RADIO CONTROL PYLON RACING
Bill Hager, 4 Holly Springs Dr., Conroe TX 77302
OktoberFAST — Valkaria Airport (October 29–30, 1994)
Let's look at how races went in Florida last year, as reported in the 11th Lap newsletter.
On October 29–30 the Indian River Kontrol Society hosted its annual OktoberFAST Pylon Race at Valkaria Airport. Despite a 70% chance of rain forecast for the entire weekend, a record 43 contestants on Saturday and 40 on Sunday traveled to Florida's east coast for this classic event. This race was also scheduled as the 1994 NMPRA District 7 Quickee 500 Championship.
Two separate SEMPRA Sport Pylon races were held over the course of the weekend. Both days were jam-packed with plenty of pylon racing action. There were many very close races (the kind you live for and your plane dies for), and I can only recall two midairs the entire weekend. Five rounds of racing were completed each day, with the threat of rain pushing the tempo of the heats into high gear.
Due to rain and lightning moving into the area toward the end of each race, fast times rather than flyoffs were used to break ties. An engine teardown for the top positions in each class was performed on Sunday.
We thank everyone who took a chance on the weather and came to OktoberFAST. Congratulations to all the winners and to Cliff Telford for taking home the NMPRA District 7 Championship. The Indian River Kontrol Society has scheduled another pylon race April 22–23, 1995, and the next OktoberFAST event will be held October 28–29, 1995. Both will be at Valkaria Airport. Mark your calendars now and make plans to attend.
Here is how they finished:
Saturday — Expert Class
- 1. Telford — 1:12.03
- 2. Roney — 1:17.14
- 3. Kovach — 1:19.81
- 4. Clark — 1:20.19
- 5. Zisman — 1:18.31
Saturday — Standard Class
- 1. Kurzawa — 1:30.10
- 2. Freeman Sr. — 1:30.75
- 3. Janssen — 1:27.35
Sunday — Expert Class
- 1. Moody — 1:15.92
- 2. Freeman Jr. — 1:21.09
- 3. O'Brian — 1:19.24
- 4. Brown — 1:20.71
- 5. Simms — 1:20.76
Sunday — Standard Class
- 1. Llanos — 1:18.43
- 2. Cukla — 1:29.61
- 3. Janssen — 1:34.81
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Tampa Radio Control Aircraft Club (TRAC) — (November 19–20, 1994)
The weather was very cooperative, with mild temperatures and winds that did not seem to affect the racing. Saturday had 30 entrants. In the Expert class, Joe Llanos took first; Cliff Telford second; and John Dunham third, with the fast time of the day: 1:13.03.
In Standard class, new racer Jason Shulman started the day in Standard, broke into Expert, took fast time for the Standard class, and finished with twenty points for the day, setting the top Experts down one point each. Jason took first in Standard; Bill Bertrand second; and Jim Cukia third.
Sunday had 38 entrants and times decreased as the day went on. In Expert, Dennis O'Brian took first; Steve Kovach second; and Don Moody third. Fast time was 1:13.15. In Standard class, Ron Cheshire finished first; Jeff Mitchell second; and Don Janssen third. Fast time in Standard went to Ron Cheshire with a 1:18.94. The flying was excellent both days, with only two mishaps on takeoffs.
The TRAC "Tower of Terror" was finally challenged by two fliers. Dave Zisman tried to fly through the tower but a 2 x 6 support shredded his airplane. Gary Freeman Sr. was flying a bit wide out of Pylon Three and hit the "tower of terror," the corrugated roofing shearing off both landing gear flush with the bottom of the wing. He also lost half of his prop, forcing an early landing.
Other incidents: Steve Dennett rearranged parts of his airplane while rounding Pylon Three. Gary Freeman Jr. somehow entangled his airplane on the number two pylon flag, freed it, and still finished second in the heat. Don Moody lost an airplane coming out of Pylon Three. John Dunham took out Pylon Two trying to put his engine directly through the one-inch metal pipe; I understand John is still missing parts of his engine.
The best race of the day involved Don Moody, Cliff Telford, and Jason Shulman. Don got an early lead, but Cliff and Jason caught up about lap five, and from then on it was three airplanes shadowing each other to the finish line, with only 20 feet separating them. All three finished within .113 seconds, separated by a few hundredths of a second. Don took first, followed by Cliff and Jason.
Many thanks to all the workers and participants—the races could not have gone so smoothly without their outstanding help and dedication.
Here is how they finished:
Saturday — Expert
- 1. Llanos — 1:13.03
- 2. Telford
- 3. Dunham
Saturday — Standard
- 1. Shulman
- 2. Bertrand
- 3. Cukia
Sunday — Expert
- 1. O'Brian — 1:13.15
- 2. Kovach
- 3. Moody
Sunday — Standard
- 1. Cheshire — 1:18.94
- 2. Mitchell
- 3. Janssen
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10th Annual SEMPRA Sport Pylon Championship — Brandon Model Flyers' Field (December 4, 1994)
The 10th Annual SEMPRA Sport Pylon Championship was held December 4, 1994, at the Brandon Model Flyers' field. Since this was the tenth annual race, we had custom T-shirts made with the SEMPRA logo on the front and a racing scene on the back. These shirts were given to all pilots and workers. We also had very nice glass and black walnut trophies for the event.
There were 28 pilots entered and about 40 airplanes processed during registration. Bob and Becky Gerstein handled registration, a 4 x 7 matrix was set up, and everything was ready for racing.
The race got underway at 9:47 a.m. Jim Bartels won the first heat with a 1:17.20, indicating the air was right for fast times for those who could hold a lot of up elevator when taking off from grass.
Round One ended with a minor mishap. Cliff Telford slipped while adjusting his needle valve and severely cut a finger on his prop. For safety, the race was stopped so he could be attended to. Cliff went to a walk-in clinic; six stitches and $267 later he was back at the field just after lunch.
At the end of Round One there was a seven-way tie for first, and Robert Dingess held the fast time with a 1:16.34.
Round Two began well, but in Heat Four Guy Seidelman's plane worked on the line but, after the engine started, the radio went dead. He received a zero and discovered a blown fuse in his transmitter. In Heat Six Jim Bartels turned in a 1:15.03 and took fast time. In Heat Seven one of Gene Steinbrook's old faithful planes folded a wing coming around Pylon One.
By the end of Round Two four pilots had perfect scores: Robert Dingess, Jim Bartels, Danny Shiver, and Gary Freeman Jr.
Round Three was run before lunch. Heat Two featured a close battle won by Ron Cheshire, with Ruben Pastain, Henry Hillcoat, and Joe Llanos jockeying for positions. Round Three was not kind to some leaders: Danny Shiver flipped his model in the grass and got a zero in Heat One; Jim Bartels' plane veered right on takeoff and died in the weeds in Heat Four; Frederick Kilian blew a glow plug on the eighth lap in Heat Seven and zeroed the heat.
At lunch (12:20) only two pilots had perfect scores of 12 points: Robert Dingess and Gary Freeman Jr. Jim Bartels still held fast time at 1:15.03.
Round Four began at 1:00. Heat Three featured a very tight race between Robert Dingess and David Zisman; Dave took the lead on the tenth lap and beat Robert by half a second. On the ninth lap of Heat Four, Gary Freeman Jr. nailed Pylon Three dead-on, removing the flag and the top two feet of the pole. Pieces of the model were scattered more than 250 feet; without a backup airplane, Gary fell from first to tenth quickly.
In Heat Six Danny Shiver again had grass trouble and nosed over on takeoff. Heat Seven was a very tight race with several lead changes. Ron Cheshire pushed a little too hard and cut Pylon One twice. Gene Steinbrook won, with Jack Milburn finishing at the same time. About three feet off the ground—right over the finish line—Gene's airplane landed on top of Jack's; the two models tangled and fell, but neither was damaged and both raced in Round Five.
At the end of Round Four there were no perfect scores. Robert Dingess and Charlie Poulton were tied with 15 points each, and Jim Bartels still held fast time with 1:15.03. Don Janssen turned in a very fast 1:23.58 and took fast time in the Standard class.
Round Five decided the final standings. Robert Dingess won Heat One easily, turning in a 1:14.52 to set the mark and take overall fast time. Charlie Poulton won his heat in Round Five, forcing a flyoff with Dingess for first place.
In Heat Seven Jim Bartels pushed to regain fast time. Watching the lights at Pylon One, he was so tight on about four laps that the light looked like a flashbulb. When the checkered flag dropped the stopwatch read 1:14.26—Jim retook the fast-time trophy. The end of the round left a three-way tie for first in Standard class among Jeff Mitchell, Gary Freeman Sr., and Henry Hillcoat with 12 points each.
Flyoffs started with Standard class. Lane positions were based on fast times. Just as the flag dropped, light rain began, but the race continued. The lead switched several times, but Gary Freeman Sr. won with a 1:27.07. Jeff Mitchell finished second with a 1:27.47 and Henry Hillcoat third with a 1:31.43.
The Expert flyoff between Dingess and Poulton followed. The airplanes took off together and got good starts. Rounding Number One, Robert's airplane hit Charlie's in the tail. Robert's plane kept flying, but the rudder on Charlie's model was knocked off and he was forced to land.
As the flyoffs finished, the rain picked up, soaking the workers as they tore down the equipment. Trophies were presented in the rain.
Here is how they finished:
- Robert Dingess — 1:14.52
- Charlie Poulton — 1:15.86
- Jack Milburn — 1:24.94
- Jim Bartels — 1:14.26*
- Michael Shively — 1:16.01
* fast time
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
