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| Rick Brickert climbing into the cockpit of the Pond (Rutan) Racer, a major attempt by philanthropist Bob Pond to develop a purpose Air Racer which would allow the retirment of aging Warbirds to museums and flying displays in stock condition. |
| Silver State News Service www.silverstatenews.com |
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| Rick Brickert climbing into the cockpit of the Pond (Rutan) Racer, a major attempt by philanthropist Bob Pond to develop a purpose Air Racer which would allow the retirment of aging Warbirds to museums and flying displays in stock condition. |
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| Practice laps with Ralph Rina, in "Miss Everything," and SNJ trainer known today as Mary Dilda's "Two of Hearts." T-6 racing is a lot of fun since, during the early part of the race, the aircraft are constantly grouped together before spreading out in trail... |
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| ...and when you're grouped together, you can get pictures like this! That's Ralph Twombly in Race 41, "Spooled Up," during practice at the 1979 Mojave event. You can see the Mojave home pylon just behind his T-6 racer as both racers pass. |
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| And of course, you get these unforgettable pylon shots with a racer caught between you and the crew at a Pylon as you turn. This is what the pilot's perspective of an Air Race is, and sometimes, the frame is crowded with quite a few more aircraft! I'm telling you...we need photographers up in these airplanes during actual races...let the photographer choose whether he will risk or not, since most will. Plus, a live video feed from a fixed camera pointing at this angle or a 90 degree left or right angle, or a robotic camera that you can move around, one in each plane, and get that ol' event-size Trinitron working...and bingo, you've got Public interest in Air Racing again. You can then do the same thing that boxing and others are doing...pay per view to those at home who can't make the races, but would still like to be in the middle of the action anyways. |
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| Note not
only the racer, but our proximity from the ground based
on Ralph's shadow in the lower left hand corner of the
picture. Sport Biplane, Formula One, Sport Class and
AT-6, all suffer from having the crowds too far away from
their action. Put a grandstand where those airplanes are
at the top of this picture, fill it with people, who have
never before seen an Air Race, and they will become fans
for life after just one heat race. The future of Air Racing involves getting the crowds closer to the action, without compromising safety. In that event, you want the in the center of the racing with momentum carrying the racers away from the crowds. You don't want to move the course closer to the crowds and momentum of the racers directed at the crowds. Plus, infield prices are premium! The outside grandstands are better suited for "General Admission!" Imagine the purse and profits to the organizer growing five-fold after the Public is safely exposed to just one event close up. |
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The RB-51 in profile on the ramp at Mojave, in 1979. This shot was taken in June, before Anheiser Bush sponsored the aircraft after the record run of August, 1979. Note the absence of the larger sponsor markings on the fuselage, aft of the cockpit, which were seen by the Public for the first and last time at Reno, 1979. |
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