RARA Announces Racer Lineup for 2018 STIHL National Championship Air Races

RARA Announces Racer Lineup for 2018 STIHL National Championship Air Races

by | Aug 21, 2018 | Media

Racers Announced for the 55th  STIHL National Championship Air Races

Reno, Nev. – The Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) is pleased to announce the highly-anticipated racing lineup for the 55th STIHL National Championship Air Races, scheduled September 12-16, 2018 at Reno-Stead Airport.

The event will feature six racing classes including Unlimited, Jet, Sport, T6, Formula One and Biplane, with speeds reaching over 500 miles per hour. Defending Gold champions returning this year include Rick Vandam flying American Spirit in the Jet Class, Jeff Lavelle flying Race 39 in the Sport Class, John Lohmar flying Radial Velocity in the T6 Class, Lowell Slatter flying Fraed Naught in the Formula One Class and Andrew Buehler flying Phantom in the Biplane Class.

Returning to Reno this year following long absences in the Unlimited Class are Brent Hisey flying Miss America, Mike Brown flying Goldfinger (formerly Risky Business) and Lady B, previously known as Bardahl Miss, will be flown by Michael Pfleger. Graeme Frew, flying Full Noise is returning to Reno for the second year in a row from New Zealand, and for the first time in decades a P63 Kingcobra will round the pylons at Reno.

“This is an exciting lineup of talented pilots flying beautiful planes, and we expect to see some close and competitive racing in all of the classes,” said Tony Logoteta, RARA COO. “We are really looking forward to welcoming back some teams that haven’t been to Reno in years and also seeing all of the members of this passionate racing community that follow our one-of-kind event.”

In the Unlimited class, the following racers are scheduled to participate:

Brant Seghetti – Blondie
Brent Hisey – Miss America
Curt Brown – Sawbones
Dan Vance – Speedball Alice
Dennis Sanders – Eagle’s Wings
Graeme Frew – Full Noise
Jim “JD” Dale – Pretty Polly
JP Thibodeau – Crusader
Joel Swager – Dreadnought
Mark Watt – 924G
Michael Pfleger – Lady B
Mike Brown – Goldfinger
Rob Gordon – Lady Jo
Sherman Smoot – Argonaut
Tom Nightingale – Bunny
Pace Plane: Steve Hinton – T33-Pace
Alternate Pace: Kevin Eldridge
Safety: Robert Patterson – Wee Willy
Alternate Pilots:
Joe Thibodeau
Mark Moodie

 

 In the Jet class, the following racers are scheduled to participate:

Alexandre Eckmann – Race 37
Bob McCormack – Athena
Charlie Camilleri – Blue Ice
J. Kevin Roll – Miss Independence
Jeff Turney – Robin 1
Jim Beyer – Poky
Joe Gano – Sluggo
Lachie Onslow – Drop Bear
Larry Labriola – Sarance
Nathan Harnagel – Realty Czech
Pete Stavrides – American Patriot
Peter A. Zaccagnino – Just Lucky
Rick Vandam – American Spirit
Scott Farnsworth – Dash Force One
Vicky Benzing – Darkstar II
Zachary McNeill – Invictus
Pace Plane: Jay Obernolte – The Mistress
Alternate Pilots:
Doug Matthews
Michael Pfleger
Michael Stieger

In the Sport class, the following racers are scheduled to participate:

Abe Gaskins – Under Dog
Andrew Findlay – One Moment
Bob Mills – Mojo
Chiwami Takagi-Read – Legacy
Dan West – Whiskey Tango
Dave Morss – Martins Legacy
David Robinson – Desert Lightning
David Sterling – No Name
Elliot Seguin – Wasabinought
Ernie O. Sutter – Jus Pass’n Thru
George Catalano – Bigger Dingo
James Stringer – Rocket Six
Jason Rovey – Sport 76
Jeff Lavelle – Race 39
Jessy Panzer – Cruse Missile
Jim Rust – Race 24
John Flanagan – Greenstreak
Karl Grove – GA 1
Kirk Murphy – Papa’s Ride
Lee Ulrich – General Lee
Louis Gabriel – Blind Luck
Marc Frederickson – Tenacity
Mathias Haid – Clas Thunder I
Matt Beaubien – Low Motion
Neil Wischer – Triple 8
Olivier Langeard – Zebulon
Paul Downing – Sport 36
Peter A. Zaccagnino – Coming In Hot
Peter Balmer – Swiss Thunder
Scott Prewitt – Phantom Rocket
Sean Vanhatten – Havoc
Skylor Piper – Miss Ruby S.
Tom McNerney – Unleashed
Tommy Ishii – Yellow Fever
Vicky Benzing – Lucky Too
Vince Walker – Modo Mio
Pace Planes:
Bob Mills – El Toro
Rick Vandam – Phoenix
Alternate Pace Pilots:
Kevin Eldredge
Mark Johnson
Michael Stieger
Alternate Pilots:
Dan Ballin
Jay Adams

In the T-6 class, the following racers are scheduled to participate:

Bill Muszala – Miss Ellaneous
Chris LeFave – Bare Essentials
Chris Rushing – Barons Revenge
Dennis Buehn – Midnight Miss III
Eric Woelbing – Miss TNT
Gene McNeely – Baby Boomer
Greg McNeely – Undecided
John Lohmar – Radial Velocity
Lee Oman – Eros
Michael Pfleger – Miss Informed
Nick S. Macy – Six-Cat
Pete Stavrides – Gotcha!
Ralph J. Rina – Miss Humboldt Hunny
Vic McMann – Gunslinger
Vitaly Pecherskyy – Abracadabra
William Walker III – Big Red
Pace Plane: Rick Siegfried – T6 Pace
Alternate Pilots:
Joey “Gordo” Sanders
Kevin Sutterfield
Mike Scott
Rob Sanberg

In the Formula One class, the following racers are scheduled to participate:

Anders Trygg – Miss Eve
Casey Erickson – ACME Special
Jason Barksdale – Tony the Tiger
Jerry Marshall – Tumbleweed
Jim Jordan – Miss Min
Joseph Clark – Sonic Zoom
Justin Meaders – Limitless
Justin Phillipson – No Strings Attached
Justin Phillipson – Sleeper
Kent Jackson – Once More
Lio V. Mougel – Hysteria
Lowell Slatter – Fraed Naught
Matthew Coughlin – Judy
Merce Marti – Heat Stroke
Paul Newman – Fast and Easy
Philip Goforth – Annie
Rob Michie – Sassy Sangoma
Ross Killin – The Kraken
Ryszard Zadow – Last Lap Player
Scott Holmes – Outlaw
Steve Senegal – Endeavor
Steve Temple – Outrageous
Steve Tumlin – Feisty
Alternate Pilot:
Swaid Rahn

In the Biplane class, the following racers are scheduled to participate:

Alan Hoover – There Be Dragons
Andrew Buehler – Mistress
Andrew Buehler – Phantom
Anthony Oshinuga – Black Hawk
Casey Erickson – The Batplane
Eric Zine – Yellow Fever
Jeffrey Lo – Miss Dianne
Jeff Rose – Second Hand
John A. D’Alessandris – RB Special
Marie-Claire Laberge – The Yellow Bomber
Robert Austen – FReaKY
Sam Swift – Smokin’ Hot
Scott McDonald – Christen EagleTommy Suell – PlaneJunkies
“Tony” Minoru Higa – Tango Tango
Alternate Pilots:
Brian Hoover
Kevin Harper
Scott Thomson

Racing qualifications for all classes will start on Sunday, September 9th at 8:00 a.m. and end on Wednesday, September 12th. Racing will begin the afternoon of Wednesday, September 12th. Tickets are on sale for the 55th annual STIHL National Championship Air Races held September 12-16, 2018 at Reno Stead Airport. For more information, to purchase tickets or to volunteer, visit https://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 civilian 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.

RARA Announces Racer Lineup for 2018 STIHL National Championship Air Races

RENO AIR RACING ASSOCIATION SECURES LICENSE FOR 2018-2019 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AIR RACES

by | Apr 13, 2018 | Media

RENO, Nev. – The Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) announced today that the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority (RTAA) has approved a new two-year licensing agreement extending through 2019.

“We are pleased to come to an agreement with the RTAA,” remarks RARA COO, Tony Logoteta. “The STIHL National Championship Air Races is the only event of its kind in the world, and 2018 marks the 55th year of this spectacular event in northern Nevada. It provides an economic impact of as much as $91.7 million annually and brings aviation enthusiasts to our area from around the world. We appreciate the continued partnership with the RTAA and look forward to hosting future events at Reno-Stead Airport.”

The 55th annual STIHL National Championship Air Races are scheduled for September 12-16, 2018 at Reno-Stead Airport and will host six different classes of airplanes: Jet, Formula One, Sport, Biplane, T6 and the Unlimited Class. The STIHL National Championship Air Races are the fastest motorsport races in the world and showcase the world’s best racing pilots battling on the only closed-pylon oval racecourse. 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 and F-16 Heritage Flight.

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 civilian 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.

RARA Announces Fred Telling as CEO

RARA Announces Fred Telling as CEO

by | 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