like last year, and have extra if we need it.

[Big_Jim]

Re: With 180 Days to Go Its Like A High Stakes Poker Game

New engine and a bunch of airframe cleanup. That's all we have, but it should be worth quite a bit. I bet canopy and wing alone give us enough to reach that mark. Then we can run at rated T/O power +/- just like last year, and have extra if we need it.

And for you newbies out there who don't understand, the whole concept of grafting the Griffon onto the Mustang in the first place with the RB-51 was to be able to have cubic inches at reliable power settings...as opposed to stressing the Merlin to the limits.

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Re: With 180 Days to Go Its Like A High Stakes Poker Game

And for you newbies out there who don't understand, the whole concept of grafting the Griffon onto the Mustang in the first place with the RB-51 was to be able to have cubic inches at reliable power settings...as opposed to stressing the Merlin to the limits.

2750 @ 80 inches. That's why I call it the sonic tractor engine. At 90 inches we pulled a 471 lap. Airframe as is! 1:01.9 seconds.

[Tigercat24]

Re: With 180 Days to Go Its Like A High Stakes Poker Game

There are some claims being made over on the WAP message board about 232's potential this year...check out the thread:

http://warbirdaeropress.com/smf/index.php?topic=3494.0

[dabshr]

Re: With 180 Days to Go Its Like A High Stakes Poker Game

There are some claims being made over on the WAP message board about 232's potential this year...check out the thread:

http://warbirdaeropress.com/smf/index.php?topic=3494.0

We didn't run over 3050 & 65 inches last year, lots of throttle left, Anderson engine running smooth, Flew over chino last week, no issues... We are ready!

[Idaho_cowpony]

Re: With 180 Days to Go Its Like A High Stakes Poker Game

...Let's see...
#77 & #232 bringing us true 500mph in Qualifying...maybe something in the mid 500+teen range...
#38 490's...
#86 480's...

Will have to nail it down when we get closer...