Author: B. Hager
Edition: Model Aviation - 1983/02
Page Numbers: 88, 89, 90, 94
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NMPRA Championships

THE NMPRA Championship Race for 1982 was held October 30–31 at Seguin, TX. We managed to get permission from the U.S. Air Force to use the same auxiliary airfield that hosted the 1981 Nationals.

Qualification and Field

One must qualify to participate in this race. In addition to belonging to the NMPRA, you must meet one of the following:

  • finish in the top 20 percent of your NMPRA district,
  • finish in the top 10 at the Nationals,
  • be an officer of the NMPRA, or
  • be a past NMPRA champion.

Only the top fliers attend this race, and this year was no exception. The entry list totaled 35 planes; turnout was lower than usual because of the state of the economy.

Friday — Practice and Registration

Friday, October 29: the field was open for practice all day and was well used. Competitors had traveled from all over the country; a smart flier usually arrives a day or two early to sort out the best combination of prop, engine, and fuel.

Registration opened at 6:00 p.m. Planes were checked thoroughly for safety—servo connections, hinges, clevises, etc.—and for conformity to size and weight rules. Scale and appearance judging is the toughest part when processing Formula One racers because most of the planes are very well finished.

The takeoff order is determined by the appearance judging, with the best-looking plane taking off first. We also present a special Model Aviation award for best-finished plane. This year the judges narrowed the contenders down to three: Gary McPike’s Pole Cat, Dave Layman’s DeNight, and Ron Schorr’s DeNight. After careful deliberation they awarded the best-finished trophy to Ron Schorr’s DeNight. Ron has won top honors before. Ron took off first.

Saturday — Racing (Rounds 1–5)

Racing began Saturday morning about 9:00 a.m. A predicted cold front never materialized; the weather was partly cloudy, windy, and a little humid with temperatures in the 70s to 80s. The competition was fast.

Notable Saturday times and heats:

  • Early: Tom Christopher 1:13.6; many fliers in the mid-to-low teens.
  • Round 1, Heat 4: Eric Ris 1:13; Bob Brogdon 1:17; Dick Ritch 1:17.8.
  • Round 1, Heat 6: Bill Preis 1:14.4; Gary Hover 1:14.6 (shortly after fog lifted).
  • Round 2, Heat 4: Dave Shadel 1:14.2; Bob Onori 1:16.4; Norm Johnson 1:16.9.
  • Round 2, Heat 6: Dave Latsha 1:14.4; Bill Preis 1:14.7.
  • Round 2, Heat 7: Tom Castellano set a new fast time 1:12.2; then Tom Christopher responded.
  • Round 2, Heat 8: New fast time 1:11.1.
  • Round 3, Heat 4: Gary Hover 1:11.9; Bob Onori 1:14.8.
  • Round 3, Heat 6: Tom Christopher 1:13.4; Bill Preis 1:13.5 (a photo-finish margin).
  • Round 3, Heat 7: Gail Jacobson 1:13.7 edged Jeff Bertken 1:13.7 (photo finish).
  • Round 4, Heat 6: Jeff Bertken 1:13.8 edged Bill Preis 1:14.0.

At the end of five rounds Saturday, Tom Christopher, Dave Shadel, Jeff Bertken, and Bill Preis were tied for first with 21 points.

Saturday Night — Banquet

The NMPRA banquet was held Saturday night at the Holiday Inn in Seguin. The host club provided an excellent spread. Awards were presented for the season point champions; the national point champion for 1982 was Dave Shadel, who is also president of the NMPRA.

Team note: Jim Shinohara sponsors the Samurai Racing Team (fliers from California). Jim, leader of the team, often assists the starter; the team has worked AMA Nationals and includes championship winners who wear the special NMPRA ring. A new Texas group, led by Dick Ritch, was also introduced—occasionally seen wearing an Indian headdress as a team motif.

Sunday — Racing (Rounds 6–12) and Final Battles

Racing resumed Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m.

Selected Sunday highlights:

  • Round 6, Heat 4: Jeff Bertken 1:15.7; Bob Onori 1:17.4; Keith Palmer 1:18.2.
  • Round 6, Heat 6: Bill Preis won with 1:18.
  • Round 6, Heat 9: Dave Shadel 1:12.1; Norm Johnson 1:17; Tom Christopher third.
  • After Round 6: three people tied for first — Dave Shadel, Bill Preis, and Jeff Bertken.
  • Round 7, Heat 3: Jeff Bertken 1:15.3.
  • Round 7: Bill Preis won his heat 1:14.0, edging Kent Nogy; Dave Shadel 1:11.6 edged Tom Castellano.
  • Round 8: Jeff Bertken won Heat 2; Bill Preis won Heat 6; Dave Shadel won his race 1:13.5.
  • Round 9, Heat 1: Jeff Bertken cut a pylon and stumbled. Dave Latsha won with 1:13.5; Ed Rankin 1:16; Jeff finished third.

A pivotal moment came in Round 9, Heat 6: the only two still tied for first—Bill Preis and Dave Shadel—flew in the same heat. Dave took off first, Tom Dooly second, Bill third (Bill was flying a five-year-old Toni and always took off last). At the drop of the flag Dave got a good jump, but Bill closed the gap. By lap two they were neck and neck, several lead changes and within 20 feet of each other most of the race.

On the 9th lap Bill passed at the No. 3 pylon. Dave nearly retook the lead on the 10th lap. The finish: Bill Preis 1:09.6, Dave Shadel 1:09.9. Bill moved into sole possession of first place.

During Round 10 Bill’s old Toni snapped a wing at the No. 1 pylon and died. The flagmen had lost track of the planes, so the heat was rescheduled. Bill flew his backup, which was slower; he cut a pylon and finished third. Meanwhile Dave Shadel won his heat 1:14.5 and regained the advantage.

  • Round 11: Dave Shadel won his heat 1:12.5 and remained on top. Jeff Bertken continued winning and stayed close behind.
  • Round 12, Heat 7: Jeff Bertken won with 1:14. Dave Shadel then won his heat 1:12.8, clinching the championship.

Dave Shadel was the new NMPRA Champion — a well-earned honor.

Results and Awards

  • Entries: 35 competitors.
  • Trophies: awarded to the top 20 flyers, plus a Fast Time Trophy and a Best Finish trophy.
  • Fast Time: Bill Preis (won the Fast Time award).

Cash prizes:

  1. First place — $200.00
  2. Second place — $150.00
  3. Third place — $100.00
  4. Fourth place — $50.00
  5. Fifth place — $50.00
  • Fast Time award — $100.00 (won by Bill Preis)

New for this year: a championship ring for the winner. The NMPRA pays for all trophies, cash prizes, and the ring without outside help.

Acknowledgments and Sponsors

This was one of the most competitive races the Contest Director had attended. The event would not have been possible without many volunteers from Dallas, Ft. Worth, Austin, Louisiana, and Seguin.

Special thanks to Brian Palacios, who handled much of the legwork: lining up motels, P.A. system, tents, generators, and other logistics.

Thanks also to the firms that donated prizes (raffled to workers):

  • Airtronics
  • Kraft Systems
  • K&B Mfg. Co.
  • Futaba Corp. of America
  • Prather Products
  • J & L Custom Engines

If you missed this year’s race, try to make it next year — the championship ring will be worth shooting for.

Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.