RE: Hodges Race
I had a great time at my first attempt at Sport 40 racing even though I came in last. Now you get to listen to all my excuses.
Due to the cold/windy/rainy weather this Spring, I haven’t had much of a chance to fly this year and knock off the winter rust. I had about two flights on the SkyRaider a couple of weeks previous to trim it out.
Of course I was nervous for the first race and never having flown a pylon course before I wasn’t sure exactly where I should be pointing after rounding pylon one. I made a very wide turn and my wife later told me that my plane disappeared behind the roof of the shed. I had the same problem rounding pylon three and I probably scared some of the squirrels over by the pine trees. I managed to improve a little as the race progressed and I think that I finished in second place.
Race two was a little better and I knocked about thirty seconds off my total time from race one and again finished second.
Race three was like a Chinese Fire Drill. After starting my engine, I couldn’t get my twist on glow starter to release because the plug was loose. After I managed to get it off, I noticed that the plug was slowly backing out of the head. Before I could get the engine shut down it blew out the plug. I tried to pick it up and reinstall it but it was hot as a firecracker. By now everyone else was running and waiting for me to get started and this added to the pressure. I had a new plug, still in the blister pack, in my pocket so I grabbed it and got it started with my fingers. Now I do not have a plug wrench to tighten it down. Bummer! I used the glow starter to screw it in and managed to get the starter off without loosening it again. Now I am really trying to hurry so I don’t bother to check the needle setting, I just got up and hobbled back to the pilot’s area. (When you are pushing 70 years old you hobble, not run).
We started and just as I came around pylon one a big drop of sweat run down into my left eye. I wear glasses so it is not easy wipe it away. So now one eye is blurred and the other is starting to water because of the discomfort. I started to just pull up and get out of the way until my vision cleared, but I decided to soldier on. My vision started to clear a little and then I noticed that my engine was sagging; probably due to a lean run. My caller Mike said that I was not going to outrun anybody on this race and I should just practice making good tight turns. I did this until about lap seven when the first place plane was coming around to lap me. Between turns two and three we both tried to occupy the same airspace and scratch one SkyRaider.
I picked up another one from the hobby shop and I will be ready for the next race. It was fun; I just hope I don’t embarrass myself too bad on my next attempt.