RENO 1964

[taglialavore]

Iīve seen a Reno 1964 unlimiteds video in You Tube (Rare Footage of 1960īs Reno Air Races- filmed by Bill Ketchum). It is digitalized from 8mm films and no sounds from it but
the racers were so close to the people, so low flying, so Beautiful !

[supercub]

Re: RENO 1964

I couldn't find it, do you have a link? Thanks
Brian

[Race5]

Re: RENO 1964

http://youtu.be/hN-acNLwG2o

[supercub]

Re: RENO 1964

Great Video. I don't think that's from 1964 since it's at Stead. Reno 64 and 65 races were located at a different area. Also, I think it's film of a couple of different years combined. I'm thinking 66 and 67. I remember sitting down at the east end of the bleachers when the course was set up that way, the planes would be nearly over the top of you on some runs.........really cool. Also interesting to see Bud Fountain and his 450 Stearman, plus a couple of short clips of his bare bones J-3 called Skinny. Amazing to look at the countryside and the lack of any civilization back then. Thanks for the link.
Brian

[xmh53wrench]

Re: RENO 1964

Great Video!!!
I just love old vids like that (I have a couple of old Merced Speedway movies from the very early 70s).

So for the long timers....How much does the course in the movies differ from the current one, and did the influx of housing affect it? I just love how low and level they are as they pass the crowd. Thanks for posting...

[Hawk P51]

Re: RENO 1964

The races were definately at Stead in 1965 because that was my first year there. It's really gets into your blood. I missed 1966 and 1969. Been to all the others. My oldest grandson went this year. That's 4 generations of race rats!

[Big_Jim]

Re: RENO 1964

The races were definately at Stead in 1965 because that was my first year there. It's really gets into your blood. I missed 1966 and 1969. Been to all the others. My oldest grandson went this year. That's 4 generations of race rats!

Actually the first year at Stead was 1966. That was the year that Stead AFB was de-activated which allowed the races to be held there.

[supercub]

Re: RENO 1964

The course back then was completely diferent, It was an oval course with the straights running approx, east and west, nearly parallel to the runway. The east plyons were down in what is commonly called Hoover Gulch. I believe it's part of the Lemon Valley. As far as how much influence housing had, I really don't know, but I assume it did have some. If memory serves me correctly, the eastern part of the course was not easy to see from the bleachers.
Brian

[taglialavore]

Re: RENO 1964

Thank you guys for your kind input.

[taglialavore]

Re: RENO 1964

Viewing the video and taking some tips from it, all the evidence points to Reno Stead 1966.

Year 1966 was the first race of Chuck Hall, in #5 P-51, taking the 4th place.As was the first time for the yellow Sea Fury #87 flown by Lyle Shelton, getting 2nd place in Consolation.
First place was for Greenamyer in Conquest 1 but was disqualified.
So E.D.Weiner was the winner of Reno 1966 in his P-51 #49.
3rd place was for Clay Lacy in P-51 #64.
The Bearcat #10 flown by Sandy Falconer got the 3rd place in Consolation race.
The other Bearcat that shows up is #11, Chuck Klusmann, reaching the 4th place in Consolation.
And the pace plane was the beautiful P-51 flown by Bob Hoover.

Please, donīt think Iīm an Air Racing expert, just only a fan.
All the credit goes to Jim Larsenīs excelent book "Air racers".

[KAHNZILLA]

Re: RENO 1964

Great stuff, I have some old stuff starting in 1970 and will post when I figure out how. The Formula class took off on the tarmac in front of the stands. Thanks, KC

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: RENO 1964

The Formula class took off on the tarmac in front of the stands. Thanks, KC

My memory cells seem to remember a time when the IF1's took off from the taxiway/ramp... "area".. rather than all the way out on the runway... anyone else remember that... or was it something I smoked.... (it was the 70's after all! )

[supercub]

Re: RENO 1964

The F1's, biplanes and the T-6's all did a race horse start using the runway and ramp. Would line up abreast of each other and the flag would drop and off they'd go. Was always interesting to watch the T-6's, because some of the guys would pull the gear up a little soon and sometimes settle back down and you'd hear a prop strike...........whops, LOL. Everyone would head out to the west for the scatter pylon......that was hairy sometimes. Everyone would basically get there about the same time and make a 180 degree turn to come back to the oval course. I know the T-6's used the scatter pylon, and I think maybe the F1 and biplanes did too, but can't remember for sure.
A few other things happening back then.
1. You could fly in to Stead for the Races, I did many times........was fun to get there early in the morning and look out on final and see 50 or so airplanes lined up for a straight in from the east.
2. Use to launch hot air ballons early in the mornings.
3. Had aerobatic competions in the morning too.

Brian

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: RENO 1964

There's another thing I noticed, it looks like "the chute" for the Unlimited was coming down from crowd left-to-right, in the "home straight" so to speak... thought I remembered that from somewhere...??

Big Jim, you got your speedo on?

[Big_Jim]

Re: RENO 1964

There's another thing I noticed, it looks like "the chute" for the Unlimited was coming down from crowd left-to-right, in the "home straight" so to speak... thought I remembered that from somewhere...??

Big Jim, you got your speedo on?

From 1966 through 1970 the Unlimited was a long oval that extended into Lemmon Valley on the east end, and halfway out to Red Rock on the west end. I think it was an 8.5 mile course. And yes, the front stretch was a lot closer to the crowd than we see today, as the course was kind of cocked at an angle, so the planes overflew what is now the heritage area and jet pits. The starts were done similar to what the T-6 races are today, but Hoover would release the aircraft by pulling up and away right at home pylon.