by admin | Mar 21, 2018 | Media
The Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) is excited to announce the dates and times for three, one-hour shows of the 2017 National Championship Air Races airing on NBC Sports Network on March 31, April 8, and April 21, 2018
“We are excited to partner with STIHL and NBC Sports to air the 2017 Nation Championship Air Races on television,” said Fred Telling, CEO and Chairman of the Board of the Reno Air Racing Association. “These shows are only possible because of the continued and generous sponsorship and support from STIHL, Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority, the Nevada Commission on Tourism and our other sponsors. We look forward to tuning in with our fans across the country and reliving race week all over again while greatly anticipating this year’s 55th annual STIHL National Championship Air Races, scheduled September 12-16, 2018.”
NBCSN Schedule:
Episode 1:“Start Your Engines” – Sat., March 31, 2018 – 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. EDT / 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. PDT
Episode 2:“You Have a Race!” – Sun., April 8, 2018 from 3:00 – 4:00 P.M. EDT / 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. PDT
Episode 3:“GOLD Races” – Sat., April 21, 2018 from 2:30 – 3:30 P.M. EDT / 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. PDT
Tickets are on sale for the 55th annual STIHL National Championship Air Races, scheduled September 12-16, 2018 at Reno Stead Airport. For more information or to volunteer visit www.airrace.org.
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About the Reno Air Racing Association: The Reno Air Racing Association (RARA), a 501(c)(3), holds the STIHL National Championship Air Races every September just north of Reno. The Reno Air Races have become an institution for northern Nevada and aviation enthusiasts from around the world. Independent economic impact studies have shown that our event generates as much as $91.7 million annually for our local economy. The event features six racing classes, a large display of static aircraft and several military and civil flight demonstrations. For more information on the STIHL National Championship Air Races, to obtain media credentials, volunteer or purchase tickets for this year’s event, visit www.airrace.org.
![Reserved Tickets Now On Sale for 2018 National Championship Air Races]()
by admin | Mar 2, 2018 | Media
STIHL 55th Annual National Championship Air Races Announces
Reserved Tickets Now On Sale
Reserved tickets for the STIHL 55th annual National Championship Air Races are now on sale. The event is scheduled September 12-16, 2018 at the Reno-Stead Airport and tickets can be purchased at www.airrace.org in the following options/categories:
- Reserved Tickets
- General Admission
- Pit Passes
- Chairman’s Tent
The following tickets can be purchased by calling 775-972-6663:
- Checkered Flag Club
- Box Seating
- RV Parking
- Reserved Parking
The Patriots Jet Team will headline this year’s performers and the Screamin’ Sasquatch Jet Waco from John Klatt Air Shows will perform aerobatics. Demonstrations will also include the Smoke ‘n Thunder Jet Truck, the F-16 Fighting Falcon and more!
Qualifications for all classes will start on Monday, September 10 at 8:00 a.m. and end on Wednesday, September 12. Racing begins on Wednesday afternoon.
For more information, tickets, or to volunteer visit www.airrace.org.
by admin | Feb 20, 2018 | Media
RENO AIR RACING ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES FRED TELLING AS CEO
The Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) is pleased to announce that Fred Telling, Chairman of the Board of Directors of RARA, has also been named CEO of the organization, effective immediately. Joey Scolari, a member of the RARA Board of Directors who had stepped into the role of Interim CEO when former CEO Mike Crowell left the organization, made the announcement. Tony Logoteta, Chief Operating Officer of RARA, will continue in his role of overseeing the day-to-day operations.
Telling’s experience with RARA is extensive, having been a participant in the National Championship Air races racing T6’s since 2001 and has served as the T6 class president for the last ten years. He has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2016 and assumed the role of Chairman of the Board after the 2017 event.
“Fred’s passion and vast knowledge for the sport of air racing, as well as his corporate and non-profit board experience, will greatly benefit the organization and the future of the STIHL National Championship Air Races,” said Joey Scolari, head of the search committee on behalf of RARA’s Board of Directors. “While there were several qualified candidates we interviewed, we knew that Fred’s involvement and intimate knowledge of our organization and event made him the best candidate in the end. In addition, Fred will be volunteering his time in this new role which will be a huge benefit to the organization and this year’s races.”
“I love air racing, and I love the STIHL National Championship Air Races. I am very excited and feel very fortunate to be able to offer my time to be even more involved with this organization for which I hold so much passion,” remarked Fred Telling, RARA CEO and Chairman of the Board. “I am looking forward to the opportunity of helping take the STIHL National Championship Air Races and RARA to the next level.”
Tickets are on sale for the 55th Annual National Championship Air Races, scheduled September 12-16, 2018 at Reno Stead Airport. For more information or to volunteer visit www.airrace.org
by admin | Jan 22, 2018 | Media
Reno Air Racing Association Announces Aerobatics Performers for
55th Annual STIHL National Championship Air Races
The Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) is excited to release the initial list of performers for the 2018 STIHL National Championship Air Races, scheduled September 12 – 16, 2018 at the Reno-Stead Airport.
The Patriots Jet Team will headline this year’s performers. The Screamin’ Sasquatch Jet Waco from John Klatt Air Shows will perform aerobatics, along with the Smoke ‘n Thunder Jet Truck. Demonstrations will also include the F-16 Fighting Falcon as well as an F-35 leading the Heritage Flight.
“The STIHL National Championship Air Races are very excited that the Patriots will be returning to Reno this year,” RARA COO Tony Logoteta said. “We’re also thrilled to welcome back the John Klatt and Smoke ‘n Thunder Teams as well as our military demonstrations. I hope that race fans, visitors, and spectators will be as excited about this year’s lineup as I am.”
The Patriots Jet Team is very excited to be back this year to perform at the Reno Air Races,” said Randy Howell Owner of the Patriots Jet Team. “We love the spectators, and we love the races.”
Tickets are on sale for the 55th STIHL Annual National Championship Air Races, scheduled September 12-16, 2018 at Reno Stead Airport. For more information or to volunteer visit www.airrace.org.
Performer Descriptions
Patriots Jet Team: The story of the Patriots Jet Team, the largest civilian-owned aerobatic jet team in the western hemisphere, began with the vision of one person, Randy Howell. Fueled by a passion for aviation since childhood, it became Howell’s mission to create a six-jet aerobatic demonstration team that could entertain, inspire and educate today’s youth.
The talented group of pilots was first assembled in 2002 by Howell. Based in Byron, CA, the Patriots Jet Team features pilots who were formerly part of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and U.S. Navy Blue Angels. The volunteer pilots all share the same genuine passion for entertaining audiences at air shows and other events, while also encouraging the nation’s youth toward careers in the aviation and aerospace fields.
The Patriots Jet Team, unique in its kind, represents an all-encompassing blend of passion, inspiration, integrity, and professionalism, and captivates audiences from all over North America with their exhilarating aerobatic performances.
“The “Screamin’ Sasquatch” Jet Waco from John Klatt Air Shows: Starting life as a classic 1929 Taperwing Waco, this was once the aircraft of choice for barnstormers in the 1930’s and 1940’s. The Screamin’ Sasquatch has been completely redesigned and structurally reinforced using modern day engineering and materials, along with state-of-the-art technology to allow the addition of a jet engine to the aircraft. The Jack Link’s Jet Waco Screamin’ Sasquatch is powered by dual power plants: a Pratt & Whitney 985 radial engine and a General Electric CJ610 (J85) jet engine with 3,000 lbs. of thrust. Total thrust of the combined engines is rated at 4,500 lbs. A three-bladed Hartzell propeller is used to harness the power of the 985 radial.
This system allows the plane to achieve feats other stunt planes are unable to do, along with reaching speeds up to 250 mph. Snap rolls, spins, barrel rolls and the hover are among the list of maneuvers this aircraft can perform. The plane has a thrust ratio of greater than 1 to 1, which allows it to accelerate going straight up.
Smoke ‘n Thunder Jet Truck: The Hot Streak II is a twin jet engine 57 Chevy Pickup capable of speeds of 350+mph that has been entertaining fans across the country for over 20 years and is currently driven by Hayden Proffitt II.
It has two 2-Westinghouse turbine engines, recused from a Navy T-2A Buckeye Airplane with 25,000 horsepower. It delivers a ground shaking, heart-pounding performance equipped with an afterburner that fires 20-foot flames and produces billowing smoke and mini sonic booms.
F-35 Heritage Flight: The heritage flight program, of which the F-35 is a part, teams up current Air Force fighters with planes from the World War II, Korean and Vietnam eras in a dynamic display of our nation’s airpower history.
The F-35 is the U.S. Air Force’s latest fifth-generation fighter. It will replace the F-16 Fighting Falcons and A-10 Thunderbolt II’s, which have been the primary fighter aircraft for more than 20 years, and bring with it an enhanced capability to survive in the advanced threat environment in which it was designed to operate. With its aerodynamic performance and advanced integrated avionics, the F-35 will provide next-generation stealth, enhanced situational awareness and reduced vulnerability for the United States and allied nations.
F-16: The Air Combat Command F-16 Viper Demonstration Team performs precision aerial maneuvers to demonstrate the unique capabilities of one of the Air Force’s premier aerial multi-role fighters, the F-16 Fighting Falcon.
The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-seat, multi-mission fighter with the ability to switch from an air-to-ground to an air-to-air role at the touch of a button. With its lightweight airframe and powerful General Electric engine generating 31,000 pounds of thrust, the F-16 can fly at speeds in excess of Mach 2.
by admin | Nov 11, 2015 | Air Race News
Reno, Nev. – The Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) has released preliminary results for the 2015 National Championship Air Races and is projecting a profit of over $100,000. Results will be finalized at year-end. The original budget for 2015 called for a $630,000 loss, so the projected profit is very good news for the event.
Over 150,000 attended this year’s event with pilots racing in six classes, an airshow featuring Tora Tora Tora!, a reenactment of the events of Pearl Harbor, and many other displays including static aircraft and the expanded Drone Zone.
Mike Crowell was named president and CEO by the RARA board of directors in February of 2015, bringing to the organization his extensive sales, marketing and operations background with Coca-Cola where he managed bottling facilities in the United States, Middle East and Asia. Crowell credits the work of the board, staff and many volunteers for helping bring the RARA operational costs into control this year in the interest of sustaining this event that provides over $70 million in economic impact to the community.
“The STIHL National Championship Air Races is not only the fastest motor sport in the world and an event that is followed by aviation enthusiasts from around the world, but it’s a treasure for our community,” said Crowell. “Our goal for this year was to look at this event like a business and operate in such a way that would ensure it is around for many years to come. We had to make some tough decisions to get our costs in line, but with the support of our board, staff, event chairs and dedicated volunteers, we were able to turn a budgeted $630,000 loss for the year into a $100,000 projected profit, which is exactly what we needed to do.”
The 2015 event was a success in many other ways as well: there was tremendous support from sponsors, the weather was great, it was a safe event with no incidents and the many facets of the event drew people of all ages, young and old, and from literally every corner of the world.
Veteran Robert “Hoot” Gibson capped off the successful event by winning the coveted Unlimited Gold Race in Strega, unseating six-time winner, Steve Hinton, in Voodoo.
“To say we’re very pleased with the preliminary results of the 2015 National Championship Air Races is an understatement,” said John Agather, chairman of the RARA board of directors. “We’re already planning for a great event next year and are excited to have the Blue Angels returning in 2016.”
The 53rd National Championship Air Races will be held September 14-18, 2016. Tickets will go on sale after the first of the year.
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About the STIHL National Championship Air Races:
Held every September just north of Reno, the STIHL National Championship Air Races have become an institution for northern Nevada and aviation enthusiasts from around the world. The 2015 event attracted more than 150,000 spectators and is expected to have generated more than $70 million for the region’s economy. The event features six racing classes, a large display of static aircraft and several military and civil flight demonstrations. For more information on the STIHL National Championship Air Races, to obtain media credentials, volunteer or purchase tickets, visit www.airrace.org. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Media Contact:
Valerie Glenn
The Glenn Group
775-686-7777
[email protected]
