The NATIONAL AIR RACES, began in 1920 with the first Pulitzer Trophy race, were first held at Cleveland Airport in 1929 and included an aircraft exhibit at Public Auditorium. There were 35 racing events during the 10-day meet and several cross-country derbies, including what became known as the Powder Puff Derby for women. Aviators Charles Lindbergh, Roscoe Turner, and Amelia Earhart were among those participating in races or aerobatic demonstrations. National Air Races Members of the 1929 Board of Directors included There were 35 racing events during the 10-day meet and several cross-country derbies, including what became known as the Powder Puff Derby for women. Aviators Charles Lindbergh, Roscoe Turner, and Amelia Earhart were among those participating in races or aerobatic demonstrations. National Air Races Members of the 1929 Board of Directors included ALVA BRADLEY, John T. Blossom, I. F. FREIBERGER, and M. J. VAN SWERINGEN. This 1929 meet helped make the National Air Races a major American event, which was important in promoting air travel and advancing aircraft research and development. With the exception of 1930, 1933, 1936, and the war years 1940-45, the races were held in Cleveland until 1949. Two of its most famous events were the Thompson Trophy Race, sponsored by Thompson Products, and the cross-country Bendix Trophy Race, sponsored by the Bendix Corp. , John T. Blossom,There were 35 racing events during the 10-day meet and several cross-country derbies, including what became known as the Powder Puff Derby for women. Aviators Charles Lindbergh, Roscoe Turner, and Amelia Earhart were among those participating in races or aerobatic demonstrations. National Air Races Members of the 1929 Board of Directors included ALVA BRADLEY, John T. Blossom, I. F. FREIBERGER, and M. J. VAN SWERINGEN. This 1929 meet helped make the National Air Races a major American event, which was important in promoting air travel and advancing aircraft research and development. With the exception of 1930, 1933, 1936, and the war years 1940-45, the races were held in Cleveland until 1949. Two of its most famous events were the Thompson Trophy Race, sponsored by Thompson Products, and the cross-country Bendix Trophy Race, sponsored by the Bendix Corp. s 1929 meet helped make the National Air Races a major American event, which was important in promoting air travel and advancing aircraft research and development. With the exception of 1930, 1933, 1936, and the war years 1940-45, the races were held in Cleveland until 1949. Two of its most famous events were the Thompson Trophy Race, sponsored by Thompson Products, and the cross-country Bendix Trophy Race, sponsored by the Bendix Corp.
Another prominent race was the LOUIS W. GREVE Trophy, named for an important early promoter of the National Air Races from the CLEVELAND PNEUMATIC TOOL CO. family. The Thompson race was a high-speed closed course pylon race, which was barred to women by the mid-1930s because it was believed the race was too dangerous for them to handle competently or safely. During the 1949 Thompson Trophy event, pilot Bill Odom crashed his highly modified P-51C racer into a Berea home, killing himself, resident Jeanne Laird, and her 13-month-old son, Craig. That produced a flurry of ordinances in Berea and other nearby communities to prohibit races over their cities, and there was no national race in 1950 competently or safely. During the 1949 Thompson Trophy event, pilot Bill Odom crashed his highly modified P-51C racer into a Berea home, killing himself, resident Jeanne Laird, and her 13-month-old son, Craig. That produced a flurry of ordinances in Berea and other nearby communities to prohibit races over their cities, and there was no national race in 1950.
between 1951-63, air shows/races were held elsewhere in the country. A nebetween 1951-63, air shows/races were held elsewhere in the country. A new CLEVELAND AIR SHOW began in 1964 at BURKE LAKEFRONT AIRPORT. Incorporated as the Cleveland National Air Show, it continued the National Air Race tradition without unlimited-class pylon racing.d as the Cleveland National Air Show, it continued the National Air Race tradition without unlimited-class pylon racing.
They re-started the National Air Races at Reno in 1964. Bill Stead was the organizer. They took place at Sky Ranch airfield, a dirt strip barely 2,000 feet (610 m) long, which was located in present-day Spnish Springs. They took place at Sky Ranch airfield, a dirt strip barely 2,000 feet (610 m) long, which was located in present-day Spanish Springs. After Stead Air Force Base (20 miles to the west, and named in honor of Bill's brother, Croston Stead) was closed in 1966, that field was turned over for public use, and the races have been held there since then.
Aircraft in the Unlimited class, which consists almost entirely of modified and stock World War II fighters, routinely reach speeds in excess of 400 miles per hour. In 2003, Skip Holm piloted Terry Bland's modified P-51D Mustang, Dago Red, and reached an all-time Unlimited class speed record of 507.105 mph in a six-lap race around the 8+1⁄2-mile course. The recently added Sport Class racers, mostly homebuilt aircraft, are reaching speeds in excess of 400 mph. In 2009, Curt Brown set a record of 543.568 mph in his jet-engine L-29 Viper.
The Reno Air Races include two and a half days of qualifying, followed by four and a half days of multi-aircraft heat racing, culminating in the Unlimited Class Gold Race on Sunday afternoon. The event also features civil airshow acts and military flight demonstrations between races, plus vendor areas and a large civil and military static aircraft display.
The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 caused the 57th annual race to be cancelled and deferred to 2021. In 2001 the remainder of the event was cancelled because of the grounding of US aviation following the attacks on 11 September.
The 2023 air races, which finished yesterday, were the last ones held in Reno.