RADIO CONTROL PYLON RACING
Bill Hager, 4 Holy Springs Dr., Conroe, TX 77302
WOW! WHAT A SEASON. New engines! New events! New records! District VIII just had its Q-500 Championship Race in Fort Worth, Texas. Norm Johnson won this one; more in a future issue.
What a busy season I have had in Formula One — starting with the Phoenix race in February, then on to a great race in Las Vegas. In April I went to the 4th Annual Bob Downey Memorial Race. Here is a report by Lyle Larson:
The Annual Bob Downey Memorial Race
Report by Lyle Larson
The Annual Bob Downey Memorial Race was held at Whittier Narrows in April. It was two one-day contests. We had quite a few out-of-towners show up, including Norm Johnson, Bill Hager, Rich Tocci, and Chip Hyde.
Saturday's race was won by Richard Verano. This makes five races in a row for Richard.
Sunday produced some of the best racing I have seen in a long time. I think this was because there was no ganging up allowed on frequencies. All of the fast fliers raced each other.
One of the best races I have ever had was when Dave Shadel and I went out. I turned a 1:05.5, Dave turned a 1:05.7, and Bill Hager was right on our heels with a 1:08.1! The race previous to this one finished with Gary Hover turning a 1:05 and Richard Verano turning a 1:06.
There were a few things done differently in this race. Rob Schorr personally put up $1,000 in prize money. Paul's Flying Stuff also contributed to the purse. We had Gold, Silver, and Bronze races. The four fastest times of the entire weekend were placed in the Gold Cup and raced for $500. The next four fastest raced in the Silver Cup for $250, and the next four raced in the Bronze Cup for $125. This is the type of racing we might want to consider for the future — it was exciting and fun.
Everybody stayed to watch the final races. The cup races seemed to provide more incentive for racers to be competitive. Each cup race had equal talent and equal equipment — it was anybody's race.
We also held a Calcutta to raise money for our trailer expenses. With Ron Schorr acting as auctioneer, we raised more than $400 for the district. (I would really like to see another Calcutta at the Modesto race.) In this Calcutta, none of the money went to the pilots; it was all donated to the district.
Bronze Cup
- Fast time: Rich Tocci
- Other qualifiers: Tony Lopez, Russell Tokuoka, Rusty VanBaren (on the bubble)
The race literally started off with a bang when Rusty and Russell collided on the first turn. Then we watched both Rich and Tony double-cut. The $125 was given to the district and the Calcutta money was returned.
Silver Cup
- Fast time: Chip Hyde
- Other qualifiers: Bob Smith (second), Mike Helsel (third), Bill Hager (on the bubble)
Chip was going fast all weekend, but in this race his engine quit on the line. Mike Helsel, who had to go to his backup airplane, missed the needle setting. Bob Smith led for about eight laps, but Bill Hager kept gaining every lap. Bill finally caught up and went on to win the $250 Silver Cup.
Gold Cup
Qualifiers (slowest to qualify was a low 1:06):
- Dave Shadel — 1:05.07
- Gary Hover — 1:05.37
- Lyle Larson — 1:05.50
- Richard Verano — ~1:06
This race was an adrenaline pumper. Dave led the way, with Gary and I nipping at his heels. Gary cut out on about the fourth lap and then pulled out of the race. Dave was pulling away until his engine quit on lap nine; I cut lap nine. Richard Verano won the race!
Winners and Awards
- Winners of the Bob Downey Memorial on Sunday:
- First Place and Fast Time — Dave Shadel
- Second Place — Richard Verano
- Third Place — Mike Helsel
- Best of Show — Russell Tokuoka
Soapbox
Again, I just finished reading Bill Hager's article in the AMA magazine. I think he pretty well hits the nail on the head. He says that Formula One racing is not for everyone, and I agree. Formula One racing is the best of the best as far as I am concerned. It is definitely the top-fuel dragster class. He is right about people looking at us as some of the best builders and fliers in this country.
I race Formula One because it is not easy. It is challenging. I like being able to race against the world's best fliers, and I do mean the world's best fliers!
I am tired of listening to people complain about how they burn up so much equipment and how expensive this sport is. I have been running the same engine since mid-last-year with no burning up. I have offered to show anyone who cares to see how I do things, and this offer is still open. The only one who took me up on it this year was Rich Tocci; he has been running the same engine now for the last six races, and has gone sub-1:10 for every contest.
If you have problems making your equipment run, do not go to someone who is having problems himself; go to the people who are winning and not burning up equipment. Find out what they are doing; they will tell you.
This year there has been a total change in attitude. If you have not been to the races, you do not know what you have been missing. We have been having fun!
I keep hearing how Formula One is going by the wayside, but I have been busier than ever. I would like to see more racing that does not allow frequency ganging. It really makes for some exciting and competitive racing.
Thanks, Lyle. Boy, that group really enjoys putting on a race! I hope to see you guys next year.
Top Ten — Saturday
- Richard Verano — 1:08.22
- Dave Shadel — 1:05.86
- Robert Smith — 1:10.03
- Gary Hover — 1:10.68
- Chip Hyde — 1:08.78
- Lyle Larson — 1:09.30
- Richard Tocci — 1:11.60
- Bill Hager — 1:15.34
- Mike Helsel — 1:13.20
- Russell Tokuoka — 1:11.97
Top Ten — Sunday
- Dave Shadel — 1:05.07
- Richard Verano — 1:06.24
- Mike Helsel — 1:07.85
- Richard Tocci — 1:09.71
- Robert Smith — 1:07.45
- Tony Lopez — 1:10.45
- Gary Hover — 1:10.85
- Bill Hager — 1:08.94
- Rusty VanBaren — 1:11.75
- Paul Stenberg — 1:13.20
Winter Season Championship (short course)
The Winter Season Championship event (short course) had a good turnout, but a lot of unhappy endings for about a dozen pilots. I am sure glad I got pictures for our District VIII Scrapbook before the races.
The Q-500 Standard Class consisted of eight pilots and six crashes! Walt Parker brought up two planes and loaned one to Henson Bartle, but crashed his into pylon three upon landing after his first heat.
Henson Bartle and Scott Stavinga (new member!) had midair collisions; Henson only received prop damage to his plane, but Scott's required both tail and stabilizer repair, so he was done for the day after the third heat. Then Brian Case and Chris Ling repeated this same type of midair in their third heat, with Case receiving minor prop damage and Ling receiving tail damage.
In his first competition this year, John Harris crashed on landing in his fourth heat—major re-kitting. But there were some good racers in this class.
Round Two, Heat One
- Chris Ling — 1:39.77
- Scott Stavinga — 1:41.22
Brian Mead and Brian Case challenged each other, ending with times of 1:45.29 and 1:46.03. Despite the crashes, we have some really good upcoming pilots here! I predict that new members Brian Case and Scott Stavinga are going to become formidable competitors really fast.
May 1 — Quickie Standard
- Brian Mead — 1:45.29
- Henson Bartle — 1:37.69
- Chris Ling — 1:34.43
- Dick Salter — 1:39.29
- Brian Case — 1:36.92
May 1 — Q-Expert
- Al Watson — 1:03.63
- Henry Bartle — 1:03.50
- Pete Bergstrom — 1:08.79
- Jon Packer — 1:06.40
- Tom Strom — 1:03.75
Q-Expert saw crashes involve six of the 15 pilots. Scott Puzio, visiting from Georgia, received a black flag in his first heat and crashed on landing; Randy Ling crashed into the #3 pylon in his second heat (shortening the pylon pole); a terrible midair between Matt Mikko and Darrol Cady demolished two beautiful airplanes in Round Three; Dan Nally also argued with the #3 pylon in Round Four; and Randy Ling's second airplane lost a fight with Mother Earth between Pylons One and Two in Round Five.
But there were some excellent races! Al Watson and Dan Nally fought each other for position with times of 1:03.63 and 1:05.33, respectively. Nelson Eddy and Darrol Cady battled it out with times of 1:12.96 and 1:14.21, but Darrol got the high points for that particular heat when Nelson's plane weighed too light.
Henry Bartle and Jon Packer put on a great contest, with times of 1:11.21 and 1:11.28. Al Watson and Pete Bergstrom entertained us all with terrific competition and times of 1:16.60 and 1:17.75 (each with a cut).
It was a lot of fun watching Jon Packer force Al Watson and Nelson Eddy into cut mode during Round Four. Jon received a 1:06.40, and Al and Nelson, who both cut, got 1:10.54 and 1:13.37.
It was also amusing to see a guy like Jim Weissert beat a super champ like Darrol Cady (okay, so Darrol's second airplane was not in trim yet!). Jim got a 1:08.79 to Darrol's 1:09.53.
Summer Racing (long course) — Bremerton, Washington
Out came the magnificent Formula Is, with all their noise, awesome power and speed, and that bewitching smell of 65% nitro!
The Formula Is were exciting, as always! Brian Richmond flew the test plane provided to our district, and it conked out during almost all of the heats; however, the 1:19 time on Sunday did include a cut, and Brian was hot on Tom Strom's tail in Round Four for the fast time of 1:06.61 with the new Russian Cyclone .40!
Brian had the best attitude you could ever hope to encounter, and despite this string of DNFs and DNSEs with this test plane, he remains undaunted and calmly states that he will "get it there!" CD Jim Kelly thinks that Brian figured out that he had to needle the engine tighter with 15% fuel. It kept cutting because it was running too rich.
I was timing John Headley when he did a 1:11.55, and was so excited I ran out of the cassette and gave him a big hug. But it turned out that he had double-cut at #3 (twice) and shook up brand-new cage worker David Foster so badly that David never threw the cut lights. John had really ripped the cage both times! But the good news is that John went on to have an official 1:11.59, and then a 1:10.30!
Andrew McIndoe threatened to quit calling for John.
Henry Bartle and Darrol Cady were doing exciting and consistent times between 1:11–1:12 and 1:12–1:16, as was Jon Packer between 1:15 and 1:18. And although there were no midairs, Al Watson, Don Rice, and Nelson Eddy's gorgeous planes sadly became major wrecks.
Formula I Results
- Henry Bartle
- Darrol Cady
- Tom Strom
- John Headley
- Jon Packer
As I write this column I am pretty much ready for the '94 Formula One NPMRA Championship Race. This year's race will be held in Caddo Mills, Texas, October 15 & 16. I hope to see you there.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
