Tunica

[speeddemon]

Re: Tunica

It CAN happen. Anyone remember the Kansas City races back in '93? They seemed to be 'thrown together' pretty quickly by ARL, and they were able to put together a pretty good show. Even got ESPN to broadcast it.

Of course, like so many other venues of the past, they disappeared, never to be seen again.

But it can be done.

[ShermB]

Re: Tunica

Richland did it in four months in 1985, with the able and willing members of NAG to give them guidance. Even had Sandy Sanders and Bob Hoover, not to mention then JoAnn Notke and a few other "names", and we did it very low budget. Of course 1986 was a horse of another color.
Betty

[Ron101502]

Re: Tunica

That's my point-they all disappear.

Ron

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Tunica

If you hold an Air Race they will come!
More racing can be a very good thing...

Well, since this is beginning to look like it actually will happen, I've begun to try to figure the least expensive way to get my tail out there.

I think I'll be fine for travel by then, so the question becomes.. fly to Memphis and drive 50 miles or so or, save almost a hundred bucks on airfaire and fly to Little Rock AK and drive 150 miles or so...

Neal, are you actually going to be making it?

Birgitta too? Where you planning on staying?

So many arrangements... so little time..

[Hawkeye]

Re: Tunica

The promoter has to "show me the money" before many racers will show up.

Keep our fingers crossed.

Hawkeye

[Ron101502]

Re: Tunica

They will need either a letter of credit or an escrow fund with the cash already on deposit before any unlimiteds would show up, I would think.
And anybody who has been around the airshow business for any length of time know the only ones that survive year after year are the ones with all bills paid in full BEFORE the first ticket is sold. If an airshow relies on ticket sales to pay the bills they'll never make it long term.

Ron Henning

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Tunica

They will need either a letter of credit or an escrow fund with the cash already on deposit before any unlimiteds would show up, I would think.

I was DEAD set against making plans to go to this "event" and finally, I fell into the "hype" if that's what it turns out to be anyway....

If I go, it will tear a huge hole in my budget for the year.. and if I don't go and it's a good event, then I'll never forgive myself.. If I go and it turns into a non-event, then I'll never forgive myself...

Aaarguh! Memphis would have to be one of the more spendy places to fly!

I've got some time, I'm gonna have to make some phone calls before I make any reservations.

[T. Adams]

Re: Tunica

I keep thinking the same thing, go, then don't go. I am a little better off since I can drive, and make it in one day.

It's a hell of a long drive if it turns out to be a dud, though!!

[Kevin L]

Re: Tunica

Wayne,

Little Rock, AR is only a 2.5 hour drive from Tunica. You might see what the price of flying in there is. I'm sure you would be getting a rental car anyway. The drive is flat and boring, except for the occasional crop duster show.

I have driven to Memphis before to get a cheaper flight going east, but it seems that Little Rock has been cheaper flying west. Go figure.

Kevin

[Ron101502]

Re: Tunica

If you guys can't make it, maybe I can "volunteer" to be some sort of web-based reporter as I'm reasonably sure I can get the time off and only live 1 hour away. I'm no photographer but I have a digital camera that can upload photos.

Let me know if I can help. Will know for sure if I can do this NLT May 15, which is when our June work schedules come out. Kind of short notice, I know, but keep it in mind as an "emergency" procedure to keep all on this forum up to date when-and if-they pull this off. Would hate to see the race actually happen and have no pics or reporting on the web.

Ron Henning

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Tunica

Ron,

May take you up on that buddy! I am SO torn about what to do... not to dig back into my problem with the big "C" from last year but... I'm still in recovery mode, I just FINALLY got my throat stretched yesterday, so I am beginning to be able to eat by the normal god given route again... <!> but I still tire pretty easily..

In November when I went to Nellis, I not only looked like death warmed over... I really felt like it! I'd not had any idea of how hard it would be to get my load of stuff through an airport but it was really hard..

Difficulty not withstanding, the expense of going will be a killer.. As you can tell from some of our coverage in years past, I traveled a lot for a few years.. doing Oshkosh a couple of years and Sun n Fun for three I think.... several trips to California and the like.. anyway, bottom line, I'm now trying to dig out of the credit card debt from those travels and some other, rather unfortunate, expenditures... so.. NOT going would be really good in a lot of ways..

On the other hand.. Dang man, if there's gonna be racin' I wanna be there!

I'd also like to see some of my friends again! At Nellis, everyone I met with had that "gee Wayne, looks like this might be the last time I see you" look in their eye when I saw them... looking back at a few photos that I allowed of me during that time tells me why everyone looked that way.. Man, I looked every bit the cadaver walking and I would love for everyone to see me now! Hair's back, moustache is back and now, I'm finally able to eat (a little bit at a time for now) again!!!

Kevin,

I looked into the Little Rock thing and as odd as it seems, it is cheaper to fly there from here.. Would seem to me that Memphis would be somewhat cheaper being larger than Little Rock, as well as a more popular destination but it sure is not!

I can get to Memphis pretty cheap if I leave on a tuesday on both ends but that puts me in Tunica for an entire week.. Now, Reno is fine for a week and I normally do 10 days there but it gets really spendy and I just can't afford more than about 4-5 days on this trip.. so it's going to be Little Rock I think.

If I go that is.........

And, if Tunica is going to put on a race, I guess we, as fans, owe it to them to do our part to make it work, if that can be done..

Watch for more info on the site as June draws nearer. I've yet to contact the promotors of the event and need to get more info if possible.. Such as... who, if anyone has "inked" coming. There are a few who would be pretty certain, Ron, Doc and a few others but... if nobody from the west coast goes... won't be much of a showing methinks..

Anyway...

Certainly gives us all more to think about ey!

Wayne
oops.. forgot my sig...

[Ron101502]

Re: Tunica

Wayne- Just saw one of our retired pilots the other day who had a similar operation-checked himself out of the hospital 10 days early and was only able to eat lettuce and stuff, but other than being really thin he looked and sounded good. I just checked the Grand Casino Tunica web site- room starting June 1 for 4 days is $139.00. Didn't check Sams Town, Gold Strike, Sheraton, Fitzgeralds, Ballys, Hollywood, Horseshoe, or any of the others that total 8000 or so hotel rooms in Tunica. But maybe some cheaper deals are available. Haven't cleared it with my wife but as far as I'm concerned you could crash here in Collierville if you want but you'd probably spend $139 in gas going back and forth an hour or more each way everyday. Unless you want to drive my Syclone-guranteed fast off the stop light but may quit at any time!

Anybody out there let me know if I can help because as far as I can see I live closer than anyone else to Tunica. Checking around airshow circles, I still can't find out who Jeff Landers or Debra Sommer are. Anybody know anything about these folks (like, what do they know about the FAA, insurance, ASCAP/BMI, beer board, health department, corvus oil, ADI/Water , crash/rescue regulations, medevac chopper availabily/cost, local sheriffs department overtime rules, I could go on for 5 pages on stuff I never knew I'd have to deal with to put on an airshow, let alone a race).

Ron Henning

[Andog62]

Re: Tunica

Ron,

What a pessimist, Good for Jeff, the Tunica CVB, the Tunica Airport Commission, the different classes, the interested fans and sponsors.... Just because you dont' know the guy doesn't mean they don't know what there doing.... All the groups above have there own interests to protect plus the general interest of a successful event to help the industry and all invloved grow.... Call or email the guy if you have questions or if you can help. I'm sure he and others would love to hear from folks that can help create a win win situation... And why bash the attempt to do it, how long has it been since the last attempt or completed Unlimited race other than Reno? There's nothing wrong about being a naysayer, but base it on some facts.....

[Smee Again]

Re: Tunica

You want facts? Okay, how about these: Mojave, Homestead, Denver, San Francisco, Kansas City, Sherman, Phoenix... need any more? I think Ron is being more of a realist than a pessimist, and ALL other venues that have tried and ultimately failed are proof of that. The fact is, Reno has been the only enduring venue for Unlimited air racing in modern history... period. That's not to say that Tunica cannot or will not prove to be a lasting success, but history has shown that to be unlikely at best.

My first thought on the Tunica thing is this: Why not put on a Nellis-type demo Unlimited race to first see just what kind of interest it might generate? Then the promoters, pilots, spectators and most importantly, the sponsors, would have more of an idea of what it will take to make the event a full-blown air race. This would also give them time to work out all the logistical issues and tackle any unforseen problems which may arise. It just seems to me that diving in head first with such an enormous undertaking is a questionable strategy for such a fragile sport as Unlimited air racing.

I believe it was Wingman who said, "If you hold it, they will come". True enough. However, if you blow it, they won't come back. I, for one, believe Ron's concerns to be quite legitimate. MHO...

[Andog62]

Re: Tunica

Like I said, there are no facts out on the event and you condemn the groups without any information, that is what is annoying. Yeah is a major undertaking but you have no facts...