What's Fair?

A $1,000,000.00 (US) purse would seem like a lot of money. Split equally among the 100 pilots involved in your average multi-Class Air Race, the value of one's life, equipment and Team participation would only be $10,000.00 each. However, Air Race purses aren't split equally. The Lion's share goes to the winners and those who place. The amounts decrease rapidly in proportion from there, with some going home with nothing.

Sometimes, without your plane. Every now and then, without your life.

$1,000,000.00 (US) won't even pay for one of your top of the line, Unlimited Class racers.

So don't fool yourself. Through the years, they came places like Reno, Phoenix, Mojave, Paso Robles, Kansas City, Denver, Cleveland, Miami, Laughlin, Las Vegas, Lancaster, San Diego, and elsewhere.

Cape May, New Jersey -- let us not forget Cape May -- four died there in one, two plane and one subsequent three-plane mid-air collision (both occurring in the same race, within seconds of each other) that sent many thousands of fans home weeping.

$10,000 each for your life, your Team and your plane.

Plus all the abuse you can take. Air Race Nazis, Good Ol' Boyz, Promoters that take off with the money and leave you holding the bag and their bad name, a Press Corps that generally ignores you despite their apparent numbers at each event, television broadcasters even trying to charge an event for "their" presence, risking the dreaded mid-air, others trying to cheat you in and out of a race, favoritism and nepotism within the event or Racing Class, getting your plane or your fuel sabotaged if you do too well within the rules, politics and the backstabbing that comes with them, event organizers that don't comply with the application of their own rules, incompetence and mismanagement by the event staff, fear and intimidation, threats, worthwhile volunteers and sponsors that could help "The Cause" being forced away, legitimate new event organizers being "dismissed" by the Old Guard -- the list goes on and on.

Doesn't seem "Fair," now does it?

No, don't fool yourselves. If a racer competes, they do so out of love of the Sport and the occasional camaraderie that can develop between them and other racers, their Team and other Teams, between a pilot and his fans, a plane and its followers, and the chance to do something historic, colorful and unique.

It sure as hell ain't the money. It's the Grand and Epic nature of the event.

In the end, if you're a racer, even you value the competition more than you do yourself.