The National Championship Air Races celebrated their 40th anniversary in 2003. The event, strung over a week at Stead Airport just north of Reno, is the only significant pylon race event for aircraft in the world. Although there are five racing classes, its the unlimiteds which draw the crowds. Back in the late 1960s, Can Am automobile racing was intended to be a technology showcase. Rules were kept to a minimum, and innovation was, at least in theory, encouraged. Sadly, truly innovative thinking on the part of folks like Jim Hall caused the beaurocrats to step in, and in short order the rule book became more important than the racing.

Unlimited air racing has yet to fall victim to rules. The concept is simple, each aircraft must be powered by one or more internal combustion piston engines. The aircraft must be propeller driven. Beyond the basic rules of how qualifying, heat races and finals are organized, there are no other rules. The aircraft are as truly unlimited as any existing motor sport.

Qualified: 492.7 mph

Dago Red

Rat bastards that they are, it must be acknowledged that Dago is the class of the field today. The airframe is very efficient and its highly stressed Merlin has again proven reliable. The team's crew chief has won something like twelve championships at Reno. In the two years I have attended the races, they look like winners. Although the course distance was recalibrated in 2003, they none the less own the distinction of having posted the first ever official 500 mph lap, and the first official 500 mph heat race average speed.

Race: gold winner 487.9 mph

Qualified: 495.0

Rare Bear

"The Bear is back!" This statement, heard throughout the paddock in 2003 means a lot to unlimited racing fans. The fastest ever, and probably the last highly modified F8F Bearcat we'll ever see, was back in the air for the first time since 1999. Rare Bear is now a flying museum. It took a combination of sponsorships and $165,000 in fan contributions to get there. The Bear is the only plane currently which can hope to challenge a healthy Dago Red.

Qualified: 431.3

Critical Mass

The Dwelle family and their heavily modified Hawker Fury are the archetype grass roots racing effort. Owner/pilot Tom Dwelle can regularly be seen wrenching on the aircraft. Their R3350 engine setup is reportedly almost identical to Rare Bear's. In a classic case of "we're all in this together," Critical Mass is using Rare Bear's spare propeller, and Rare Bear is using the Dwelle's spare carburetor.

Race: 446.9 mph

Qualified: 434.8 mph

Czechmate

As the only R2800 powered unlimited in the field, Czechmate must rely on its diminutive size and weight. Although they have suffered a series of mishaps over the years, 2003 was a charmed year. Everything ran fine and Czechmate put up a credible 4th place in the gold race. As pilot Sherman Smoot told me, "I love pushing those R3350s around with my little 'ol R2800."

Race: 445.6 mph

Qualified: 445.4 mph

Furias

With 28 cylinders and 56 spark plugs, the R4360 powered Furias is truly a beast. New pilot Gary Hubler has put this heavily modified Hawker Fury among the front runners. While the airframe is too big to compete on raw speed, Furias is a beautifully prepared crowd pleaser.

Race: 439.9 mph

Qualified: 424.9 mph

Spirit of Texas

The R3350 powered Sea Fury has become a mainstay of the Reno unlimited class. Stewart Dawson's entry looks great and runs like a train. While Sea Fury speeds are not likely to win outright, they have relegated the stock Mustangs to bronze class status.

Race: 431.5 mph

Qualified: 427.1 mph

Riff Raff

In every form of motor sport there is always one team who show up and race, and seemingly never even bother to look under the hood. Piloted by former space shuttle astronaut Robert "Hoot" Gibson, Riff Raff just cruises around, seemingly unperturbed. Gibson likes to fly low. Fans like pilots who skim the tree tops.

Race: 428.4 mph

Qualified: 416.3 mph

September Pops

Mike Brown is my hero. He wants to win, really wants to win. Last year Mike had two entries, September Pops and September Fury. Pops blew an engine, but they changed it over night and soldiered on as best they could. For 2003, the team came back with no fewer than three entries. In spite of being handicapped by its two seat configuration, this year September Pops ran flawlessly and made the gold race.

Race: 418.0 mph

Qualified: 417.0 mph

Voodoo

Its official, Voodoo is now the undisputed most snake bit team. Originally built to challenge for overall victory, the team has suffered engine and airframe failures out of proportion to its quality. Owing to small mechanical issues, pilot Matt Jackson had to fight his way into the gold, winning heats when he didn't mayday out or DNS. Voodoo made the gold race with a 442.9 mph average in Saturday's silver heat, and would have given Critical Mass and Czechmate all they could handle on Sunday.

Race: DNF