NMPRA Championships
Every year, about the middle or end of October, the nation's top Formula I flyers gather for the last and most prestigious, most competitive race of the year.
There is only one winner — one champion. But in a way, all who attend this race are champions. It is by invitation only, and you don't get invited just by knowing someone or by being a nice person. One must qualify to be eligible to participate.
The season begins in early spring, sometimes as early as April, depending on where you live. It starts with the first Formula One race of the year and runs full tilt until the first of October.
Qualification
To qualify you must meet one of the following:
- Finish in the top 20% of your NMPRA district.
- Finish in the top 10 at the Nationals.
- Be a past NMPRA champion.
- Be an officer of the NMPRA.
This is truly a race of champions — only the best are qualified. That has been the rule since the first championship race. In the past some have wanted to relax the qualification rules, but the prevailing view is that if you make it too easy for the less competitive, you don't have a true championship.
As far as I'm concerned, the NMPRA Championship Race is the Olympics of model aviation. There is none better, and you certainly don't open the Olympics to just anyone.
This Year's Race (Smyrna, TN)
Each year the championship is held in a different part of the country. This year it was in Smyrna, TN, just outside of Nashville.
- Dates: October 13–14
- Host: Middle Tennessee RC Society
- Contest Director: Greg Doe
- Entrants: 36 champions from across the country
Racing started about 10:00 a.m. on Saturday under the threat of rain. Luck was with us — we had only overcast skies and a few drops.
In the first round, Norm Johnson posted the fast time of 1:15.7, which set the tempo for the day. In the second round several pilots broke into the middle teens.
Round Three produced a race that will be remembered for a long time. Three flyers traded places for most of the distance: Dave Shadel, Bob Brogdon, and Dubb Jett. When it was all over, Bob Brogdon won that round with 1:14.6; Dave Shadel was second at 1:14.8; and Dubb Jett, with a fantastic 1:14.9, finished third.
Six rounds were completed on Saturday. The standings after Saturday were:
- 1st: Dave Shadel — 23 points
- 2nd: Bruce Richmond — 22 points
- 3rd: Fred French — 21 points
Bob Brogdon turned a fast time of 1:12.8 on Saturday.
Saturday night was the NMPRA banquet. Besides giving everyone a little time to rest, the trophies are presented at the banquet. After presentations we returned to our rooms to get a good night's rest and prepare for the final day.
Sunday morning remained rain-free. All eyes were on Dave Shadel. Everyone was waiting for him to slip up, but he showed he meant business.
In Round Seven, Dave turned 1:12.2, a new fast time for the meet. Bruce Richmond held a firm second, Fred French slipped a bit to third, Arnie Wile moved up to fourth, and Dubb Jett came up from eighth to nail down fifth. These were the top five after nine rounds.
There was a three-way tie for tenth place, which required a flyoff. It involved Phil Bussell, Dave Latsha, and Rick Oliver. Phil Bussell and Dave Latsha had been putting on a good race, but Rick had the early jump. It was short-lived when Rick flamed out early. Dave Latsha finished tenth.
Thus ended two days of excellent racing and the NMPRA racing season. The fliers thank Greg Doe and the Middle Tennessee Radio Control Society for making the race successful.
This was Dave Shadel's third NMPRA Championship victory. Dave's slowest race (both days) was 1:17.1, and his 1:12.2 held up as the fast time of the meet.
Each year the winner is presented with an NMPRA Championship ring. Dave: you are either going to have to slow down — or grow a couple of extra fingers!
For those who didn't attend, you missed an excellent race. How about next year?
Final Results
- Shadel — Toni — ST — 1:12.2
- Richmond — Toni — ST — 1:13.5
- Wile — Polecat — ST — 1:13.3
- Jett — Polecat — ST — 1:14.9
- French — Pitts P. — K&B — 1:16.1
- Ritch — Polecat — K&B — 1:17.4
- Brogdon — Polecat — K&B — 1:12.8
- Rogy — DeNight — K&B — 1:14.3
- Rankin — Polecat — ST — 1:17.2
- Latsha — Polecat — ST — 1:16.8
- Bussell — Polecat — ST — 1:15.6
- Oliver — Polecat — ST — 1:18.9
- Stenberg — DeNight — K&B — 1:17.0
- Hill — DeNight — ST — 1:24.5
- Parks — Shoestring — ST — 1:14.9
- Reed — DeNight — ST — 1:20.7
- Schorr — DeNight — ST — 1:18.9
- Moorhead — Toni — ST — 1:19.6
- Hulik — Toni — ST — 1:24.6
- Jacobson — DeNight — ST — 1:19.7
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
