WITH THE promise of virtually ideal weather and a new Unlimited Class qualifying speed record of 499.160mph by two-time Unlimited National Champion Steven Hinton, Jr at the controls of Bill Tiger' Destefani's P-51D Mustang Strega, the 48th Annual Reno National Championship Air Races at Stead Field in Nevada on 14-18 September had tremendous potential. However, this year's event came to an abrupt and tragic end at approximately I6.24hrs local on Friday 16 September. Steve Hinton, Sr (himself a two-time Unlimited National Champion) at the controls of the T-33 pace plane proudly led the starting field 'down the chute' with his son and the rest of the Unlimited Gold Class competitors off his right wingtip for the beginning of the day's final event, a Gold Heat Race. Qualifying speeds and finishing orders during preliminary heat races determine the staring order of Sunday's final Unlimited Gold National Championship Race. As expected, Steven Hinton, Jr jumped off to an immediate and commanding lead, with Will Whiteside in P-51 D Mustang Voodoo, Stewart Dawson in F8F-2 Bearcat Rare Bear, Jimmy Leeward in P-51 D Mustang The Galloping Ghost and the rest of the field in tow.
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