Both Michael J. "Mickey Da Rat" Houghton and his Agent, Wayne Sagar, a.k.a. "Blayne Slagar," of AAFHOLE.Com, went around denying this story, until the 2006 Pilot's meeting when Houghton finally announced that the races would be ending. The AAWC also met with the Class Presidents during that time frame and told them that "You can race, but it won't be at Stead."

Source of this information is Ray Sherwood, whom the Midget Mob Boss of Reno-Stead ousted from IF1 with Houghton's prissy little schoolgirl claim that he couldn't work with Ray Sherwood.

Well, Duh! Sherwood's honest, so tell us something we don't know! Houghton put Birch Entriken into control and Entriken has been on his knees slurping ever since. The latest: $20,000.00 taken from IF1s purse...and Birch just bends over, then goes back to slurping.

$10,000.00 went into the less competitive Sport Biplane purse, however, Houghton and his moronic Board of Directors claimed they needed the other $10,000.00 for an "Unanticipated Expenses Fund."

Then they promptly went out and donated $5,000.00 on behalf of RARA and $5,000.00 on behalf of the "National Championship Air Races" to the Reno Great Balloon Race.

Birch is still slurping and bending, bending and slurping.

Anyhow, you read it here first and Sagar did finally announce it on his Message Board after two years of lying about me, claiming that I was lying and he needed proof.

We offered him proof in writing and the clown refused it, then said he needed more proof...

Bootlickers like Wayne Sager are the reasons why the NCARs are a Dead Event, beyond what Houghton has done to them. Sagar is out selling the Civil Rights of the Air Racers for his own profit...

...to Houghton.

Houghton thinks he controls Air Racing.

Sagar thinks he controls Air Race News.

No wonder the fact the NCARs are a Dead Event is censored and the Public's Right to Know violated by these two cretins.

You want the Truth ~ You've gotta come here for it...

...where Houghton and Sagar have absolutely no say.

And their Groupies know better than to show up here!

Two-phase plan will add Power Substation with 50-foot Structures in the Valley of Speed -- "within the safety zone for air racecourses" -- a power plant that will be vulnerable to racer accidents...

...something that Federal Agencies will not stand for...despite the BLM's position.

What's all that power for? Commercial & Residential Development in Silver Knolls, Silver Lake, Stead and Red Rock? Don't count on such "Overkill!" These power lines are "Industrial Strength."

50-Foot Poles, Power Substation
Coming to the Valley of Speed

At present, thirty-foot power poles and lines (seen for scale above) occupy the western edge of Reno-Stead Airport, within the race course safety zone. The BLM indicates in its 2003 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that the new proposal for 50 foot (minimum) poles along the same boundary would have a negligible impact on Aviation Safety. The report dodges the issue of race course safety when it comes to the Power Substation with its 50-foot tall structures inside the Valley of Speed and further, makes no mention as to how power will be supplied to a long-proposed industrial and warehousing site within the race course in-field boundaries. Further, nothing is said as to further development of race course grounds though the plan is to put a Power Substation on the course itself. Here are some other excerpts from the BLM Website:

"The proposed Reno-Stead Airport Substation’s structures would be equal to or less than 50 feet tall. Also, SPPCo would comply with Federal Aviation Regulation Part 77, Objects Affecting Navigable Airspace. The proposed Reno-Stead Airport substation would have no major impacts on airspace safety at the Reno-Stead Airport."

"The Reno-Stead Airport Substation is needed to support the future developments planned in the area by the Airport Authority of Washoe County."

"Distribution lines could be constructed in the future to distribute power from the proposed 120 kV line and substations, but construction of these lines is not considered part of the Proposed Action."

"The Northern Alternative would cross the western edge of the Reno-Stead Airport but on much less airport land than the other transmission line routes. The transmission line route on the western edge of the Reno-Stead Airport would be within the safety zone for the air racecourses. This would have a minor impact because there are already utility poles and lines (approximately 30 feet east of the western property line fence) that are within the safety zone for the air racecourses. The Northern Alternative would use 50-foot-high poles at the end of the runway.

Story/Editorial Below...

Story/Editorial by Mark S. "Bear" Daniels

Take a good look at this -- this could be the end of the Reno National Championship Air Races as you know them -- "Invitational" or otherwise. All of you Reno Air Racing fans may very well be on your way to being betrayed, as would the City and People of Reno, Nevada:

Portable Document Format (PDF) files may be viewed
with a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader.

AAWC Power Pole Elevation Reno-Stead Airport

AAWC Power Routing Map -- Route of Travel for Tracy-Reno Substation Power Lines

The documents can be found at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) website "Tracy-Silver Lake Transmission Line Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement" in which the Carson City Field Office of the BLM is "seeking Public Comment on Sierra Pacific Power Company Tracy-Silver Lake Transmission Line Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement."

They have been seeking these "comments" since October 10, 2003 -- just a little over three months. The cut-off date was December 15, 2003.

The BLM describes the project and the already past "comment period" as follows:

Did you get your opportunity to reply? Little hard to do without notification, isn't it? But it's all there just the same. Hope every resident in the area owned a computer. Ahh, but the best crimes in the world are often committed under everyone's collective nose.

The online documents go on to say that:

Do take note of the varying heights (50- to 90-feet) mentioned in the lower left corner of the diagram showing the elevation of the proposed power poles (PDF File). Then take note of the route of travel north of the Airfield boundary, where the Unlimited racers must make their course turn over rolling hills and terrain from Outer Pylon 4 on the East side of Reno-Stead, swinging around Outer Pylon 5 on the northern boundary, before entering the Valley of Speed at Outer Pylon 6 on the west side.

These turns, approaching 500 miles an hour even without regard to the dubious paper-changes made to last year's course, will be made more difficult for the fastest racers and will force many of those pilots up in altitude to avoid the towers and transmission lines. Or, slow them down.

In a situation similar to that which occurred in 2002, where blowing dust, shadows and/or limited visibility (also note inclement weather situations that have occurred in years past), these 50 to 90 foot towers -- situated at different elevations on the rolling terrain -- could prove lethal to the racers and their aircraft.

Add to that, a proposed power substation inside the Valley of Speed -- with 50 foot structures -- all of which would be vulnerable to damage or destruction if a racer encountered trouble and crashed or set down for an Emergency during the turn at Outer Pylon 6 and the transition into the Valley of Speed itself.

One possible modification to keep the course alive would be to reduce the size of the oval from its nine-mile length. However, the new, shorter oval, would then encroach on land already destined for an Industrial Park that has been in the plans for several years inside of the current course.

Unfortunately, I was looking on the legend to the map that shows Reno-Stead Airport, and the yellow area is land owned by the BLM, which includes a portion of Cheapskate Hill on the eastern side. Then the green portion is that land which is owned by the Airport Authority of Washoe County.

Sadly, I failed to see the stretch of land that Mike Houghton described as property of the Reno Air Racing Association, which was reportedly held onto by that organization to preserve the existing race course some 30 years into the future -- the term of the existing Special Event License and Lease. Just AAWC "Airport" lands.

Hmmmm...property on the race course reported for sale. A Power Substation now planned for inside the Valley of Speed...hmmmm.

<I feel a sneeze coming on...ahhhhh...Bullshit!>

God Bless Me! <G>

Also, there is the issue wherein Sierra Pacific Power Company indicates that current power lines cannot support the area at present nor future growth. Thus, substantial encroachment is likely on both the inside and outside of Reno-Stead Airport, as evidenced by this comment under Chapter 1 of the Environmental Impact Statement:

Remember, "Sports Fans," as the Great Santini might tell you -- the only "future developments planned in the area by the Airport Authority of Washoe County," can only occur on AAWC owned lands, i.e., Reno-Stead Airport.

Likewise, how far does Industry within Reno-Stead Airport's race course "in-field" wish to locate itself away from the Power Substation? Also, how would electrical power be supplied (?) -- by more power poles and transmission lines criss-crossing the course and the field of play, as though a maze?

...the same course needed by Air Racers for competition and for the occasional off-field emergencies that will occur (i.e., are a "given") during a race?

How would they affect flight along the course, pylon cuts and in particular, forced pylon cuts, which have caused pilots in the past to fly low (Nap-of-the-Earth in fact) over the course to regain speed before achieving altitude?

Couldn't you just see another Bill Destefani/Lyle Shelton scenario, such as the one that occurred in 1997, where both pilots declared Maydays and set down on a closed runway intersecting the east-west runway at Reno-Stead? Could you imagine those landings with power poles and transmission lines in the way?

Or, to avoid all this, would the "powers-that-be" endure the extra expense to bury race course power lines under ground and ensure safety?

One has to wonder -- since the study has been underway since "1999" -- why didn't they just build the recently constructed set of high tension towers and lines running to Reno-Stead from the South (the current towers can be seen from Highway 395 and even cross the highway near Stead, Nevada) to accommodate the projected shortfall in power they knew was coming at the time?

Taller towers with more lines, since they were shoved down the community's throat in the first place, thus resulting in only one set of unsightly transmission lines?

Politics? Money? Power -- the kind that doesn't burn light bulbs?

Now, if the proposal goes through, the community will have not one, but two unsightly sets of towers traversing some of the most scenic land still in existence in the Reno-Sparks-Stead area.

Then, add the issue of reported land sales on the course itself, now upheld by the availability of land within the Valley of Speed itself for the Power Substation. Once the Substation is built, how likely is it that further "encroachment from the inside" will not occur (?) -- particularly after the installation of new power poles, tension lines (within the race course safety zone) and 50-foot structures inside Reno-Stead Airport boundaries, in order to supply that "in-field/inner course" Industrial site?

Think about it -- the less "power-line" (expensive, industrial strength, electrical cable) that you run in terms of footage to an Industrial, Manufacturing or Warehouse site, the less money is spent and more occurs in the way of savings. Why run high power lines underground or by pole across the Valley of Speed and anywhere from a half-mile to a mile of in-field, when you can just start stacking up your buildings in close proximity to the Power Substation, i.e., on the race course?

Which is more cost-effective? Sure, you'll lose an Air Race and the $52 million it brings in via tourism, but what the heck...that Industrial/Manufacturing/Warehouse park is going to bring you in a lot more money, especially since it operates year round...unlike a certain Air Racing event that isn't a legitimate Air Racing event anymore, anyhow.

"Invitationals" being what they are...

Yes, you may be witness to the "beginning of the end" for the Reno National Championship Air Races. Unless, of course, someone acts now.

One scandal stands in between the AAWC and RARA and their pulling this scheme off.

In the meantime, ask yourselves this:

Then ask yourselves this:

For the sake of brevity, I'll let you all figure it out. Before you do that, enjoy this first:

Hey, if you can't trust Corporations or Government -- who can you trust!? <G> At least they did mention that the future addition of power lines inside of Reno-Stead Airport are not part of this current project. That was honest!

Unfortunately, the failure to impart the knowledge of "what happens next" is about as useful to you as a used car salesman selling you a Hummer for $90,000.00 US, then neglecting to tell you it doesn't quite have an engine yet! In fact, he has no idea if they have plans to equip it with an engine.

What does your common sense tell you!? <G> That's right -- that Hummer's going to need an engine if it's to be driven.

Likewise, just think about it -- how much do some "orange balls" (Mentioned only in the Spanish Springs proposal, but brought up here alá the "Twilight Zone" for your consideration...) cost as opposed to underground placement of the transmission lines. Also, and more importantly, which of the two is cheaper?

Which bidder gets the Government contract to build and maintain the Space Shuttle -- the highest bidder, or the lowest bidder? Which Defense contractor gets the contract from the military for their new equipment -- the highest bidder, or the lowest bidder? Does it matter, when contract cost overruns occur? <G>

If anyone's reviewed the photography from the Valley of Speed in 2003, and the shots of Voodoo and Dago Red approximately six to fifteen feet away from the existing wooden poles and wires at mid-pole, ask yourselves this one last question:

Hasn't the safety of the pilots and their aircraft already been compromised (aka, "Jeopardized") in regards to those ridiculously stupid power lines in the Valley of Speed? Maybe they'll mold an outside-shaped (pointing west) "bow" into these new metal giants at mid-pole, to allow the racers wings an extra "space" advantage. Or perhaps, require high tension line cutters -- similar to those featured on the fuselages of Military helicopters -- on the wings of the faster racers?

Skip Holm, Matt Jackson, et al -- great pilots. Tell me -- does anyone know the answer to this one: "How long does it take for a great pilot's luck to run out?"

Same amount of time it takes for a bad pilot's luck to run out. Great pilots just have more years under their belt before their luck runs out -- especially when the latter is usually due to other people's foolishness.

Ask yourselves this: "Why aren't those tension lines on the edge of the Valley of Speed under ground right now -- if the racer's safety is of concern to the powers that be?"

Underground power lines have been in existence for many decades. Better yet, the Trans Atlantic Cable (1858) was run under 1 1/4 to 3 1/2 miles of Atlantic Ocean saltwater from New York to England.

So, today's Big Corporations and Government are "safety first?" Not "no," but "hell no!" They're both about "money first!"

"Safey First!" Uh-huh. Of course they are.

I reiterate: If you can't trust Corporations or Government -- who can you trust?

Oh, and those of you who like to frequent the Valley of Speed during Race Week, what are the chances they're going to let you park next to important High Tension lines and a critically needed power station during Orange/Yellow (High/Elevated) Alerts, when terrorist bombers are of concern. Piece of cake for one to sneak in among you...then set off his charge, daylight or night.

Even better!

Raceplane pilots and RV drivers: check out the "Magnetic Field" Information that might be of use to you if you ever want to sue for parking/flying too close to Sierra Pacific's power lines. There's a bundle of money in Cancer suits I hear, especially the Testicular variety. Probably more than if you run into one of those poles. Makes you wonder if all that magnetism will affect one's instruments. See:

Table 4-25 in Chapter 4 of the BLM Carson City Field Office EIS (This Document No Longer Online...Working to Replace it Here at SSNS...Along With The Entire Report...08292007)

Last but not least, if the Power Substation "in" the Valley of Speed doesn't "fly" (no pun intended...this time), they apparently plan to put it just outside the Valley of Speed, across the western Airport boundary, in a section where the RVs park and the off-roaders like to play.

Is there anyone who cares to remain silent now? Is there anyone who wants "more proof?"

In regards to the latter, good, because you needn't worry...it's on the way. However, proof does not come with brevity. Get your reading glasses and... "buck up!"

Tracy ~ Silver Knolls Power Line EIS Document from the Carson City BLM Coming Soon in .pdf format...