2012 NCAR Unlimited Gold Contenders
So here is my list of potential Sunday Gold racers for this year:
1. Strega #7/ Rare Bear #77 - The Witch has been virtually untouchable for the past few years, but the Bear is about due for a win...and with the continued refinements made, it could be a thorn in the inline contigent's side this year.
2. Rare Bear #77/ Strega #7 - Rare Bear has all the money in the world behind it with Rod Lewis as owner, and the potential is ever present with what John Penney has described as "the best engine this aircraft has ever seen". But it will take a lot to catch little Stev-o in Strega.
(DISCLAIMER: I put Strega and Rare Bear as a toss-up for the win, because I honestly don't know which will be faster this year.)
3. September Fury #232 - Rod Lewis's #2 hot rod has shown her colors in the past (2006 win @ 482 mph) and showed her potential when she returned last year with Hoot Gibson at the stick qualifying her close to 470 mph with a stock-ish engine and no slow nose case before the piston burned out. But 232 will need that case and a hotter engine if she wants to catch the Witch and it's teammate, Rare Bear.
4. Czech Mate # 86 - It has been announced that Sherman Smoot will be bringing the "Giant Killer" back to PRS this summer, and she showed her new potential in 2009 with a 464 mph. With a 3-year break to refine the airframe, she could shock some of the big boys, but it will take a lot of luck...broken engines in front...miracles...to be first. It would be fun to see the little underdog do it, though.
5. Furias #15 - The big Sea Fury turned some heads last year as she returned after an 8-year hiatus. Mat Jackson hinted at what she could possibly do, qualifying her right behind the Ghost and probably not pushing her as hard as he could have. Sunday practice runs were reportedly faster. We'll see if she challenges 232 for the title of World's Fastest Sea Fury given that both aircraft have very similar modifications. Oh, and I'd love to see the proposed paint job come around.
6. Dreadnought #8 - The Buick continues her march around the pylons. even though she hasn't won a race since the '80's, she has still won the most total money of all Gold racers due to more podium finishes than we can count. We'll see which racers she can keep behind her massive wake this year.
7. Precious Metal #38 - The only remaining Mixmaster Mustang made its long awaited return last year with new paint that still highlights the "Metal" theme and with former IF1 and Jet class pilot Thom Richard at the stick. It ran into problems getting to Reno and while it was there, particularly because it reportedly had not used its spraybar cooling system until the heat races. We could see 450 mph+ speeds this year, as it reportedly was not pushed past 50% power in last year's heat races and with more fine tuning being done in the offseason. It would be a stretch to say that it will push the front runners much, but it could give Dreadnought issues if she stays healthy. More airframe drag reduction will be needed (in my opinion, particularly with the belly scoop) if it wants to become a resurrected Red Baron.
8. Sawbones #71 - Last year saw impressive speed gains for this semi-stock Sea Fury, effectively placing it in the place of the late Howard Pardue's Fury, Stu Dawson's might-be-returning Spirit of Texas, and the now overseas Riff Raff. I'm predicting a repeat of last year, with a win in the 1st Silver heat race bumping it to the Gold heat race on Friday.
9. Miss America #11 - Doc Hisey has been slowly but surely bringing the legendary P-51's speeds up year after year. She has modifications that remind me of RRIII, so speed potential is there. Maybe Doc can get her past Sawbones this year.
10. (upset alert) Super Corsair #74 - The 1947 Cleveland Races Thompson Trophy winner nearly caught Argonaut at the finish line in Friday's Silver heat race last year. I look for her to put her gorgeous self past Argonaut as the winner of Sunday's Silver race with Bob Odegaard choosing to bump into Gold for history's sake.
Anyone else have a potential line-up or prediction???
1. Strega #7/ Rare Bear #77 - The Witch has been virtually untouchable for the past few years, but the Bear is about due for a win...and with the continued refinements made, it could be a thorn in the inline contigent's side this year.
2. Rare Bear #77/ Strega #7 - Rare Bear has all the money in the world behind it with Rod Lewis as owner, and the potential is ever present with what John Penney has described as "the best engine this aircraft has ever seen". But it will take a lot to catch little Stev-o in Strega.
(DISCLAIMER: I put Strega and Rare Bear as a toss-up for the win, because I honestly don't know which will be faster this year.)
3. September Fury #232 - Rod Lewis's #2 hot rod has shown her colors in the past (2006 win @ 482 mph) and showed her potential when she returned last year with Hoot Gibson at the stick qualifying her close to 470 mph with a stock-ish engine and no slow nose case before the piston burned out. But 232 will need that case and a hotter engine if she wants to catch the Witch and it's teammate, Rare Bear.
4. Czech Mate # 86 - It has been announced that Sherman Smoot will be bringing the "Giant Killer" back to PRS this summer, and she showed her new potential in 2009 with a 464 mph. With a 3-year break to refine the airframe, she could shock some of the big boys, but it will take a lot of luck...broken engines in front...miracles...to be first. It would be fun to see the little underdog do it, though.
5. Furias #15 - The big Sea Fury turned some heads last year as she returned after an 8-year hiatus. Mat Jackson hinted at what she could possibly do, qualifying her right behind the Ghost and probably not pushing her as hard as he could have. Sunday practice runs were reportedly faster. We'll see if she challenges 232 for the title of World's Fastest Sea Fury given that both aircraft have very similar modifications. Oh, and I'd love to see the proposed paint job come around.
6. Dreadnought #8 - The Buick continues her march around the pylons. even though she hasn't won a race since the '80's, she has still won the most total money of all Gold racers due to more podium finishes than we can count. We'll see which racers she can keep behind her massive wake this year.
7. Precious Metal #38 - The only remaining Mixmaster Mustang made its long awaited return last year with new paint that still highlights the "Metal" theme and with former IF1 and Jet class pilot Thom Richard at the stick. It ran into problems getting to Reno and while it was there, particularly because it reportedly had not used its spraybar cooling system until the heat races. We could see 450 mph+ speeds this year, as it reportedly was not pushed past 50% power in last year's heat races and with more fine tuning being done in the offseason. It would be a stretch to say that it will push the front runners much, but it could give Dreadnought issues if she stays healthy. More airframe drag reduction will be needed (in my opinion, particularly with the belly scoop) if it wants to become a resurrected Red Baron.
8. Sawbones #71 - Last year saw impressive speed gains for this semi-stock Sea Fury, effectively placing it in the place of the late Howard Pardue's Fury, Stu Dawson's might-be-returning Spirit of Texas, and the now overseas Riff Raff. I'm predicting a repeat of last year, with a win in the 1st Silver heat race bumping it to the Gold heat race on Friday.
9. Miss America #11 - Doc Hisey has been slowly but surely bringing the legendary P-51's speeds up year after year. She has modifications that remind me of RRIII, so speed potential is there. Maybe Doc can get her past Sawbones this year.
10. (upset alert) Super Corsair #74 - The 1947 Cleveland Races Thompson Trophy winner nearly caught Argonaut at the finish line in Friday's Silver heat race last year. I look for her to put her gorgeous self past Argonaut as the winner of Sunday's Silver race with Bob Odegaard choosing to bump into Gold for history's sake.
Anyone else have a potential line-up or prediction???
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