Mojave 1975 The Super Race- Video

[warbirdnerd]

I found this on Clay Lacy Aviation's Facebook page, apoligies if it has been posted before. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIzGXLvK2RE

[Big_Jim]

Re: Mojave 1975 The Super Race- Video

I have that on DVD and it is just the perfect combination of 1970's 'cheeze-factor' with some great racing shots. So far as I know, it's the only video that really shows the race between Greenamyer and Shelton--the first and only time Lyle actually beat Darryl--even though Lyle lost the race.

It also shows that when Dr. Cliff actually remembered to flip the three switches that fully automated all of the systems, "Miss Candace" was a very fast racer...and it even shows the 'oops' that Dr. Cliff made when he pulls off the course after lap 7 thinking he had won. And at that he's still able to catch Lyle in one lap and beat him at the finish line.

It is pretty funny, though, as 90% of the scenes showing "Miss Candace" racing were actually filmed a month after the race was over (new, slightly different paint job) because they were concentrating on the two leaders and weren't really paying much attention to #69.

[comancheflyer]

Re: Mojave 1975 The Super Race- Video

I didn't know the unlimited's could fly low, go fast, and turn right ? I wonder if we experienced an increase in earthquakes or something during these races because of this unnatural behavior?

Seriously - why did they choose to have the unlimited's bank right while all the other classes banked left ?

Great video - thanks for sharing.

Now I got to go buy some gumout to clean my carburetor ...

[Big_Jim]

Re: Mojave 1975 The Super Race- Video

The clockwise course at Mojave dated back to the original 15 mile layout of the California 1000 race in 1970. Because they needed to have pit-stops, the course had to be designed so that the planes could land and take off 'with the flow of traffic'. The prevailing winds at Mojave come out of the west down the Tehachipi mountain range, so to land into the wind, they decided to run the course with right hand turns. It was unique enough that when the Air Race Management group took over and ran the Reno-style races from 1973-79, they kept the Unlimiteds running on a (albeit smaller) right-hand course. It was just something that made the Unlimited course 'different'.

At the same time the smaller 3 mile course that they ran the Bipes, F-1's, and T-6's on at the time had the more traditional left-hand, counter-clockwise layout.

[comancheflyer]

Re: Mojave 1975 The Super Race- Video

Consider myself enlightened - Thanks Big Jim!

[F4U-7]

Re: Mojave 1975 The Super Race- Video

I have vivid memories as a 12 year-old at that race. The Blue Max makes a cameo appearance before the start of the Unlimited Gold !!! I guess its the only way that bird could get near the gold race.

Wasn't there one year where Lyle bellied in Rare Bear on Friday? Maybe that was the next year. I got to the airport just as that had happened.

I also remember a totally crazy acrobatic routine by Lefty.

[Samuel]

Re: Mojave 1975 The Super Race- Video

Just found this gem. Sure looks like some good racing in the Super Race!

[CJAM427]

Re: Mojave 1975 The Super Race- Video

That was really fun to watch, Miss Candace was definitely one of the best looking mustangs ever!

It was also cool to see Sheldon and Greenamyer battle, that must of been one Darryl's last races in Conquest I?

[Samuel]

Re: Mojave 1975 The Super Race- Video

That was really fun to watch, Miss Candace was definitely one of the best looking mustangs ever!

It was also cool to see Sheldon and Greenamyer battle, that must of been one Darryl's last races in Conquest I?

That Bearcat battle was epic!

[Big_Jim]

Re: Mojave 1975 The Super Race- Video

That was really fun to watch, Miss Candace was definitely one of the best looking mustangs ever!

It was also cool to see Sheldon and Greenamyer battle, that must of been one Darryl's last races in Conquest I?

Yes. He was top qualifier at Reno three months later, but he had a prop governor fail on takeoff for the championship race and didn't run....and since in 1975 they only had three total Unlimited races--Bronze Friday, Silver Saturday, and Gold Sunday--he did not complete any race laps.