2013 Reno Unlimited Gold Champion

[GregP]

For the past four years running Steven Hinton has been the Unlimited Gold US National Air Racing Champion in the highly modified P-51D "Strega." This year marked the 50th anniversary of the Air Races and there were a lot of shakeups.

Stevo Hinton made a move to the P-51D "Voodoo," and Matt Jackson moved into Strega. Rare Bear was back, as was Sea Fury Race 232 (based at the Planes of Fame). In fact, Race 232 flew the fastest lap ever recorded bya Sea Fury at 480 mph during qualifying,

Today Stevo Hinton showed everyone that the airplane wasn't the difference as he won his fifth straight National Championship. Go Stevo!

His fastest lap was 500.7 mph and the race average was 482 mph as he throttled back when nobody could catch him. Life is good right now for the Hintons and the Planes of Fame.

 

[nuuumannn]

Good stuff Greg! Did you go? Have any good images?

 

[gumbyk]

Does anyone know if coverage of the race is available on-line anywhere?

I was watching it live, but had to pick my son up from day-care just as they were taking off!!!!

 

[GregP]

The guys who went will have some good images. I watched it on "live airshow tv." Stevo took a good lead at the start, flew very smoothly and consistently, and backed off the Merlin every two laps or so when Strega wasn't catching him.

After two laps, Strega was about 9 seconds behind and finished the race about 8.5 seconds behind. The fast Merlins all have to back off or break since they get heat-soaked during the first two laps. The guys who stay together race for two laps and back off the manifold pressure about every two laps or so. The radials don't have to do that and usually are running as fast or faster at the end as they are on lap 1.

When Stevo won, Steve Hinton Sr. in the pace plane (our CT-133) and did some vertical rolls to celebrate.

 

[GregP]

Seems like the Rare Bear guys had two carburetors. One made great horsepower but quit when throttled back. The other ran all the time but made several hundred less horsepower at peak.

We KNOW which one they ran .... finishing fourth ...

 

[bob44]

Watched the final race online. Best part was Strega moving up to 2nd. Good safe race.

 

[GregP]

Yes it was. If Strega and Voodoo had been side by side at the start the race would have been interesting.

But qualifying is part of it and Matt Jackson broke the showline and so was disqualified from his Friday race. He is a smooth stick, like STevo, but didn't quite pull hard eougn coming out of pylon 7, methinks.

Race 232 had a bad event. The carburetor airscoop disintegrated and a piece got sucked into the carb, which it promptly blocked. The R-33500 backfired at race power and there is metal in the scrfeens, so there is some catastrophic damage. The general consensus at this point is the carb airscoop wasn't quite built strong enough.

Otherwise, race 232 would probably be in the number 3 position. Maybe next time.

 

[gumbyk]

Races are all archived here: LiveAirShowTV on USTREAM: Live broadcast of airshows and aviation events!. Other Entertainment

 

[GregP]

Just in case you haven't heard, Czech Mate suffered a ground loop flying home and collapsed the gear. Don't know the details yet.

 

[gumbyk]

Just in case you haven't heard, Czech Mate suffered a ground loop flying home and collapsed the gear. Don't know the details yet.

Lets hope everyone's O.K.

At least it happened on the way home. It would have been heartbreaking for all involved to have it happen on the way to the races.