Why did Rare Bear pull out of Sundays Gold Race?

[RAD2LTR]

Well that's the problem than, duh! lol!

Hahaha, imagine having to change 18 headgaskets Thanks, I'll pass. In some respects, air cooled radials are much more simple, but with lots more moving parts. I'm not sure if there is a gasket/seal between each cylinder and the case or not. To solve the cylinder head temp issues on an air cooled motor there aren't a lot of options, more air flow at the cost of frontal drag (smaller spinner) a spray bar that blows water backward over the motor (It might already have this, I'm not sure) or perhaps running a richer mixture with a possible loss of some power. There might be others, but they all have trade offs.

Will

[Nobody]

It could be that RB has just found it's limit, and that limit just isn't as fast as planes like Strega, or the now non-racing Dago....

Isn't Rare Bear's limit 538 mph? The speed record it set decades ago? What they need is a hot stick who knows how to fly it fast and isn't afraid of it. See: Lyle and John Penney. Yes, those two are no longer available but where's the super-jock to replace them? Get the right stick in there and they'll all get motivated to make the RB king again.

[AcroGimp]

Isn't Rare Bear's limit 538 mph? The speed record it set decades ago? What they need is a hot stick who knows how to fly it fast and isn't afraid of it. See: Lyle and John Penney. Yes, those two are no longer available but where's the super-jock to replace them? Get the right stick in there and they'll all get motivated to make the RB king again.

If Strega retirement is looming, Steveo might be looking for a ride....

[Bob]

Isn't Rare Bear's limit 538 mph? The speed record it set decades ago? What they need is a hot stick who knows how to fly it fast and isn't afraid of it. See: Lyle and John Penney. Yes, those two are no longer available but where's the super-jock to replace them? Get the right stick in there and they'll all get motivated to make the RB king again.

WTF?????? Hot Stick?????? Affraid??????? You my friend are an ass.

[Randy Haskin]

Isn't Rare Bear's limit 538 mph? The speed record it set decades ago? What they need is a hot stick who knows how to fly it fast and isn't afraid of it. See: Lyle and John Penney. Yes, those two are no longer available but where's the super-jock to replace them? Get the right stick in there and they'll all get motivated to make the RB king again.

You're barking way up the wrong tree with a comment like this, at least with respect to the reason why Rare Bear has not been going fast this last week. There's no magic that a stick actuator can accomplish to fix engine issues from the cockpit.

That being said...if anybody can fly it "faster", Skip Holm is your man.

[Hans Oberev]

There's no magic that a stick actuator can accomplish to fix engine issues from the cockpit

Stick actuator? That's perfect! Love it!

questioning the "Tiger factor" in specific pilots is dangerous territory. Looks like that guy stepped in it. We all do fro time to time so just learn from it and move on. The biggest mistake you can make going forward is to try in defend yourself. Trust me...I know, I made that mistake awhile back with the Ridge Runner III team on this site. There is a fine line between expressing an opinion and crossing the deadline!

[grampi]

Isn't Rare Bear's limit 538 mph? The speed record it set decades ago? What they need is a hot stick who knows how to fly it fast and isn't afraid of it. See: Lyle and John Penney. Yes, those two are no longer available but where's the super-jock to replace them? Get the right stick in there and they'll all get motivated to make the RB king again.

RB has NEVER run the kind of speeds Strega is currently running AROUND THE RACE COURSE.....

[BUD_XXX]

I'll tell you, from what I saw from the VOS area, that the Bear could not turn as tight between 4-6, and Strega gained huge ground there every lap.

I don't know if the Bear could not turn as tight, or if it was pilot or whatever, but for sure Strega gained ground every lap, wayyy in the back of the course....


As far as overheating...I'd like to see the telemetry!

[AAFO_WSagar]

What they need is a hot stick who knows how to fly it fast and isn't afraid of it.

I'll not argue that a race pilot would have to "lace their boots real tight" to be better than Lyle, Tiger, Skip, "the kid" etc... but I don't think the word "afraid" is fair to Stu... When the airplane was working well for him and he didn't have the constant distraction of trying to watch an instrument panel that is shaking so badly at speed that he can barely see it, he flew the course pretty darn well.. (his qual speed clearly shows that he's in control of the airplane when it's working)

Would Skip fly her faster? Would love to get the chance to know, Is Stu afraid of the airplane? I sincerely doubt it..

[Rampman]

None of the top unlimiteds ever show their max speed potential unless everything is working perfectly. It's pretty rare that you get more than one top plane in that position in the same year.

The Strega vs Bear and Dago Red vs Bear duels of the past were truely special. It's just the nature of the sport.

Was Stu supposed to hold it wide open untill it blew up? Everyone has heard the airplane is a handful even when everything is working properly. I think he did the best he could with what he had.