RENO, Nev.(November 23, 2021) – The Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) announced today that initial reporting indicates a successful return of the STIHL National Championship Air Races in 2021 after being forced to shutter in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Board Chairman and CEO Fred Telling is optimistic about the results of the storied contest. “I am pleased to report that we had a successful 57th STIHL National Championship Air Races,” he said in a recent statement. “From the standpoint of safety, we had no incidents or accidents, and from the financial side we were able to cover our expenses and start to move beyond the ravages of the pandemic. Our outlook is positive, and we have identified a number of opportunities to improve our operations and help us generate revenue to build for 2022 and beyond.”
Telling reported that the organization is launching several initiatives in a campaign called Racing for the Future.
Building on one of the major elements that led to the success of its 2020 Save the Races donation campaign, Telling announced that first component of Racing for the Future will be RARA’s Flight Training Scholarship program. Assisted by a matching grant from the Ray Foundation, RARA has set aside funds that will support training for up to 10 students to complete their private pilot’s license.
“We are continuing our commitment to increase the value of the STIHL National Championship Air Races by utilizing its history and influence to jump-start aviation careers for young people,” he said. “We are building on the success of our STEM Education program to provide education and training support in aviation. In doing so, we hope to extend our connection to our community beyond our annual week of air racing in September.”
In another element of the Racing for the Future campaign, RARA will be releasing not only short recaps of its livestream content, but also introducing Reno Air Race Rewind, a series of online videos that recap the 2021 STIHL National Championship Air Races with added behind the scenes footage and interviews not seen on the livestream during the races. Each of the seven race classes will have three to five videos that show exciting footage from the races coupled with the new footage added to take fans behind the scenes with the aircraft and race teams.
Racing for the Future will also incorporate revised sponsorships that include year-round visibility and marketing opportunities for companies wishing to support RARA while gaining valuable visibility and brand presence from these new initiatives. Across all initiatives, social media and more real-time, direct communication with fans will play a major role in keeping the momentum up and content fresh.
Following the successful Save the Races donation campaign in 2020, RARA is shifting focus to preserving the future of the iconic event, encouraging expanded philanthropy by giving donors several new options. Telling hopes that by adding education and training support, people will find a donation selection that is consistent with their sense of what is important.
By adding education programs and creating year-round focus on the Air Races, Telling feels that RARA will be able to create a more diverse and engaged fan base, and when September finally arrives, many new faces will come to Reno to see it in person.
“We’re evolving by creating content that celebrates our history while engaging a broader audience year-round,” he said. “We’ll increase our relevance, which will help secure our future.”
The 58th STIHL National Championship Air Races are scheduled for September 14-18, 2022.
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About the STIHL National Championship Air Races The STIHL National Championship Air Races are held every September just north of Reno by the Reno Air Racing Association, a 501(c)(3). The event has become an institution for Northern Nevada and aviation enthusiasts from around the world with seven racing classes, a large display of static aircraft and several military and civilian flight demonstrations. Independent economic impact studies show that the event generates as much as $100 million annually for the local economy. For more information on the STIHL National Championship Air Races, visit AirRace.org.
RENO, Nev. (November 22, 2021) – After more than 18 months of working closely with the teams at Microsoft and Asobo, the Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) celebrates the release of the Microsoft Flight Simulator: Reno Air Races expansion.
“We are thrilled that Reno Air Races is the first large expansion of Microsoft Flight Simulator. Microsoft’s commitment to realism and accuracy is quite impressive, and it shows in the final product,” said Tony Logoteta, COO of the Reno Air Racing Association. “We’re so thankful for the pilots and owners who contributed to make this possible. This partnership brings amazing benefits in the form of marketing and exposure to our organization, event partners and the Reno-Tahoe market.”
For more than a year and a half, Microsoft and RARA worked with race teams and aircraft owners who volunteered their time to help with the project.
“It’s been a great honor to work with all of these amazing pilots, to listen to their captivating stories, to have access to dozens of the world’s most famous racing aircraft and to bring the thrill and excitement of the fastest motorsport on earth to our simulation platform and to millions of flight simmers worldwide.” – Jorg Neumann, Head of Microsoft Flight Simulator.
“It is incredible how accurately Microsoft Flight Simulator depicts the excitement of the real world Air Races and we are excited to reach a completely new audience and inspire millions of young people to explore the field of aviation and maybe one day race here in Reno,” said Logoteta.
The STIHL National Championship Air Races, aka Reno Air Races, is held annually every September just north of Reno. The event has become an institution for Northern Nevada and aviation enthusiasts from around the world with seven racing classes, a large display of static aircraft and several military and civilian flight demonstrations.
The 58th STIHL National Championship Air Races will return to Northern Nevada Sept. 14-18, 2022. More information about volunteering, donating, attending, scholarship information and more can be found at airrace.org.
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About the STIHL National Championship Air Races The STIHL National Championship Air Races are held every September just north of Reno by the Reno Air Racing Association, a 501(c)(3). The event has become an institution for Northern Nevada and aviation enthusiasts from around the world with seven racing classes, a large display of static aircraft and several military and civilian flight demonstrations. Independent economic impact studies show that the event generates as much as $100 million annually for the local economy. For more information on the National Championship Air Races, visit AirRace.org.
RENO, Nev. (September 16, 2021) – The Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) is pleased to announce its inaugural Flight Training Scholarship (FTS) Program in conjunction with this year’s 57th STIHL National Championship Air Races and Airshow. Supported by a grant from the Ray Foundation, Inc., the program will provide up to ten scholarships initially to students.
In addition to legendary racing, RARA is proud to be home to one of the largest STEM Education Discovery Zones in the country to inspire youth. In 2019, more than 7,200 school-aged children were introduced to the wonder of aviation through the exhibit’s STEM-based learning projects. Sponsored by The Global Robot and Drone Deployment (GRADD) and the Nevada Business Aviation Association (NVBAA), this very successful program begun in 2015 returns to the 2021 STIHL National Championship Air Races.
This year, RARA will extend the scope of its education programming by offering full private pilot flight training scholarships to students ages 15-19. Supported by a grant from the Ray Foundation, Inc., the program will provide up to ten scholarships initially to students who qualify through a thorough application process. The scholarship will be awarded in two parts; the first phase will fund the student up through their first solo flight, and the balance will be awarded once the solo and FAA written exam have been successfully completed. The student can then complete the requirements and final FAA check-ride to achieve their private pilot’s license.
“We’ve had great feedback and engagement from our local community regarding our STEM Education initiatives,” said Fred Telling, CEO of RARA. “Adding flight training scholarships to our offering moves us beyond just inspiration at the annual STIHL National Championship Air Races and into providing substantial education resources to young people year-round.”
The application window is expected to begin Nov. 1, 2021, and run through Jan. 15, 2022, during which each application received will be screened for completion, accuracy and qualification. Qualified applicants will then be interviewed, and the final awards will be announced in March 2022. The scholarship program was officially announced during the STIHL National Championship Air Races opening ceremonies on Sept. 16, 2021.
“We intend this to be the first of an annual scholarship offering, and plan to expand the program as our experience and participation grow,” said Telling.
More information on the scholarship will be available soon at www.airrace.org.
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About the STIHL National Championship Air Races The STIHL National Championship Air Races are held every September just north of Reno by the Reno Air Racing Association, a 501(c)(3). The event has become an institution for Northern Nevada and aviation enthusiasts from around the world with seven racing classes, a large display of static aircraft and several military and civilian flight demonstrations. Independent economic impact studies show that the event generates as much as $100 million annually for the local economy. For more information on the National Championship Air Races, visit AirRace.org.
RENO, Nev. (August 12, 2021) – The field is set for this year’s STIHL National Championship Air Races with 145 planes and 155 pilots racing for glory Sept. 15-19 just north of downtown Reno, Nev.
Hours of preparation, certification and practice brings one of the largest fields of racers to the outdoor event. This year is the first year the field includes the event’s newest racing class, STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) Drag, with an impressive 25 competitors looking to take home the first championship in the sport that has become a social media phenomenon.
While the core of the event boasts the world’s fastest motorsport with seven race classes going head-to-head at speeds often exceeding 500 mph, the Reno Air Races also features an impressive air show as well as on-ground displays, competitions and vendors.
Fans will see demonstrations by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey, F-35A Lightning II, Tucker’s Air Patrol and Jim Peitz Aerosports. On the ground fans will get to experience the National Aviation Heritage Invitation, the GRADD-NVBAA STEM Education Discovery Zone and the racing pits, an aviation fan favorite.
2021 Pilots and Planes
Unlimited
0
Spam Can
John Maloney
2
Goldfinger
John Michael Brown
4
Sweet and lovely
Jeff LaVelle
6
Shanty Irish
John J. Dowd, Jr.
8
Dreadnought
Joel Swager
11
Miss America
Brent Hisey
31
Speedball Alice
Dan Vance
41
Lady B
Michael Kelly Pfleger
44
Blondie
Brant Seghetti
55
Man O’ War
Ken Gottschall
62
BUNNY
Tom Nightingale
63
Pretty Polly
Patrick Nightingale
81
Wee Willy II
Rob Patterson
114
Argonaut
Sherman G. Smoot
924
924G
Dennis Sanders
PACE
Pace
Steve Hinton
Alternate pilots not already flying
Mark Watt
Mark Moodie
JET
1
Athena
Robert McCormack
3
Pole Dancer
J. Kevin Roll
6
Sluggo
Joe Gano
8
Race 8
David Sterling
11
Ivan
Jerry Kerby
19
Blue Ice
Charlie Camilleri
24
Just Lucky
Peter A. Zaccagnino
29
Ballista
Aaron Hogue
35
Race 35
Michael Wayne McCauley
37
Red Thunder
Alexandre Eckmann
38
Bandit
Scott Farnsworth
54
Robin 1
Jeff Turney
61
Miss Independence
Joseph Swindel
73
Subito
Cyrill Wipfli
77
Viper
Peter Stravrides
83
Race 83
Scott Farnsworth
84
Tumbling Goose
Scott Gusakov
139
DarkStar
Dianna Stanger
555
Phoenix
Mark Johnson “Magic”
777
Red Thunder II
Alexandre Eckmann
PACE
Pace 1
Jay Obernolte
PACE
Pace 2
J. Kevin Roll
PACE
Pace 3
Malte Bruegmann
Alternate pilots not already flying
Michael Steiger
Phill Fogg
Biplane
3
Smokin’ Hot
Sam Swift
6
Miss Dianne
Rob Caster
10
Bad MoJo
Jake Stewart
13
Miss Gianna
Jeffrey Lo
17
Yellow Fever
Eric Zine
18
RB Special
John A. D’Alessandris
22
Nice and EZ
Nicholas Kellikidis
23
Red Squirrel
Tom Marden
25
Shake N’ Bake
Tommy Suell
33
Black Hawk
Anthony Oshinuga
40
Gone Full Boogie
Michael W. Stewart
66
Second Hand
Scott Thomson
69
The Yellow Bomber
Marie-Claire LaBerge
76
Rudolf
Dave Holmgren
84
Panther
Alan D. Hoover
247
Slow Roll
Scott McDonald
314
Red Ryder
Scott Prewitt
11X
Red Lady
Robert Schmidle
7X
Racer X
Patrick McGarry
Alternate pilots not already flying
David Roelofs
Kevin Harper
Formula 1
9
Outlaw
Scott Holmes
11
Endeavor
Steve Senegal
20
Never Easy
Vernon Robert Austen
27
Once More
Kent S. Jackson
34
Limitless
Justin Meaders
39
Monkey Ninja
Jake Speidel
48
The Atomic Pumpkin
Blaire Hamilton
52
Feisty
Steve Temple
54
Miss Min
James L. Jordan
57
Heat Stroke
Carl Robinson
72
The ACME Special
Matt Moore
74
Phat Ass Cass
Shaun Milke
79
No Strings Attached
Justin Phillipson
81
Sleeper
Swaid Lamar Rahn
96
iLikeCake
Justin Inman
121
Outatime
Eric Dienst
Alternate pilots not already flying
Mathew Hughes
Sport
2
Modo Mio
Vince Walker
3
Mojo
Sean E. VanHatten
15
Lucky Girl
Vicky Benzing
22
Greenstreak
Richard Vandam
24
Race 24
Jim Rust
26
Race 26
Robert L. Swortzel
28
Coming In Hot
Peter A. Zaccagnino
30
One Moment
Andrew Findlay
31
Tenacity
Mark Frederickson
34
White Lightning
John Flanagan
35
Racing Rivets
Shawn Jordan
36
Race 36
Paul Downing
39
Race 39
Jeff Lavelle
42
Relentless
Kevin Eldredge
49
Rocket 6
Bob Mills
54
Navy 8
Chris McMillian
56
Bad Dingo
George Catalano
60
Miss’d Tuesday
Delton (Dee) Child
66
Jus Pass’n Thru
Ernie O. Sutter
67
Swiss Thunder
Peter Balmer
68
Wasabinought
Elliot Seguin
76
Race 76
Jason Rovey
80
Miss Ruby S
Skylor Piper
90
Breathless
Conrad Huffstutler
91
Breaking Wind
Ryan Moran
92
Summer Hawk
David Robinson
99
Martins Legacy
Dave Morss
101
General Lee
Lee Ulrich
130
Zebulon
Olivier Langeard
151
Clas Thunder I
Mathias Haid
181
GA1
Karl Grove
270
Whiskey Tango
Dan West
314
Phantom Rocket
Scott Prewitt
611
Ramp Rat’s Ride
Joe Coraggio
777
Guardian Angel
Matt Ramsey
888
Triple Eight
Neil Wischer
12 PACE
Taylor Made
Mark Frederick
PACE #69
Pace 69
Malte Bruegmann
Alternate pilots not already flying
James Stringer
STOL
2
Bush Air
Milne “CC” Pocock
3
Lawn Mower III
Harold Stockman
03
The Dirty Bird
Jeffery Pohl
4
STOLFox
Bryan Bowen
7
Skywagon
Kurt Leaders
11
Grasshopper
David Kerley
16
MAGA
William “Butch” V. Kingston
17
Race 17
Kevin Sloane
21
Race 21
Kevin Palmer
22
The Beast
Jeff Whiteley
30
Texian
“Corey” Slone
43
Doc
Collin Caneva
44
Yee Haw 6
Steve Henry
46
G Wagon
Warren Grobberlaar
48
Devil Girl
Eddie Sanches
53
Race 53
Joseph “Joe” Dory
56
Sarge
Toby Ashley
62
The Dog
Austin Clemens
69
Doodle Clipper
Katie Waito
73
Race 73
Tim Schelhorn
80
ECHO
William “Bo” Ellis
85
Honey Badger
Cathy Page
88
Hard Liquor
Nat Esser
94
Super Cub
Rick Boardman
99
Hot Rod
Kyle Moses
T-6
2
Bare Essentials
Chris LeFave
4
Race 4
Michael Kelly Pfleger
5
Big Red
Gordo Sanders
6
Six-Cat
Nick S. Macy
14
Barons Revenge
Chris Rushing
25
Vicarious
Jason Karlin
43
Midnight Miss III
Joel Stinnett
49
Miss Ellaneous
Bill Muszala
50
Abracadabra
Vitaly Pecherskyy
66
Gunslinger
Vic McMann
69
Eros
Lee Oman
73
Miss Humboldt Hunny
Loren Marburg
88
Radial Velocity
John S. Lohmar
90
Race 90
Greg McNeely
PACE
PACE 1
Rob Sandberg
Alternate pilots not already flying
Gene McNeely
Rick Siegfried
*Racer list is subject to change. **Italicized and bolded entries are 2019 Gold Champions. Plane and pilot may be different this year or 2019 champion may not be in the field.
Qualifying begins Monday, Sept. 13 and racing begins Wednesday, Sept. 15. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling 1-800-514-3849 ahead of the event. For rolled over or renewed tickets please see the FAQ on the website. For more information, visit AirRace.org.
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About the National Championship Air Races The National Championship Air Races are held every September just north of Reno by the Reno Air Racing Association, a 501(c)(3). The event has become an institution for Northern Nevada and aviation enthusiasts from around the world with seven racing classes, a large display of static aircraft and several military and civilian flight demonstrations. Independent economic impact studies show that the event generates as much as $100 million annually for the local economy. For more information on the National Championship Air Races, visit AirRace.org.
RENO, Nev. (Aug. 9, 2021) – The STIHL National Championship Air Races and the National Aviation Heritage Invitational (NAHI) are proud to announce that Wings of Hope will sponsor this year’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy trophy at the invitational event held Sept. 15-19.
“We are thrilled to have Wings of Hope join us this year as we usher in the 2021 National Aviation Heritage Invitational,” said Ken Perich, Chairman and Executive Director of NAHI. “With such an honorable mission their sponsorship means a great deal.”
Wings of Hope is a global humanitarian nonprofit organization saving lives through the power of aviation. The organization helps the world’s most vulnerable communities using their wings to connect people to invaluable resources.
“Like the Reno Air Races, Wings of Hope began in the early 1960s. Over that time, we have flown humanitarian missions in more than 50 countries. Today, we are incredibly honored to partner with the National Aviation Heritage Invitational and the Reno Air Races to recognize the best contemporary aircraft in this competition with the presentation of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Trophy,” said Bret Heinrich, President and CEO, Wings of Hope.
Wings of Hope will be sponsoring the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy trophy awarded to the best contemporary aircraft. The trophy will be presented by the nonprofit’s president and CEO, Bret Heinrich.
For details on eligibility, judging criteria and to complete the entry application for the National Aviation Heritage Invitational please visit the website: www.heritagetrophy.com. Applications for entry in the 20th annual Invitational must be submitted online no later than Aug. 15, 2021. Each aircraft may only be entered in one category, which must be declared on the application form.
RENO, Nev. (August 5, 2021) – The STIHL National Championship Air Races will feature a demonstration by one of the world’s most unique aircraft – the U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey. Part plane part helicopter, the Osprey has vertical takeoff and landing as well as short takeoff and landing capabilities. With an impressive show planned the Reno Air Racing Association also announced online ticket discounts for locals.
“Our community has been so incredible over the last year and we are honored to bring back Military Appreciation Day and introduce some new discounts for residents,” said Tony Logoteta, COO of the Reno Air Racing Association. “The last year and a half has been tough on everyone. We are looking forward to getting our September Family together again and hope to introduce new fans to this thrilling one-of-a-kind event.”
Active duty and veteran military members will receive free admission on Friday, Sept. 17 for Military Appreciation Day. Discounted tickets are available through race week for all military members, seniors and children under 12 years of age. Additionally, Reno residents who purchase tickets online throughout the month of August will receive 10 percent off reserved and general admission tickets, as well as box seats and pit passes. Use code “LOCAL10” at checkout to apply the discount.
Attendees are in for an impressive airshow lineup with the addition of the Osprey. The demonstration will be given by the VMM-362 “Ugly Angels,” an operational active-duty squadron that recently returned from deployment in the Middle East. The Ugly Angels were formed in 1952 and reactivated in 2018 as the most recent MV-22 Osprey squadron. The team, based out of MCAS Miramar in San Diego, Calif., will feature the capabilities of the MV-22 Osprey and showcase flight routines both in conversion and airplane modes.
The 2021 STIHL National Championship Air Races return Sept. 15–19, 2021, just 20 minutes north of downtown Reno, Nev. Attendees can witness the fastest motorsport in the world as seven racing classes go head-to-head plus demonstrations by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey, F-35A Demonstration, Tucker’s Air Patrol, Jim Peitz Aerosports, Tony Higa Airshows, the National Aviation Heritage Invitation and more.
About the National Championship Air Races The National Championship Air Races are held every September just north of Reno by the Reno Air Racing Association, a 501(c)(3). The event has become an institution for Northern Nevada and aviation enthusiasts from around the world with seven racing classes, a large display of static aircraft and several military and civilian flight demonstrations. Independent economic impact studies show that the event generates as much as $100 million annually for the local economy. For more information on the National Championship Air Races, visit AirRace.org.
