Welcome to WarbirdAeroPress.com's daily coverage of the 2002 Reno National Championship Air Races - A Race to Remember! We're excited to be here... I'd like to take a moment to introduce Lost Squadron, WAP's site sponsor for the Reno 2002. LS produce high quality T-shirts, sweatshirts and hats for warbird and air racing enthusiasts. If you have a chance, please check out their merchandise in the pits and the retail booths at the races. If you can't make it to the races, their web site can be reached by clicking here - www.LostSquadron.com. 

It's Monday... Let's get to Racing!

Dago Red Rages...

Several big stories were being played out at Stead today; the first day of qualifying for all racing classes... Skip Holm moseyed out to Dago Red, strapped in, and ripped off a 497.787 lap to become the fastest qualifier in Reno's history. That was merely one of two records set today! Holm spun a lap fairly quickly, but then put the real whip to Dago... Everybody was watching the red Mustang begin to hum coming down the Valley of Speed to take the flag for the qual lap. 

As Dago blurred by the home pylon, Holm went into his Zen racing mode and tightened up his line a bit. coming around pylon 4, Kerch was atop the trailer and marveling at how fast they were going. The crowd started cheering... Holm kept low into five and around six - down into the Valley. Holm was fluid coming into eight and left just a hit of red wing paint on the pylon can. You know what a Thorne Merlin sounds like when a guy like Skip is beating on it? Click Here! 

We unofficially clocked Holm at 507, and another person next to us came up with 498... The official qual time was 497.787 mph. Nobody has gone faster around the Reno pylons, and the questions wondering if the "short course" has any adverse effect on speed are now moot. Owner Terry Bland, Crew Chief Bill Kerchenfaut and driver Skip Holm are justifiably proud of their major accomplishment.

One thing to consider... Imagine if Holm was tighter around a pylon... What if a slight relaxation of G would have meant another 3 mph? The "what-ifs" are ponder able, but one thing is for certain - we have entered the age of the 500 mph lap. Dago Red is capable. Maybe we'll see it this year yet...

The Second Record

Dreadnought has been an unlimited air racing staple since 1983... But a new kid is on the block, and he's kicking ass and taking names. WarbirdAeroPress.com has followed Mike Brown since his debut several year ago, and we've been a big fan since interviewing him at the Pylon School just over a year ago. Brown's attitude and financial fortitude are being put to one task - WIN RENO. He has groomed his September Fury racer with all of the proven Sea Fury mods and a few other tricks. Now, the fruits of his - and his team's - labors are coming home to roost. If Dago runs into any problems, if Strega can't keep it together, guess who is in the driver's seat?

September Fury was whipped up "just a bit" today to become the World's Fastest Sea Fury. Brown pushed forward with his left hand and drew a tight and even line around the course to earn a 468.266 mph qual speed. (Personally, I think he's holding back a bit...)

You think he wants to win? Damn straight he does! Go Brown!

A Third Record, of Sorts...

You'd think he was getting sick and tired of it... If you want to look on the bright side, he certainly is getting good at it! Sherman Smoot took off in Czech Mate during this mornings' qual period... He made an immediate left turn back to the downwind, then orbited above the field, just to the south for several minutes... He was setting up to put power on the R-2800 powered Yak and go down on the course when...

The sound... The gasps... Looking... South of the field, but almost overhead... Smoke... Silence. Shit...

The sound of Czech Mate's overspeeding prop wasn't on par with Jeannie's or Voodoo's, but it was just as serious. Smoot has been there before, too... He immediately brought the power off and banked left for runway eight. Smoot picks up the story from here...

"We were overhead just waiting to come on the course, and we had just checked everything and made an rpm adjustment. I was flying at cruise power. I turned on the ADI and spraybar and had the water dialed in. I pushed the rpm up to 2,800 or so and was about ready to come down on the course. My pit crew said, 'How does everything look?'  As soon as I said, 'Everything looks great...' RRRRRRRRRR! I bet it sounded pretty gnarly down here, huh?" he says. He manages a bit of a laugh.

"So there was a bunch of smoke, and as soon as it went, 'RRRRRRRR!,' I was back on the power. I was only at cruise power, but as soon as I saw the smoke, I declared a mayday and came back, shut it down on short final and put it on the runway. When I got out of the airplane, there was just a bunch of oil pouring from the cowl."

It was almost eerie to watch Czech Mate land with nothing more than some slipstream noise; it was almost silent. Smoot continues, "Our engine man is on his way up here now. He'll take a look and make an assessment. We've got to check for metal and check the compression. If there's metal, we're done. Or... I'm done!" Another laugh.

So, Smoot now has at least three major engine destruction malfunctions in Czech Mate. Where's his trophy? After some discussion and inspection, the crew felt that if there was metal in the screens, Reno 2K2 was over for Czech Mate. Alas; some sunlight shown at the end of the day after an engine runup on the ramp. She ran, and no leaks were noted around the prop. She'll go to the wash rack in the morning to have the oil cleaned off and a decision will then be made about further flying and racing. Brian Sanders was consulting with Smoot, engine man Larry Klassen and owner John Moore. They might not be out of the running yet...

Does She, or Doesn't She..?

Voodoo is like that girl you wanted to date in high school... She dressed the part... Tight skirt... Button down shirt that showed just enough... High heels and red lipstick. But she never would give you the time of day... She never would put out... Was she a bad girl, or was she just acting like a bad girl? 

Does Voodoo have a race engine? Does she have a "sorta" race engine? Will she get you all hot and bothered then not deliver? One thing is for sure at Reno early in the week... Everybody lies. Everybody cheats. Everybody misinforms... Matt Jackson whipped the purple Mustang around the course today, but did not post a qual speed as of 1830 this evening. She sure did go by at a high rate of knots, though... We'll see how the week pans out for the Voodoo Croo!

Critical Mass Again a Mess

A controlled but obviously dejected Tom Dwelle was busy helping his crew tear down Critical Mass today, after yesterday's landing gear malfunction. Both landing gear somehow came up after he exited the runway. The racer settled with a sound akin to a 11,000 pound beer can scraping the ground. Game over. The prop is a write off, and it is more than likely that the engine suffered major damage. The crew will take the airplane apart and truck it back to their Auburn base to rebuild. (I hope.) 

Race fans are all disappointed with this news... Dwelle, his family, and his crew have all put in major work on this program, and it is really heartbreaking to see this outcome for this years' race. This was going to be Dwelle's year; Critical Mass was really running well, and the speed was competitive. Come back next year, Tom, and show us what you can do!

You did 412? Well... I did 434!

Stewart Dawson pushed his Spirit of Texas Sea Fury around for a qual speed of 412.638 mph. Very nice!  But what was more impressive was Race 22; Merlin's Magic. I'm not sure if this is a surprise to me or not! Stu Eberhardt went out beat her up to a *very* respectable qual speed of 434.755 mph. Clean Mustang + Racing Mods + DT Racing Merlin = Performance. With one, and possibly two major racers out, things are looking up for number 22. Don't be surprised to see a strong finish in the silver or gold race some Sunday. 

Rare Bear - Making the Call

WAP sat down with Lyle Shelton today to ask the question we all want to know the answer to. Are you going to make it? With a sigh, Shelton said, "Things are not going our way..."

Around 12 people were on and around the Bear in the hangar today. The word "thrashing" comes to mind. Controlled chaos; everybody was busy. Some of the guys were working with others, others alone on solo projects. You could not use the word "happy" or "optimistic" to describe the mood in the Bear's hangar.

"We're working as hard as we can, but we have a lot of breakage with instruments and accessories that have failed on us. Engine problems, hoses leaking, electrical problems... Just about everything is wrong and has not worked in three years. We also had problems with some of the crew... Several of them spread the word that we weren't going to run. This was without checking with me. So those people that did that are gone, and they'll stay gone from the crew," Shelton said.

He continues, "Now, the mechanical problems have eaten us alive. But we've got good people on it. Dan Slinker and Manute Richard have really saved us. They came on several weeks ago. They overcame some major problems with the cylinders - getting them to our specs. So we've gotta get qualified by the day after tomorrow. We're really squeezed to do it. With a normal operation of five guys, we might fly by Saturday. But we gotta fly by Wednesday. But we'll work around the clock to get it done.

I asked Shelton about "the decision." It's a fine balance between getting in the show, being safe, and being competitive. "Only when we won't be able to fly on Wed at five-o-clock." 

I know the fans all want to see the Bear back in racing trim, but I am going to go on record and say I just don't see it happening this year. This is not a statement made against anybody associated with Rare Bear at all. These guys and gals worked so hard to get this racer ready for this year. But the bad deck of cards dealt to the team may contain odds that just can't be overcome in the allotted time frame. You will not find a harder working group of people at Reno. I surely wish they had the time to get the aircraft ready - and safe - to race. But Murphy and his law are working against them. I hope I am wrong; and I will be the first to post and say so if these *racers* pull it off. (I'll put a case of cold beer up to the crew if I have to eat my words. I sure hope I have to buy that beer!)

With that said, the Rare Bear story is making a large contribution to the Art, Action and Adrenaline of Reno 2K2. Will they do it? Will they pull it off? The crew has to get the aircraft qualified by1700 hrs on Wednesday. The only thing you can't buy or borrow at Reno is time. And, unfortunately, it's working against them.

Spare Parts

Tiger didn't qual today; radio problems sidelined him. He did make some adjustments and tested the radios during a late afternoon flight. He requested a few changes, but seemed nonplussed by it. Now - we all know The Tige, right? You *know* he was watching Holm beat on Dago to get that 497... Will he stand by and let that go? Will he go out and beat on Strega tomorrow to get the 500 mph lap? It's the Tige's last year. He wants a win, but will he hurt that chance by a title that carries no prize? We'll have to see tomorrow.

Ron Buccarelli flew twice today, and turned in a qual speed of 381.539 mph. My money is on another qual flight tomorrow and a much better speed.

Art Vance again gave everybody around the course a bad case of flicker vertigo with Furias... The one white prop blade really shows up well in the clear Stead skies! He pumped the blue and white racer up to 403.356 mph, but as of early evening, the crew was prepping for a cylinder change tonight.

Brian Sanders/Argonaut, Brant Seghetti/Sparky, Ike Enns/Miracle Maker, Hoot Gibson/Riff Raff and several others flew today, but no qual speeds were posted by 1830 this evening.

More news from Stead tomorrow! Tune in, strap up, and hold on...!

All Stories and Photos Copyright by Scott Germain - WarbirdAeroPress.com 2002. All Rights Reserved.