During a recent photo-archive cataloging session, I 'rediscovered' my original color print negative film documenting the 41st-running of Reno's NCAR Unlimited Gold Race (Sunday-9/19/04). Initially, I was surprised to note I'd chosen to use high-speed ASA-400 print film, over my preferred standard choice of slow fine-grain Kodachrome color slide positive film . But viewing the color negs' proof print photos, refreshed my memories of that day...
The existing light conditions were quite dim & dreary, due to the threatening rain & snow squalls then assailing the Reno/Stead Field racecourse complex. Plunging temperatures dropped-down more than 20-degrees below normal, w/wind gusts exceeding 25-mph. WX-recon flights sent aloft, reported a worsening scenario & a decision was made in favor of scrambling the racers for an early launch of the '04 Unlimited Gold season finale event.
Flying conditions for the air racers were extreme (& bordering on- 'Marginal-VFR' out along the 'V-O-S' portion of the racecourse ), and it was tough-going for everyone outdoors enduring the nasty elements. For those of us in the desert out at the pylons, it was especially-brutal- trying to fend-off the icy wet rain & wind, which was making raceplane photography more difficult than ever. Nonetheless, such things make for even greater drama & excitement!
The '04 Unlimited Gold Race that cold, damp & blustery day was totally- 'HOT' & amazing, and complete w/major irony & surprise: Pilot- Skip Holm's start-to-finish lead flying Terry Bland's #4 DAGO RED, was relinquished to John Penney- flying Lyle Shelton's #77 RARE BEAR, via Holm's fateful drastic inside cut of Outer 4 Pylon on Lap-2 (due to Dago's fogged-up canopy & windscreen hampering Skip's vision & reference).
These following photos recap the '04 UNL Gold Race Results, w/the racers shown (L-R) in their actual finishing order (vs. final standings after Dago's pylon-cut penalty application) & all were taken from Outer 4 Pylon:
Top row -
1. Start of Lap-1: Dago Red leads, w/Rare Bear following closely on the outside, and September Fury running in third, ahead of the pack. (Going for- '6 Golds-in-a-row' - Dago's Lap-1 speed: 484.26-mph!)
2. Skip Holm - P51D #4 DAGO RED (on Lap-3): 2nd-place @ 456.837-av/mph (16-sec. penalty - cut Pylon 4 on Lap-2).
3. John Penney - F8F-2 #77 RARE BEAR (on Lap-7): 1st-place @ 469.961-av/mph.
4. Michael Brown - Sea Fury #232 SEPTEMBER FURY (on Lap-3): 3rd-place @ 455.170-av/mph.
5. Sherman Smoot - Super Yak #86 CZECH MATE (on Lap-7): 4th-place @ 427.410-mph.
Middle Row -
1. Brian Sanders - Sea Fury #8 DREADNOUGHT (on Lap-7): 5th-place @ 426.570-av/mph.
2. Nelson Ezell - Sea Fury #13 FURY (on Lap-2): 6th-place @ 404.869-av/mph.
3. Brent Hisey - P51D #11 MISS AMERICA (on Lap-7): 7th-place @ 378.667-av/mph (for 7-laps completed).
4. Curt Brown - P51D #5 VOODOO (on Lap-6): 8th-place @ 364.728-av/mph (for 7-laps completed).
5. Dan Martin - P51D #20 RIDGE RUNNER III (on Lap-5): 9th-place @ 304.424-av/mph (for 5-laps completed).
Bottom Row -
1. Dago Red & Rare Bear - approaching Outer 5 Pylon on Lap-2 (after Holm's cut of Outer 4 Pylon).
2. "We have- The Check!" - Winning-pilot- John Penney (wearing his new '04 Gold Champion's Jacket) on stage w/Race #77 owner- Lyle Shelton & a joyful- Team RARE BEAR at the RARA 2004 Awards Banquet.
3. John Penney, proudly holds-up the classic Reno NCAR Unlimited Class Gold Championship Trophy at the '04 Awards Banquet finale, after successfully-notching another victory for Lyle Shelton's immensely fan-popular air racing team.
Penney managed to fly an extremely-competitive race against race leader- Skip Holm. After noting Holm's pylon cut, John prudently kept THE BEAR to within a 2-sec. gap close behind DAGO RED on all remaining race laps to capitalize on the cut-penalty (whilst avoiding any pylon cuts himself), and managed to save #77's fan-sponsored sole race engine for another race season. 'WAY-TO-GO - J. P. !!!'
DBD
The existing light conditions were quite dim & dreary, due to the threatening rain & snow squalls then assailing the Reno/Stead Field racecourse complex. Plunging temperatures dropped-down more than 20-degrees below normal, w/wind gusts exceeding 25-mph. WX-recon flights sent aloft, reported a worsening scenario & a decision was made in favor of scrambling the racers for an early launch of the '04 Unlimited Gold season finale event.
Flying conditions for the air racers were extreme (& bordering on- 'Marginal-VFR' out along the 'V-O-S' portion of the racecourse ), and it was tough-going for everyone outdoors enduring the nasty elements. For those of us in the desert out at the pylons, it was especially-brutal- trying to fend-off the icy wet rain & wind, which was making raceplane photography more difficult than ever. Nonetheless, such things make for even greater drama & excitement!
The '04 Unlimited Gold Race that cold, damp & blustery day was totally- 'HOT' & amazing, and complete w/major irony & surprise: Pilot- Skip Holm's start-to-finish lead flying Terry Bland's #4 DAGO RED, was relinquished to John Penney- flying Lyle Shelton's #77 RARE BEAR, via Holm's fateful drastic inside cut of Outer 4 Pylon on Lap-2 (due to Dago's fogged-up canopy & windscreen hampering Skip's vision & reference).
These following photos recap the '04 UNL Gold Race Results, w/the racers shown (L-R) in their actual finishing order (vs. final standings after Dago's pylon-cut penalty application) & all were taken from Outer 4 Pylon:
Top row -
1. Start of Lap-1: Dago Red leads, w/Rare Bear following closely on the outside, and September Fury running in third, ahead of the pack. (Going for- '6 Golds-in-a-row' - Dago's Lap-1 speed: 484.26-mph!)
2. Skip Holm - P51D #4 DAGO RED (on Lap-3): 2nd-place @ 456.837-av/mph (16-sec. penalty - cut Pylon 4 on Lap-2).
3. John Penney - F8F-2 #77 RARE BEAR (on Lap-7): 1st-place @ 469.961-av/mph.
4. Michael Brown - Sea Fury #232 SEPTEMBER FURY (on Lap-3): 3rd-place @ 455.170-av/mph.
5. Sherman Smoot - Super Yak #86 CZECH MATE (on Lap-7): 4th-place @ 427.410-mph.
Middle Row -
1. Brian Sanders - Sea Fury #8 DREADNOUGHT (on Lap-7): 5th-place @ 426.570-av/mph.
2. Nelson Ezell - Sea Fury #13 FURY (on Lap-2): 6th-place @ 404.869-av/mph.
3. Brent Hisey - P51D #11 MISS AMERICA (on Lap-7): 7th-place @ 378.667-av/mph (for 7-laps completed).
4. Curt Brown - P51D #5 VOODOO (on Lap-6): 8th-place @ 364.728-av/mph (for 7-laps completed).
5. Dan Martin - P51D #20 RIDGE RUNNER III (on Lap-5): 9th-place @ 304.424-av/mph (for 5-laps completed).
Bottom Row -
1. Dago Red & Rare Bear - approaching Outer 5 Pylon on Lap-2 (after Holm's cut of Outer 4 Pylon).
2. "We have- The Check!" - Winning-pilot- John Penney (wearing his new '04 Gold Champion's Jacket) on stage w/Race #77 owner- Lyle Shelton & a joyful- Team RARE BEAR at the RARA 2004 Awards Banquet.
3. John Penney, proudly holds-up the classic Reno NCAR Unlimited Class Gold Championship Trophy at the '04 Awards Banquet finale, after successfully-notching another victory for Lyle Shelton's immensely fan-popular air racing team.
Penney managed to fly an extremely-competitive race against race leader- Skip Holm. After noting Holm's pylon cut, John prudently kept THE BEAR to within a 2-sec. gap close behind DAGO RED on all remaining race laps to capitalize on the cut-penalty (whilst avoiding any pylon cuts himself), and managed to save #77's fan-sponsored sole race engine for another race season. 'WAY-TO-GO - J. P. !!!'
DBD
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