JASPER AL- Alabama's Reno Air Race star, Joey "Gordo" Sanders brought home his third Silver Class Championship Trophy this year. Air Racing at Reno since 2004, the Sanders Race Team consistently finishes in or near the head of the Silver Class pack and often competes for the Gold.
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Taken from the back seat of the observation, T-6 "Six Shooter", the pace plane has just started smoke so the crowd can see the Silver Racers come "down the chute" to start the Sunday race. Big Red is in the "pole" position. Big Red's Assistant Crew Chief, won the fund raiser Raffle for a ride in the Observation plane during the Silver Medal Race. She has been trying to win that ride for 6 years. -Photo, Storme Muse
Big Red, Gordo's AT-6 number 5, has been racing at Reno longer than Gordo. Formerly named "Miss Eufaula", the plane has raced over two decades with different owners and pilots. Big Red and Gordo are hugely popular annual competitors- a tradition. Each year the Air Race has its challenges, wind, weather and more recently, last years horrific crash. This year the race went without a hitch except for a bit of good luck for Big Red and the team.
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Crew member applying the red checkerboard to Black "race cowling" on loan from Nick Macy, owner/pilot of "Six Cat". Photo-Kim Preston
Gordo heard from his pit row neighbor, T-6 Six Cat owner Nick Macy,that his race cowling design helped him pick up a few knots. Nick graciously offered Gordo a chance to try it, the Big Red team quickly went to work to change the cowling. In spite of the fact the cowling was black, like Six Cat, the team created a red vinyl checkerboard design and made it fit Big Reds "look".
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After the Silver Race heat 2 Thursday with the new cowling. "Six Cat" is "Big Reds" pit row neighbor. Photo-Kim Preston
In stock T-6 air racing, pilot skill and every inch of reduced drag and increased speed wins. Finding that elusive combination is what brings home the trophy. This year Gordo flew his fastest time 228.151 to win the Silver Class and Nick Macy broke a course record at 247.317 to win the Gold.
Next year will be Gordo's 10th season and the 50th Anniversary of the Reno Air Race Championship. This will be the experience not to be missed. -B Meyer, FMI: T-6 Racing
Taken from the back seat of the observation, T-6 "Six Shooter", the pace plane has just started smoke so the crowd can see the Silver Racers come "down the chute" to start the Sunday race. Big Red is in the "pole" position. Big Red's Assistant Crew Chief, won the fund raiser Raffle for a ride in the Observation plane during the Silver Medal Race. She has been trying to win that ride for 6 years. -Photo, Storme Muse
Big Red, Gordo's AT-6 number 5, has been racing at Reno longer than Gordo. Formerly named "Miss Eufaula", the plane has raced over two decades with different owners and pilots. Big Red and Gordo are hugely popular annual competitors- a tradition. Each year the Air Race has its challenges, wind, weather and more recently, last years horrific crash. This year the race went without a hitch except for a bit of good luck for Big Red and the team.
Crew member applying the red checkerboard to Black "race cowling" on loan from Nick Macy, owner/pilot of "Six Cat". Photo-Kim Preston
Gordo heard from his pit row neighbor, T-6 Six Cat owner Nick Macy,that his race cowling design helped him pick up a few knots. Nick graciously offered Gordo a chance to try it, the Big Red team quickly went to work to change the cowling. In spite of the fact the cowling was black, like Six Cat, the team created a red vinyl checkerboard design and made it fit Big Reds "look".
After the Silver Race heat 2 Thursday with the new cowling. "Six Cat" is "Big Reds" pit row neighbor. Photo-Kim Preston
In stock T-6 air racing, pilot skill and every inch of reduced drag and increased speed wins. Finding that elusive combination is what brings home the trophy. This year Gordo flew his fastest time 228.151 to win the Silver Class and Nick Macy broke a course record at 247.317 to win the Gold.
Next year will be Gordo's 10th season and the 50th Anniversary of the Reno Air Race Championship. This will be the experience not to be missed. -B Meyer, FMI: T-6 Racing