Racing For The Gold: The Story of Lyle Shelton and The Rare Bear

[AAFO_WSagar]

A lot of you have read about the book and want to get it. I have not yet read it but have heard it is absolutely a "MUST HAVE" for any race fan, particularly, any Rare Bear Fan!!

We've long been associated with Amazon.Com but have never done anything with it..

Get RACING FOR THE GOLD HERE

AAFO.COM will receive 4% of all books purchased through this link!! Get your book and help the site!!!



Big thumbs up to Dell for getting this to publisher and printed for release! Let's help her show them that it was worthwhile effort!

Wayne Sagar

[Dave65882]

Re: Racing For The Gold: The Story of Lyle Shelton and The Rare Bear

Posted this in another thread, but wanted to ensure the good reviews landed on this thread as well.


Thanks to everyone who noticed this book was out, i got it yesterday and spent all night reading it.

Great book in my opinion. I started going to the races in 82 as a 8 year old boy wide eyed at the racing and given the people who took me (thanks to the Ice family and little John) were Bear fans I too became one.

The book took me back to my youth, sitting around hearing many of the stories in the book, as my wife said to me last night you look like a little kid again as I smiled with joy reading stories that I had heard when i was a kid. To this day I still find Bill Hinkle at least a few times during the races and enjoy hearing about the Bear, new and old and this book put me back on the line listening to those stories.

It still amazes me that Lyle through everything the Bear tossed at him never quit, never gave up, and acheived what he did. In a small part his dedication and love for the sport made me who I am today, and now 20 some odd years later the crew, many of the same people who used to motivate me when i was a kid, are doing the same thing with my kids and teaching them that anything is possible when you put your mind to it.

Thanks to Dell Rourk for putting this together, I enjoyed the memories. Thanks to everyone assotiated with the Bear over the years, you have been the best of people for as long as I have had the pleasure of knowing you. Keep up the dedication and i will see you in 09 (or until my sons talk me into a weekend trip to Stead to see the Bear )

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Racing For The Gold: The Story of Lyle Shelton and The Rare Bear

Thanks Dave, I'd like everyone to get the book, in reality, their commission is so low, I think something like 100+ books would have to be bought through the link before we even reach the $10. minimum payout from them but what to heck, ever penney helps!!

[3dWrightBrother]

Re: Racing For The Gold: The Story of Lyle Shelton and The Rare Bear

This is awfully short notice,but.....Dell Rourk and Lyle Shelton will be signing copies of her book at Sundance Bookstore, 1155 W Fourth St, in Reno at 1PM today. I called them to see how long they would be there, they guessed about an hour. Heading down to get my copy signed now

[hattend]

Re: Racing For The Gold: The Story of Lyle Shelton and The Rare Bear

This is awfully short notice,but.....Dell Rourk and Lyle Shelton will be signing copies of her book at Sundance Bookstore, 1155 W Fourth St, in Reno at 1PM today. I called them to see how long they would be there, they guessed about an hour. Heading down to get my copy signed now

That's why I hope Lyle comes out to Stead during the races at least one more time. I would love to get an autograph. NCAR is about the only time I can get over to Reno.

If anybody ever hears about Lyle's whereabouts during Reno, please let us know.

Don

[John H]

Re: Racing For The Gold: The Story of Lyle Shelton and The Rare Bear

Im at around 1976 in the book and it's really good reading. Get it as soon as you can- you won't be disappointed. Thumbs up!

JH

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Racing For The Gold: The Story of Lyle Shelton and The Rare Bear

That's why I hope Lyle comes out to Stead during the races at least one more time. I would love to get an autograph. NCAR is about the only time I can get over to Reno.

If anybody ever hears about Lyle's whereabouts during Reno, please let us know.

Don

Don, If Lyle decides to go to Reno next year I'll let you know. But as it stands now he has had no desire to go watch the last couple of years.
John

[hattend]

Re: Racing For The Gold: The Story of Lyle Shelton and The Rare Bear

Thanks, John.

You're in the book as well... I'll want your autograph too!

Don

[r_willy]

Re: Racing For The Gold: The Story of Lyle Shelton and The Rare Bear

Don't know if any are left by now, but Sundance Books in Reno had a few extra copies signed by Lyle and Dell. You might be able to order one through their website: http://www.sundancebookstore.com/

Maybe if there's enough demand, they could get another batch signed?

(Excellent independent bookstore, BTW )

[WASP-kid]

Re: Racing For The Gold: The Story of Lyle Shelton and The Rare Bear

Read a borrowed copy in one day (yesterday), and I'm not much of a reader. The story is great and well worth the time. I'd love to see this updated to a nice hardcover with lots more photos in the future. I really enjoyed learning more of Lyle's history and the history of air racing as I've only been attending since 1999.

And yes Wayne, I did order my own copy through your link. Sure would like the chance to have it signed some day.

[John H]

Re: Racing For The Gold: The Story of Lyle Shelton and The Rare Bear

Enjoyed the book...also it does not pull punches with regards to Lyle's personal life- which surprised me but good for the author.

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Racing For The Gold: The Story of Lyle Shelton and The Rare Bear

Enjoyed the book...also it does not pull punches with regards to Lyle's personal life- which surprised me but good for the author.

Dell got the freedom in her writing that nobody else would have been able to achieve. Probably because she has been a participant, a supporter, an honest and confident critic, and most importantly she and Hersch were true friends of our entire family, before, during and now after the pylon wars. Dell wrote a book that nobody else could have.
John

[RAD2LTR]

Re: Racing For The Gold: The Story of Lyle Shelton and The Rare Bear

I just finished the book. Its a really good book. It contains lots of info that I didn't know. The stuff on the record attempts was very interesting as well as the early racing days.

Will

[Hans Oberev]

Re: Racing For The Gold: The Story of Lyle Shelton and The Rare Bear

Great read! How many R3350 engines did the bear eat? If I read the book again I could probably total them up. Some interesting technical info too like changing the engine angle and the gear reduction system in the nose/prop, tip blade speed issues, etc. I'm a fan, not a pilot but this stuff fascinates me. Hot air coming into the cockpit from a gap in the landing gear panels!! I was wondering if the prob with the landing gear this year was connected to the structural damage sustained in the crash in Indiana before Lyle purchased the plane. The book mentioned a prob associated with the original crash. Didn't know Lyle crash landed the plane in New Mexico while ferrying!!! The Deboer funded years seemed to produce the best results. It's just amazing Lyle kept her for as long as he did with so little resources and that none of the system failures resulted in the plane being destroyed. A testiment to the skill of her pilots!! I guess it would be nice to have more pics but u can find those on this website.

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Racing For The Gold: The Story of Lyle Shelton and The Rare Bear

Great read! How many R3350 engines did the bear eat? If I read the book again I could probably total them up. Some interesting technical info too like changing the engine angle and the gear reduction system in the nose/prop, tip blade speed issues, etc. I'm a fan, not a pilot but this stuff fascinates me. Hot air coming into the cockpit from a gap in the landing gear panels!! I was wondering if the prob with the landing gear this year was connected to the structural damage sustained in the crash in Indiana before Lyle purchased the plane. The book mentioned a prob associated with the original crash. Didn't know Lyle crash landed the plane in New Mexico while ferrying!!! The Deboer funded years seemed to produce the best results. It's just amazing Lyle kept her for as long as he did with so little resources and that none of the system failures resulted in the plane being destroyed. A testiment to the skill of her pilots!! I guess it would be nice to have more pics but u can find those on this website.

Hans,
(DISCLAIMER - Before anybody wants to make the comment that I am no longer in the loop about Rare Bear, Dave Cornell and I discussed the problems related to this year after the races, and I continue to consult with Dave as he wants. BUT I am no longer a team member as I want it.)

The problem with the gear this year was not related at all to any damage that is related to the Indianna accident, in fact that damage was repaired prior to the first flight as the Able Cat in 1969. The early years of the Rare Bear air race team involved even then a large and unusually talented group that saw in Lyle and his project a winning team.

Going through the book will not give you the answer to how many R-3350,s the Bearcat ate. However it has won more races than it has eaten engines.

Jack DeBoer was indeed a great sponsor to have had at the time and the first part of the relationship was good but like all things, by the end it was time to part ways. Even though a negotiation that was never made public that included a meeting with myself, Jack, Dwight, Tiger, and Penney. During the meeting it was proposed by Jack that Rare Bear and Strega would have the budget to go at each other for a minimum of two years from Jack and two partners that he had. The result would have been two fully funded racers sponsored by a group that wanted to bring a higher level of competition to the sport. Unfortunatley in many ways for many families, the deal ended when one of the partners was killed in a plane crash the week following negotiations. Jack DeBoer really liked winning!

As for more pictures in the book. Well, Dell pushed through a lot of resistance from many publishers that thought the book wouldn't have a large enough circulation to give it their time. The format had to be done in a way she could afford to have it done. Be glad, be really glad that Dell wanted to do this book as bad as she was driven to do it. The pictures have been available for years, Bucky, Neal, and others have great quality stuff Neal Nurmi even has Pete Behenna's pictures in his catalog of the original build, but I don't know if he has distribution rights.

Keep this in mind, a very competent group of individuals under Dave Cornell's direction disassembled Rare Bear after Rod Lewis bought her, they X-rayed her, they inspected and suspected her very carefully, then they rebuilt her back to flying condition. I may not have liked any of the paint jobs, but they work hard on the plane. In the end a whole new generation of mechanics is getting to understand the sentence, "I guess it's just a F$57*#g Bearcat kind of deal!"