Carl Swenson

[f1-69]

Our good buddy Carl Swenson past away , in his honor we have bought and are going to race Annie #17 this year , Carl raced if1 for 30 years, he is a hero of the sport and will be missed dearly

[Samuel]

Re: Carl Swenson

RIP. That is great you are bringing the plane back!

[Reever]

Re: Carl Swenson

RIP Mr. Swenson.

[Lockheed Bob]

Re: Carl Swenson

Blue Skies Carl Swenson.

[Nemesis]

Re: Carl Swenson

Hello,
Hearing about Carl makes for a sad day. Carl was and still is a WONDERFUL person and air racer. He was always smiling, always happy. If you never got to meet Carl words can’t really describe how nice of a guy he was. One of the things I like about him most, is, every evening he would pull out his fiddle and entertain the entire hanger his Texan twang singing. While playing he’d just be smiling ear to ear, because his music was upbeat, and happy. That was Carl to a “T”! Upbeat and happy. Carl was always looking for ways to make his plane better, and he did. Every year “Annie” was a bit better and faster than the year before. I can still see him working in the engine compartment, with his Ben Franklin reading glasses, sitting on nose. He be working away in there, and just smiling away. He really loved Air Racing, and his fiddle playin’. One more story if you would indulge me. One year we had brought these big long low rider bicycles to cruise around the pits. They were all painted up in Nemesis colors, pearl white, hot pink and blue, with”Nemesis” and Chase the Dream painted on them. Carl loved riding those around the pit area. Then there was the “hold my beer and watch this” moment. Cause he literally said “hold my beer and watch this”. Carl hopped up on the handle bar and began pedaling riding backwards. Well these bikes were very long about 8’. They were cool, but there were not very stable..... You see where this is going, So he’s on the handle bar, someone is holding his beer, and he’s trying to pedal this beast bike backward. He went about 10 feet, the bike and Carl went down. Carl got to laughing, apologized for wrecking our bike, asked for his beer back and walked back to workin’ on his plane. It was CLASSIC CARL! God rest his soul, you got a good fiddle player and Pilot up there, and he is no doubt smiling! God’s peace be with his family and friends.

Jon

[supercub]

Re: Carl Swenson

Jon........Thanks for sharing, nicely put. By the way, you're missed big time at Reno. Hope to see you return.

Brian

[f1-69]

Re: Carl Swenson

I've got an idea, I will let you fly it Jon , just come to prs and it's a done deal

[Nemesis]

Re: Carl Swenson

f1-69,
You are to kind and Thank you for the thought! Not sure I could handle a Cassutt....... They are really fun, and Thank you! So the old retired guy has one more little story. After the Jimmy Leeward tragedy, I was on a committee to see what could be done to help that from happening in the future. One of the things that this committee came up with is requiring a Class II medical. As a kidney transplant recipient, from my WONDERFUL wife Patricia God Bless her, a recipient can't get a Class II, only a III. After 30+ years of Reno pylon polishing, we had already decided to retire after 2009. I am able to maintain a Class III and did the Thunder Over Moriarty Record runs in 2015. So very kind to of you to offer, but applaud you for carrying on for Carl! That is a GREAT airplane and you'll have fun with it! Well Done! We wish you the best of luck, and holler if we can help you to go better.

Jon

[Samuel]

Re: Carl Swenson

I've got an idea, I will let you fly it Jon , just come to prs and it's a done deal

Now that would be awesome!

[Shawn Aro]

Re: Carl Swenson

Hello,
Hearing about Carl makes for a sad day. Carl was and still is a WONDERFUL person and air racer. He was always smiling, always happy. If you never got to meet Carl words can’t really describe how nice of a guy he was. One of the things I like about him most, is, every evening he would pull out his fiddle and entertain the entire hanger his Texan twang singing. While playing he’d just be smiling ear to ear, because his music was upbeat, and happy. That was Carl to a “T”! Upbeat and happy. Carl was always looking for ways to make his plane better, and he did. Every year “Annie” was a bit better and faster than the year before. I can still see him working in the engine compartment, with his Ben Franklin reading glasses, sitting on nose. He be working away in there, and just smiling away. He really loved Air Racing, and his fiddle playin’. One more story if you would indulge me. One year we had brought these big long low rider bicycles to cruise around the pits. They were all painted up in Nemesis colors, pearl white, hot pink and blue, with”Nemesis” and Chase the Dream painted on them. Carl loved riding those around the pit area. Then there was the “hold my beer and watch this” moment. Cause he literally said “hold my beer and watch this”. Carl hopped up on the handle bar and began pedaling riding backwards. Well these bikes were very long about 8’. They were cool, but there were not very stable..... You see where this is going, So he’s on the handle bar, someone is holding his beer, and he’s trying to pedal this beast bike backward. He went about 10 feet, the bike and Carl went down. Carl got to laughing, apologized for wrecking our bike, asked for his beer back and walked back to workin’ on his plane. It was CLASSIC CARL! God rest his soul, you got a good fiddle player and Pilot up there, and he is no doubt smiling! God’s peace be with his family and friends.

Jon

very nice storys

[Guest]

Re: Carl Swenson

Hello,
Hearing about Carl makes for a sad day. Carl was and still is a WONDERFUL person and air racer. He was always smiling, always happy. If you never got to meet Carl words can’t really describe how nice of a guy he was. One of the things I like about him most, is, every evening he would pull out his fiddle and entertain the entire hanger his Texan twang singing. While playing he’d just be smiling ear to ear, because his music was upbeat, and happy. That was Carl to a “T”! Upbeat and happy. Carl was always looking for ways to make his plane better, and he did. Every year “Annie” was a bit better and faster than the year before. I can still see him working in the engine compartment, with his Ben Franklin reading glasses, sitting on nose. He be working away in there, and just smiling away. He really loved Air Racing, and his fiddle playin’. One more story if you would indulge me. One year we had brought these big long low rider bicycles to cruise around the pits. They were all painted up in Nemesis colors, pearl white, hot pink and blue, with”Nemesis” and Chase the Dream painted on them. Carl loved riding those around the pit area. Then there was the “hold my beer and watch this” moment. Cause he literally said “hold my beer and watch this”. Carl hopped up on the handle bar and began pedaling riding backwards. Well these bikes were very long about 8’. They were cool, but there were not very stable..... You see where this is going, So he’s on the handle bar, someone is holding his beer, and he’s trying to pedal this beast bike backward. He went about 10 feet, the bike and Carl went down. Carl got to laughing, apologized for wrecking our bike, asked for his beer back and walked back to workin’ on his plane. It was CLASSIC CARL! God rest his soul, you got a good fiddle player and Pilot up there, and he is no doubt smiling! God’s peace be with his family and friends.

Jon

That...Ladies and Gentlemen...is EXACTLY why we meet in the high desert outside Reno every September. (Drop the mic here)...