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Formula 1: A request for Yakdriver

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  • Formula 1: A request for Yakdriver

    Whatever happens on Sunday, would you ask Lowell if he'd be willing to come to AAFO some time after Reno and discuss his experience with Fraed Not? As I remember it first came to Reno in 2013 and was fast right out of the box, but not like this. I'd love to hear what has changed (more than engine?) and what he thinks the builder got right, or not...

    Neal

  • #2
    Re: Formula 1: A request for Yakdriver

    I'll put you in touch with him. I met Lowell in 1982 and even then he talked about wanting to get a Formula One racer. At that time he was flying crop dusters. He had just finished an Acroduster II and let me fly it whenever I wanted to. He then flew a DC-4 fire bomber a couple of seasons then flew air freight in Convairs, DC-4, DC-6, and DC-8. Went back to firebombers and flew Neptunes Seats on wheels and now a Fireboss. Next year he will probably be in a BAC 146. Lowell did a LOT of work and modifications on the airplane. Lowell flew it in 2013 and got 4th. Justin Phillipson flew it in 2014 and got 3rd. Lowell had engines built by other engine guys those two years and the race engines didn't work at all and it was flown on a stone stock engine he had put together to do all the fly off time. He got tired of not getting any results and built up this engine himself. He probably has the lowest cost engine in the field and the only time it has on it is what he has done this week. Hell it's still on the break in oil. If everything works Sunday I think we will have a new F1 champ. Don

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    • #3
      Re: Formula 1: A request for Yakdriver

      Thanks for the information, Don. I'm really impressed with what Lowell and crew have accomplished here. It's an amazing effort and proof that hard work does pay off sometimes. High end Formula 1 is a really competitive place. Few have ever raced over 250 mph, and hardly anybody has ever done it consistently.

      Good luck tomorrow! Lowell is already one of the great stories of Reno 2016, and taking the Gold tomorrow would be a great ending.

      Neal

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