Re: Before it was Rare Bear
Quote:
Originally Posted by
wingman
Everybody so loved that three blade...
That's me and Gil Iwamasa (RIP), who was my supervisor at Cal-Prop at the time, holding the chocks in that first picture. Must've been a higher RPM run. Notice that fancy GPU? It's the same one the team always used, but Craig Jellison decided to make it look nice. The source for the little Mooneyes fuel tank and the fat tire wagon as I recall might have been a bit suspect, but I doubt anyone would've tried to take it from us. Why would you put a wing on a start cart? Why not?
The second picture is uncomfortable to me for a few reasons.
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Re: Before it was Rare Bear
Quote:
Originally Posted by
knot4u
The people in the background in the second photo are Lyle, BCIV and Clay Lacy.
Correct. It was always interesting to watch Lyle and Clay Lacy together. This was in the pit Sunday afternoon before the 1990 Gold Race, I think. Lyle was different when talking to Lacy...
Neal
Re: Before it was Rare Bear
Quote:
Originally Posted by
knot4u
The second picture is uncomfortable to me for a few reasons.
You want it to go away? I've got lots to replace it with...
Neal
Re: Before it was Rare Bear
Quote:
Originally Posted by
wingman
You want it to go away? I've got lots to replace it with...
Neal
Please don't make it go away I'm working on another wordy answer for it.
Re: Before it was Rare Bear
Quote:
Originally Posted by
wingman
You want it to go away? I've got lots to replace it with...
Neal
No. I'm not a supporter of erasing the evidence of our history.
Re: Before it was Rare Bear
Quote:
Originally Posted by
wingman
Correct. It was always interesting to watch Lyle and Clay Lacy together. This was in the pit Sunday afternoon before the 1990 Gold Race, I think. Lyle was different when talking to Lacy...
Neal
I worked on jets for Clay for a number of years on the 145 repair station side of of his Van Nuys operation. He had a reputation as "ruthless" but I never saw it, he always treated me very well. I remember a CJ2 pulling onto the ramp and BCIV, Lyle and some other guy got out and walked into the building, I pondered (remember I said I was an expert ponderer?) going over to speak to them but they all had very serious looks on their faces and I was already pretty busy. Turned out that other guy was Rod Lewis and for some reason they chose to do the paperwork for the sale of the Bearcat at our facility. I never really understood why it happened there, but it is what it is.
Re: Before it was Rare Bear
What I've never understood is Rod Lewis buying the fastest racers he can get his hands on and then parking them. Tiger isn't going to sell him Strega, and Bob Button isn't likely to to sell him Voodoo. What was his ambition? Buy fast airplanes and make them slower? He has a nice collection, and some of them actually fly, but he's got the two fastest round motor racers ever and they're both parked. What a waste, he should be ashamed of himself for the disappointment he's left the fans of this sport with.
Re: Before it was Rare Bear
Quote:
Originally Posted by
wingman
I'm sure glad the thread is still moving along. Probably a bit slow and meandering for the Millenials among us, but working pretty good in Geezer time...
This Millennial (1987 model) is perfectly happy with how this thread is progressing! Fascinating stuff with every post. :thumbsup:
Re: Before it was Rare Bear
Quote:
Originally Posted by
knot4u
What I've never understood is Rod Lewis buying the fastest racers he can get his hands on and then parking them. Tiger isn't going to sell him Strega, and Bob Button isn't likely to to sell him Voodoo. What was his ambition? Buy fast airplanes and make them slower? He has a nice collection, and some of them actually fly, but he's got the two fastest round motor racers ever and they're both parked. What a waste, he should be ashamed of himself for the disappointment he's left the fans of this sport with.
From a way out in left field spectator's point of view, Rod bought into the upper echelon of air racing and thought he would dominate. When things didn't pan out, exit stage left. (No doubt a ton of details I don't know about that would tell the story) I've seen the same situation play out in sprint car racing through the years. Typically we'll see new faces arrive with the best equipment money can buy, they hang around struggling for 3-5 years, then you never hear from them again. Just gone from the face of the earth. Would love to get a historical account of Rod's air racing /warbird career.
Re: Before it was Rare Bear
Quote:
What I've never understood is Rod Lewis buying the fastest racers he can get his hands on and then parking them.... What a waste, he should be ashamed of himself for the disappointment he's left the fans of this sport with.
That's a little harsh...even for someone that has a lot of sweat equity in the Bear.
Rod Lewis should be congratulated and thanked for what he did bring to air racing for several years. And he brought a lot. A couple of fast racers and some of his great collection for all to enjoy year after year. Because he experienced (what had to be) a financial hemorrhage along the way, doesn't necessarily mean he was a "flash in the pan". His priorities undoubtedly changed after that. About that time he has also undertook another huge restoration project at what has to be an enormous expense, so that we can all enjoy seeing an airworthy Connie in the skies again one day. He was not ultimately successful by winning the Reno Gold, but winning at Reno is no easy task.
I say thank you Rod Lewis & company for all you brought to Reno and sharing your collection with the fans.
GP
