Posts: 143
Joined: 7/11/2002 From: Raleigh, NC, USA Status: offline
For those of you who haven't been exposed to giant scale air racing in recent years, the "Unlimited Scale Air Racing Association (USRA)" series is quite healthy these days and promoting great racing in it's annual "World Championship Series". The first event was held a couple of weeks ago in Rantoul, IL as major sponsor JR/Horizon Hobby ran an amazing contest. The racing was fast and furious! Look for details in an upcoming issue of "Fly RC" magazine or on the Outdoor Channel program "Inside RC". The remaining two championship events of the 2005 seaon are in Ashtabula, OH (near Cleveland) on August 18-21 and Parker, AZ on October 20-23.
Details of the USRA, the racing it promotes, and anything else you would like to see can be found at: www.usrainfo.org
Posts: 143
Joined: 7/11/2002 From: Raleigh, NC, USA Status: offline
Cole,
Larry Lewis and I (the NC contingent) will be in Ashtabula and look forward to meeting and racing with you and all the rest of the folks we met in Illinois!
"thestorm",
Your dilemma in missing a race that was only 40 miles away is exactly why I started this thread. The racing is really going strong but for some reason, many modeler's don't even know about it. I know many people who have always wanted to do it but had issues like, "they only have races in California" or "I can't afford the time, money, or skill to get one going" or even "those guys are cut-throat competitors that only look out for themselves". Well, all of these are untrue! With the Horizon/Zenoah sponsorship, they have created the new (2 years old now) Formula 1-GT class where anyone can fly one of the great looking 42% Formula One designs but you have to use a stock Zenoah GT-80. The race organizers provide the gasoline and prop. So the racing is very close and, in fact this has quickly become the most popular class. If you want to go faster, you take the same airframe, have your GT-80 converted to alcohol and you're Formula 1-Pro ready! The GT's go 150-160 mph and the Pros go 180-200. Of course, you can also start in the Dominator (big Moki 2.10 powered Quickees) or fly in Biplane, Thompson Trophy, AT-6, or the awesome Unlimited and Experimental classes, too.
Larry and I are rookies in the GT class this year (pics attached) and from the very start we have had unbelievable support from the entire USRA community. Rantoul was our first race and the support continued there, too. Fortunately, we both won some heats made it to trophy rounds! I have never experienced this much fun in all my years in the hobby! Larry and I are hooked and we are bringing in more with us! I encourage everyone to jump in and see what the excitement is all about.........
Posts: 299
Joined: 10/30/2003 From: Clarkdale, AZ, USA Status: offline
Robert, if u dont know, my pop races GSR a while back...Blues Brothers racing was his team...so ive been involved with GSR for almost all my life...ask Kmac and all the guys on Extra...they will tell u some storys about the go-ped ordeal...haha, still makes me laugh..im hoping to be flying for Holly Hollingsworth, not sure if we will be in pro or GT but i will be flying the Rivets T-Tail he has if it gets finished in time..if not i will still be making the trip...good times and alot of good people out there...
im hoping to be running a Vendetta next season if i can talk Ralph into building me a motor...hehe
Cole
< Message edited by ColeThornton -- 7/4/2005 6:29:33 PM >
Posts: 3110
Joined: 12/10/2004 From: Tucson,
AZ, USA Status: offline
I remember blues brothers racing! I forget everybody's names, though. I think there was a guy in it named John that owned West Coast Composites and had his own line of glow fuel called Performance Plus. They also had an engine guy tha was known for his "Skunkworks" racing fuel. Your dad probably knew Tom Easterday of Team Extra Racing. I believe Diego Lopez was on his team as well. Tom use to have an aerobatics show team called Team Extra that I used to be on. When he decided to focus on racing, his team members needed to buy their own airplanes. I was only 19 or 20 at the time, so that was the end of it for me. I miss the action and wish it was more popular like it was then...some serious fun!
Yo Cole...There will be a 9000+ rpm 30+ HP Herbrandson twin waiting here when you get the airplane, the crank is out being welded right now... 220+ mph guaranteed, you and Don Corum and his 32 HP Herbrandson powered Bearcat well be able to terrorize the old guys... Maybe not Ohio, but pretty sure for Parker....[
A 200 mph formula 1 is only a gleam in someone's eye right not, but we keep getting faster all the time...
< Message edited by RCIGN1 -- 7/4/2005 7:36:48 PM >
Posts: 299
Joined: 10/30/2003 From: Clarkdale, AZ, USA Status: offline
Body Works,
yup thats us, the team ur talking about was the origninal team and then they all broke up and made TeamExtra..they r still going strong. John is running with Speed Deamons..then the team was my dad, Ken Thornton "Elwood", Ron Eisner, Joe Marine, and some other crew members. ran strong for many years, but decided enough was enough...NOW ITS MY TURN!!
Ralph,
AWESOME!!! i cant wait, i just gotta get this airplane ready to go now...i will hope to have it ready for Parker. Me and Don will tear it up out on the course.
Posts: 143
Joined: 7/11/2002 From: Raleigh, NC, USA Status: offline
Cole,
I've also heard of "Blues Brothers" racing. The black-n-white motif worked well and the planes were fast as I recall as a spectator at Madera, CA and Jean, NV several years back. I'll have to ask Kenny Mac about the go-ped! It would be great to see you racing Holly's Rivets. We need a bunch of different designs to make it diverse. I hope you have something for those GR-7s, though! I certainly appreciate Holly's patience with us "green-horns" at the flight line in Rantoul, too!
Body Works,
You mention Team Extra....well, it's a small world. Tom Easterday and Diego Lopez kit the Kelly's that Larry and I built and answered a bunch of our questions that really helped us along. Their race team is also still a class act (not to mention, fast!) and something to aspire to. Tom's company, CRT, puts money into the purse for the pro classes and it's very much appreciated by all. The whole racing scene seems to be gaining steam again and I'm glad I was in a position to join the fun now.
Posts: 1554
Joined: 1/6/2002 From: Team Coldies,
CA, USA Status: offline
quote:
ORIGINAL: bodyworks
I remember blues brothers racing! I forget everybody's names, though. I think there was a guy in it named John that owned West Coast Composites and had his own line of glow fuel called Performance Plus. They also had an engine guy tha was known for his "Skunkworks" racing fuel. Your dad probably knew Tom Easterday of Team Extra Racing. I believe Diego Lopez was on his team as well. Tom use to have an aerobatics show team called Team Extra that I used to be on. When he decided to focus on racing, his team members needed to buy their own airplanes. I was only 19 or 20 at the time, so that was the end of it for me. I miss the action and wish it was more popular like it was then...some serious fun!
Team Extra Aerobatics huh,,, those where the good ole days
BV #1 Slot Team Extra Pilot,,, from way back when Cole was smaller than a grasshopper
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If it ain't leaking oil, then something's wrong,,, USMC, RETIRED!
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Giant Scale Air Racing alive and well! - 
eh Ralph?
