I'm looking to build a good pylon racer and was open to suggestions. What would make a good 60 size racer, or maybe even a 40 size. All of the races around my area are mostly fun fly races that are handicapped, so a top speed racer is not necessary. I would just like to build something that looks good and is fairly fast.
Thanks for the help.
Tim
p.s. - It does not have to be scale. Pretty much anything goes.

My club (10 of us) decided to have a winter build night...to build identical pylon racers for a spec pylon series in the summer. We settled on the Great Planes Mustang P51-D .40 size kit with a .46 size engine limitation. I havent seen this plane fly...but I've seen a T-34 Mentor with a .46 Evolution that screams. I would be willing to bet that the Mustang flies well with this combo.

Tim,

Depends on what you're looking for in a pylon racer. If pure speed is what your after, some thing Nelson powered is what you want (the die-hard racing guys can set you up on this in the pylon racing forum). For us mere mortals, my club back in St. Louis (http://www.spiritsofstl.com/) races with other clubs using the stock Sig 4* (kit or ARF) powered with box stock Super Tiger GS-40's. Racing is run a a 2-pole course, 660 ft. spread. Fast time limit is 2 minutes. Fly faster and you'll be disqualified.

An old, but great pylon racer that is dynamite sport plane is the Scat Cat 500 is still available through Lone Star Balsa (http://www.lonestar-models.com/) for $49.95 + S&H. I have one that was used for a bit of racing, but mainly for sport flying. Built around 1981 or so, it has over 2500 flights. I've also had the Andrews Quick Ray (of Lou Andrews fame) and, the Bridi and Spickler planes. All where quite fast, but I think the best over all has by far been the Scat Cat. Very rugged - just glass the center section to within 1" of the ailerons and the wing almost indestructible.

Hogflyer

Thanks for the info guys. I will check out the planes you suggested hogflyer. I have been flying for several years now and have quite a few planes that i could race, but I think I would like something a little different. These are the planes that I am currently flying. I have a H9 Twist, A H9 aresti 40, A sig Hog Bipe, A GP ultimate 40, a hobico superstar trainer (for my son) and a couple of electric planes. The aresti is a good pattern plane and is pretty fast, but the inverted engine mount is a pain, and the way the cowl is configured, mounting the engine sideways without totally destroying the cowl is next to impossible. I think that plane is destine for the scrap heap. I would like something fast, but it doesn't have to be rediculous. Our races around here are pretty much run the same way you guys run yours Hogflyer.

A bunch of guys at our field all built 4-Star 40's and had a pylon race with them. Only rules are: kit or ARF, airframe must be stock (no clipped wings or 0 dihedral, must retain stock landing gear), and engines must be no larger than .46 2-stroke or .56 4-stroke. Of course, if your rules allow it, you can make a 4-Star really sizzle with a little imagination, and they are relatively cheap. We're making it a 3 x a year club event it was so much fun.

We have about 18 people in our club, and only a handful of those people are active fliers. We just acuired a new field last year and have not yet set up a pylon course on it. At our old field, I guess they used to have pylon races several times a year, but now the guys just travel to other fields to race. I think if I can get that spark of interest back at our new field we could have a successful event again.
As for the 4*40's, That is a really good idea. It is a relatively inexpensive airplane and most of the guys at our field would have no problem putting some of them together. We would just have to sit down and set the limits like you stated.
Thanks for the input.