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Sport Class “Next Generation Air Racing” Added to Las Cruces NM Air & Space Expo October 21, 2023

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The City of Las Cruces and its growing airport are proud to host the Air & Space Expo Saturday October 21, 2023 for its citizens and all aviation enthusiasts. This year will include a full afternoon of thrilling airshow acts, exhibits, static displays, military tributes and now a demonstration of the world’s fastest motorsport – – pylon air racing. The Las Cruces Airport will be the venue and our City will roll out the hospitality and aviation experiences for this annual event. The Sport Air Racing Council (“SARC”), a subsidiary of Sport Class Air Racing Association (“Sport Class”), recently earned FAA accreditation as an Air Race Organization and they will bring structured programs, safety protocols and experienced air race pilots – all honed over the past 25 years of Sport Class air racing experience.

Las Cruces Mayor, Ken Miyagishima, said “We invite families, friends and international guests to southern New Mexico for our October aviation event that has big plans for the future. We are excited to bring Sport Class Air Racing to our event and to treat airshow and air race fans to ‘NASCAR in the sky’, with high-performance, kit-built airplanes safely flying around the pylons at speeds up to 325 mph.” “We support entertaining/exciting our youth and all attendees about local and State aerospace opportunities that flow from innovation, skilled pilots, and the applied aeronautics of air racing” he added.

New Mexico State Senator, Bill Soules, added “Our State has a standing policy commitment to the AeroSpace sector and some of the world leaders in civilian space travel/business are based here. We have airport, space port and infrastructure investments that align with education programs, workforce development and economic development strategies needed to foster growth aviation and space businesses. Our plan is to grow exciting events like the Las Cruces Air and Space Expo to showcase current and future aerospace opportunities and to encourage tourism to our Land of Enchantment. As part of the plan, are pleased to support air racing at our well-established Las Cruces airport with a vision that a world-class event may be developed over time.”

SARC President Bill Beaton said “We are pleased to be recognized by the FAA as an accredited Air Race Organization, which allows us to conduct single-class air racing event on an approved course at Las Cruces Airport”. He added, “it has been refreshing to work with enthusiastic community leaders that envision the sport
of air racing as part of their aerospace context and for sharing a well-suited airport with an existing airshow/expo already planned. The demonstration air race will provide a proof of concept for future possibilities”. Come see Sport Class and other class racers pushing 400 mph and more, in what the Reno Air Race Association
and Race Fans call “The World’s Fastest Motor Sport”, September 13-17, 2023 at the Reno National Championship Air Races, held at Reno Stead Airport.

For more information, to participate or to be a sponsor contact:

Bill Beaton
Sport Air Racing Council
Ph. 623-275-0413
sportairracing@gmail.com
sportclass.com

Andy Hume
Las Cruces International Airport
Ph. 575-496-6491
ahume@lascruces.gov
www.lascruces.gov/1246/Airport

See the Recent Kitplanes commentary: www.kitplanes.com/accredited-sport-air-racing/

 

 

Sport Class “Next Generation Air Racing” Takes Flight at Madras Oregon Airshow of the Cascades

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At the Central Oregon Airshow of the Cascades in Madras, Oregon this past weekend,
the Sport Air Racing Council (“SARC”), a subsidiary of Sport Class Air Racing
Association (“Sport Class”), earned FAA accreditation as an Air Race Organization
(“ARO”). SARC President Bill Beaton said “we are pleased to be recognized by the FAA
as an ARO, which allows us to conduct single-class air racing events on approved race
courses at select new venues”. He added, “it is an important development in the sport of
Air Racing, that supports a path of smaller races that generate knowledge of, and
excitement about, the National Championship Air Races, historically hosted by the Reno
Air Racing Association each September.”
The Madras airport hosted its 23rd annual Airshow of the Cascades August 25-26th, which
included a demonstration of air racing on a 4 mile course. Rick Allen, Airshow Director,
shared the excitement and offered congratulations: “We are proud to be the Biggest Little
Airshow, home airport of the Erickson Collection, and now the ‘Birthplace of Next
Generation Air Racing’. Aviation enthusiasts and Airshow fans were treated to
‘NASCAR in the sky’, with high-performance, kit-built airplanes flying around the
pylons, and we are keen to see more of it”.
“Our Sport Race Class has dreamed big, and worked hard to expand and have more places
to conduct air races safely, to share our sport with more Air Race and Airshow Fans, and
to keep our race pilot proficiency high”, said Sport Class President Bob Mills. “We have
over 60 qualified race pilots, 25 years of experience in pylon air racing programs,
structured ARO capabilities, and now exciting new venues for race teams to show what
they’ve got”, added Mills.
The next opportunity to see Sport Class and other class racers pushing 400 mph and more,
in what the Reno Air Race Association and Race Fans call “The World’s Fastest Motor
Sport”, is September 13-18, 2023 at the Reno National Championship Air Races, held at
Reno Stead Airport.

   For more information and sponsorship opportunities contact:
Bill Beaton
Sport Air Racing
Council
Ph. 403-829-9722
sportairracing@gmail.com
sportclass.com

Rick Allen
Airshow of the
Cascades
Ph. 541-815-4380
rlallen@airshowofthecascades.com
airshowofthecascades.com

Bob Mills
Sport Class Air Racing
Assoc.
Ph. 775-544-3511 rvmills@sbcglobal.net
sportclass.com

Sport Air Racing Council air race demonstration at the 2023 Airshow of the Cascades, Madras, OR

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The Sport Air Racing Council are excited to confirm that we will be holding a demonstration air race at the 2023 Airshow of the Cascades at 3pm on Saturday, August 26.

This will be the Sport Air Racing Council’s first demonstration event as part of our evolution to becoming a certified Air Race Organization (ARO). The design for the 4.1 mile race course has been completed by our design team and has been approved by the FAA. The maximum design G load is 3.5G, which will make for some great racing!

The following experienced Sport Class racers have stepped up and have been selected to take part:

49     Bob Mills              – RV Super 6
3       Sean VanHatten – RV4
744  Tommy Ishii         – RV8
314   Scott Prewitt       – F1 Rocket
35     Shawn Jordan     – RV4
54     Steve Senegal      – RVS8
270  Dan West              – RV8
80    Skylor Piper         – RV8

   

Come and join us – buy tickets here:

Aviation Heritage Spirits

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Aviation Heritage Spirits

Commemorate Your Legacy at the National Championship Air Races

Special Tribute Spirits is offering a unique opportunity to commemorate this final and historic run of aviation heritage. Through our custom, handmade aviation themed bottles paired with a 12-year-old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky, or 5 Year Straight Bourbon you can immortalize your team’s last race at the National Championship Air Races at Reno.  We will help you design a label based on your race team and aircraft, with the option to embed materials from your aircraft to create a truly one-of-a-kind memento for you and your team.

With production capacity limited by having procured these two special casks, these will become treasured collector’s items that can proudly be displayed on your shelf for years.  What better way to share stories of past events and your piece of aviation experience than with your own team’s “trophy” bottles.

Due to the time needed for the hand crafting of each item, deadline for applications will be July 22nd, 2023.

ORDER AT THE LINK BELOW

2022 Sport Gold Champion – Mathias Haid

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Mathias Haid Wins!

Mathias Haid overcame what most people would consider a hard start to a week of racing with a complete engine change.  With poor weather closing in, an engine that wasn’t too happy and the available qualifying days ticking down to zero, Mathias was able to squeeze out a lap to get Sport 51 on the qualifying list at 314.761 mph, in light rain no less.  With a time officially on the board, that gave the dedicated crew some time to figure out what that V12 engine needed.  The highly tuned race motor just wasn’t happy so the Thunder Mustang crew began an engine change to what some call a ‘ferry’ or ‘transport’ motor.  This engine has less horsepower, but much more reliable.  Thankfully fellow racer Matt Ramsey had his spare engine available after his race motor failed on Sunday during the first practice.  With engine on hand, tools a plenty and a crew to work late nights, they started the swap.

It turns out this more reliable engine would power Sport 51 to a win on Sunday, the most important day.  It was a joy to see Mathias return to the ramp and share the excitement with the rest of the Sport Class, as shown in the photos.  He has gone from a tiara wearing rookie of the year to Sport Class Champion and we couldn’t be more proud of what he has accomplished.  Congratulations Mathias and crew, well deserved.

~Tom McNerney

~ Photos by: Mark Loper