As the National Championship Air Races settle into their new home in Roswell, NM, a chorus of online commentators has begun asking the same question: “If the races moved, why hasn’t the Reno Air Racing Association changed its name to the Roswell Air Racing Association?”
It’s a fair question — but the answer is far more practical, strategic, and future-focused than many realize.
- RARA Is a Federally Recognized 501(c)(3) — and Changing the Name Isn’t Simple
The Reno Air Racing Association is a long-standing 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Changing the legal name of a nonprofit corporation involves more than swapping out stationery:
- Formal amendments to articles of incorporation
- Refiling with the IRS and state authorities
- Potential delays or complications in grant eligibility, banking, and legacy donor agreements
- Brand continuity issues tied to nearly 60 years of history
In short: a legal name change for a 501(c)(3) is a major undertaking with significant administrative consequences. For an organization currently focused on rebuilding the National Championship Air Races in a new location, the time and cost simply do not offer meaningful benefit.
- RARA’s Home Office Is Still in Reno — by Design
Although the air races have moved to Roswell, the Reno Air Racing Association continues to operate from Reno for a reason: infrastructure.
RARA’s staff, organizational systems, administrative records, financial management, and decades-deep community partnerships are all based in Reno. This is the headquarters — the operational center of gravity.
There is no requirement that a nonprofit’s name match the location of a particular event it produces. Many national event organizations maintain headquarters in one city while operating major events in others.
RARA is no different.
- RARA Manages More Than Just One Event — Including Future NCAR-Sanctioned Races Across the U.S.
One of the biggest misunderstandings online is the belief that “RARA” must correspond to a single city. In reality, RARA is the managing entity for the National Championship Air Races, not a local Roswell-only organization.
Yes, NCAR has relocated to Roswell — but RARA’s scope is expanding, not shrinking.
Plans are already underway for additional NCAR-sanctioned aviation and racing events in other parts of the country, including emerging opportunities in states such as Kentucky. These events will all be managed by RARA from its Reno headquarters, just as many companies operate events, franchises, or divisions nationwide while retaining their original corporate name. Indeed, just last year the organization put on the first ever airshow-only event in Reno – The Reno Airshow.
Changing the organization’s name to match one host city would undermine the national vision that is unfolding.
- The “Reno Air Racing Association” Name Honors a Legacy — While Supporting a National Future
The name RARA carries nearly 60 years of history, achievement, and goodwill. It represents:
- The birthplace of modern air racing
- The community that sustained the sport for decades
- The organizational stewardship that continues to guide NCAR today
Roswell has become the exciting new home of the National Championship Air Races, but the organization behind those races — the Reno Air Racing Association — maintains its identity because that identity is bigger than any one location.
And that’s exactly what allows air racing to grow.
In Summary
RARA has not changed its name because:
- A 501(c)(3) legal name change is complex, costly, and unnecessary.
- The organization’s home office and administrative core remain in Reno.
- RARA manages national-level events, including future NCAR-sanctioned races beyond Roswell.
- Its name represents a legacy and brand that extends far beyond a geographic label.
The National Championship Air Races now soar over Roswell — and soon, perhaps other cities as well — but the Reno Air Racing Association remains the stable, experienced, nationally capable organization that makes it all possible.
The name hasn’t changed because the mission hasn’t changed: to preserve and grow the world’s fastest motorsport for generations to come.
