Well here we go, Air Race week has begun and things get serious tomorrow.

STEAD (Sept. 11)— Air Race Update for Sunday will be a bit short. Planes are here, tech inspections going on, seems a T-6 was disqualified for some kind of problem.

Despite a problem, Czech Mate made it and should be a contender for the Unlimited Gold.

However Czech Mate made it after a stop in Fresno for repair to its prop. Voodoo came in on Saturday as did most of the remaining aircraft.

Crews are hard at work getting the F-1 racers ready for qualifying.

The F-1 and Biplane hanger is full and the sport class is filling two other hangers. Didn’t have time to walk up to the jet area but that looks like a pretty good field as well.

Planes of Fame flew in their P-51A and I believe it will be racing as well but the Unlimited field is about as limited as I’ve ever seen it.

Newly restored P-51A will compete in the Unlimited races. This thanks to the effort from the Planes of Fame Museum.

Precious Metal is in pieces and some of it is on a trailer. I understand it’s heading to California for restoration. If things had gone well this could have been its year but I hope, as do others, it will return to Reno in 2017.

Precious Metal apparently is heading to California for restoration.

And the Bear should also return. Just keeping fingers crossed that Tiger can get the needed sponsorship to get Strega back up here.

Until then it appears that Voodoo might be using Strega’s prop as it did during PRS. So at least a part of Strega will be here racing.

And one T-6 had a special bit of nose art.

Nose art on one of the T-6 racers.

Qualifying begins at 8 a.m. Monday morning and that should be a wild day as weather is expected, not to mention winds and cooler temps on Tuesday. So that day and maybe Wednesday morning could be a bit iffy, have to see what transpires.

Crews in the T-6 pits were hard at work Sunday getting the aircraft ready for qualifying.

The final qualifying is Wednesday morning with the first heats slated to start right after 11 a.m. Should be a great week and the Flying Blue Angels will be the headliner act for the Air Show part of the week.

Hope to see all of you then and if not I’ll be working to put updates out every day like I did last year. Hmmm, now if I could only get a sponsor for this…

Be sure to check out the video at the end of this update.

This year the radio show I’m a guest on will be doing a live remote on Tuesday from 2 until 3 p.m. Don’t know the exact location but figuring it will be in or around a hanger.

Teresa Aquila, host of Teresa’s Garage will be doing a live remote on Tuesday at the air races.

You can listen to it live on 1180 AM KCKQ  or stream it live at, www.amm.streamon.fm. We hope to have at least two women pilots, maybe a third and a woman aircraft mechanic on this week.

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