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  • NARA Patch Question

    Picked this up recently , and I am just wondering what era it is from I am going to guess 80's early 90's ?

    Click image for larger version

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ID:	242017

    Robert
    " Aloha Raptor "

    Thanks V.A.

  • #2
    Re: NARA Patch Question

    Big Jim will know. If he could give us a rundown of the eras for USARA and PRPA as well, that would be great!

    Jarrod

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: NARA Patch Question

      Does RARA issue a patch every year?
      Random Air Blog

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: NARA Patch Question

        Interesting patch! I am curious as to what year and such it is from.
        As it says, "NARA" instead of "NCAR".
        Waiting to hear from some one that knows.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: NARA Patch Question

          Originally posted by rje71 View Post
          Picked this up recently , and I am just wondering what era it is from I am going to guess 80's early 90's ?

          [ATTACH=CONFIG]21823[/ATTACH]

          Robert
          it was from 1977 of the early patches of NAG there is more about it i could asked my dad about it again
          Last edited by Shawn Aro; 10-22-2015, 11:13 AM.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: NARA Patch Question

            The National Air Racing Association (NARA) was a short-lived attempt to maintain an air racing umbrella organization after the meltdown of United States Air Racing Association (USARA).

            In the mid 1970's, USARA was plagued with significant internal dysfunction that had reached a point where the organization could not operate as an effective representative of the Air Racing divisions as it had for many years. After the 1976 Reno races, RARA stated they would no longer negotiate with USARA as it was then operating, going so far as to suggest they were considering ending the races and turning the event into a CAF style "Warbird" show. When it was apparent that racing at Reno for 1977 was in serious jeopardy, the Unlimited, T-6, the "racing" faction of F-1 (Cote, Parker, Wagner, Lemire, et-al) and the Associate membership divisions bolted USARA and formed NARA. The RARA management was receptive to the new group, which was able to negotiate and keep the races alive in 1977 and 1978. The only significant format change was the elimination of the Biplane class, which had elected to remain with USARA along with the "sport" faction of the F-1's. After the T-6 midair in 1978, RARA dropped them from the program as well. The 1979 event was Unlimited and F-1's only, and was the last year of NARA operation. Starting in 1980, the race classes chose to negotiate with RARA on an individual basis, eliminating the purpose of an umbrella organization. This arrangement has continued to the present day. The Biplanes returned that year, the reorganized T-6's a year later flying the current longer race course.

            As a side note, USARA was the renamed Professional Race Pilots Association (PRPA), which was founded just prior to WWII by Art Chester, Tony LeVier and others. The current Biplane organization has adopted the PRPA name for their group, including the original logo design.

            After the formation of NARA, the directors solicited logo designs from its membership. The winning design, as depicted on this patch, was by Don "Bucky" Dawson.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: NARA Patch Question

              Originally posted by Tosg View Post
              The National Air Racing Association (NARA) was a short-lived attempt to maintain an air racing umbrella organization after the meltdown of United States Air Racing Association (USARA).

              In the mid 1970's, USARA was plagued with significant internal dysfunction that had reached a point where the organization could not operate as an effective representative of the Air Racing divisions as it had for many years. After the 1976 Reno races, RARA stated they would no longer negotiate with USARA as it was then operating, going so far as to suggest they were considering ending the races and turning the event into a CAF style "Warbird" show. When it was apparent that racing at Reno for 1977 was in serious jeopardy, the Unlimited, T-6, the "racing" faction of F-1 (Cote, Parker, Wagner, Lemire, et-al) and the Associate membership divisions bolted USARA and formed NARA. The RARA management was receptive to the new group, which was able to negotiate and keep the races alive in 1977 and 1978. The only significant format change was the elimination of the Biplane class, which had elected to remain with USARA along with the "sport" faction of the F-1's. After the T-6 midair in 1978, RARA dropped them from the program as well. The 1979 event was Unlimited and F-1's only, and was the last year of NARA operation. Starting in 1980, the race classes chose to negotiate with RARA on an individual basis, eliminating the purpose of an umbrella organization. This arrangement has continued to the present day. The Biplanes returned that year, the reorganized T-6's a year later flying the current longer race course.

              As a side note, USARA was the renamed Professional Race Pilots Association (PRPA), which was founded just prior to WWII by Art Chester, Tony LeVier and others. The current Biplane organization has adopted the PRPA name for their group, including the original logo design.

              After the formation of NARA, the directors solicited logo designs from its membership. The winning design, as depicted on this patch, was by Don "Bucky" Dawson.

              I thought it was the split of PRPA in 1976 that resulted in the formation of NARA and USARA?

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: NARA Patch Question

                PRPA changed its name to USARA in 1975 to better reflect the makeup of the organization, it was much more than just a group of "Professional Race Pilots".

                USARA really went downhill after Lyle Shelton finished his term as president at the end of 1974 (1975?). The subsequent leadership did nothing to curb the increasing in-fighting amongst the divisions. Along with the strained relations with RARA, it was only a matter of time before it unraveled. After the split, it soldiered on for several years sanctioning several smaller events in Cleveland, Mexicali (Jon Sharp's first race) and Sturgis, KY amongst others. A multi-class race at Merced, CA was in the works, but never came about. USARA eventually went dormant until the Biplanes resurrected the PRPA name. As stated earlier, NARA was done by 1980.

                Interestingly, NAG started out as PRPA chapter 1 - Northern Area Group. It was comprised mostly of a serious group of enthusiasts in the San Francisco Bay area. The group at one time provided a complete turn-key staff of timing, scoring, pylon judges, flagging, etc. to support several of the events held starting in the late 1970's. NAG promoted the Lincoln, CA demo races and ran the California City racing seminars for USARA. Another group based out of Cleveland, the Eastern Region USARA, did similarly in the eastern US. Both of these groups did a fine job supporting and promoting air racing throughout the country. NAG survives today as the National Air-racing Group. I believe ER-USARA is still around, but mostly inactive.

                When USARA fell apart, NAG declared its independence and became a non-affiliated group. The remaining Associate membership division of USARA (mostly based in Southern California) lined up to support the formation of NARA.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: NARA Patch Question

                  National Air racing Group (NAG) is still active, however the Phoenix races were the last ones we sent an Officiating Team to teach the local promoters how to conduct a race. Many of the really old Pylon judges were trained by NAG. We still volunteer at Reno. The NAG Express prints and delivers the pairings and results for the races. RARA asked NAG to form the Docents group when they first started the school kid visits to the races. Most recently the NAG Docents man the info shack in the Pits and man the last Info booth on the ramp (behind the Reserved Grandstand) before the Pit Gate. This year there were not many kids in the Pits, but there were over 4,000 of them in the classrooms in the Heritage area.
                  NAG has an Annual Banquet at Franceso's in Oakland every March, to wich non-members are also welcome. The 2015 dinner featured the Stevo-Tiger show. The write-up is on page 1 of this Board, thanks to Wayne.
                  Betty

                  PS: Both groups are looking for new volunteers. Required to be a NAG member, however.
                  Dues are $15.00 per year, wich includes our Newsletter "Professional Airracing" and other perks.

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