RC Pylon Racing
Duane Gall, 1267 S. Beeler Ct., Denver CO 80231; E-mail: [email protected]
1999 Toledo Silver Cup
Recently I had the privilege of attending the 26th annual running of the Hobby Stop Silver Cup QM40 contest. This is the longest-running traditional meet I know of, and always one of the best. Members of the Toledo Weak Signals and Flying Tigers clubs pool their efforts for a two-day extravaganza at the Weak Signals' field near Toledo.
The menu always includes steak, corn on the cob, and tall tales at the Saturday afternoon banquet in the Weak Signals' clubhouse. After the flying is done on Sunday, silver trophies and lots of worker and contestant prizes are distributed by Les Haddad, proprietor of the Hobby Stop.
The high point of the weekend is the Ron Haddad Memorial Trophy Dash, in which the pilots who have posted the fastest times in the preceding two days of competition run against each other in a grandstand-thumping, nail-biting elimination tournament.
This year the field was thinned somewhat by the pendency of the fourth in the five-race JR Gold Cup series, scheduled for two weeks later in Dayton. (A feature on that race will appear in the February issue.) Some pilots chose to stay home and "save their stuff" for that one, leaving just 22 to vie for the silver this year. As my daughter's kindergarten teacher would say: "That was not a good choice."
The 22 who came enjoyed good weather, a relaxed atmosphere, 10 rounds of great racing, no wipeouts, valuable practice for the JR (more about that later), plus the aforementioned goodies and camaraderie.
Tossing their hats in the ring were an all-star cast including the following:
- Affable Ed Smith, flying a Napier-Heston loaned to him lock, stock, and barrel by Kevin Matney following a technical difficulty during practice on Friday. Kevin fielded a spiffy T-tailed AJ-2.
- Nats fast-time winner Marcus Blanchard with a fine Dago Red in yellow paint (just to be different) and partner/caller Terry Fraser, who ended up calling for and otherwise helping a whole lot of others, too.
- Perennial champs Joe Dodd and Craig Grunkemeyer in matching helmets of BMW silver, loaded for bear with Craig's brand-new Miss Ashley.
- New Contest Board member Tom Scott, whose Dago tangled with Marcus' on takeoff in the Trophy Dash, did a wobbly slow-roll, and kept on going!
- Longtime Contest Board member Ernie Nikodem, musing on the absurdity of it all.
- Longtime contestant Ray Blake, also musing on the absurdity of it all, but flying a gold-and-green Tsunami that just keeps going and going and going.
- Husband/wife team of Dan and Kathy Kane, who, along with Wayne Webb, Billy Johanson, and Jeff and Archie Adamisin, represent the second generation of stalwart Midwestern pylon supporters.
- Fred Johanson, Bob Hisey, and yours truly, representing the first generation of sail stalwarts, and sucking air gamely as we try to keep up with the kids.
- Father/son team of Rick and Cory "I'll be flying here next time" Paine, from Canada, with a very pretty Loki in red and white maple-leaf trim.
- Detroit's own Mike Condon, who endured minor damage to his Dago with Churchillian pluck and a cigar to match.
- Bob Brassell, whose Web site (http://www.englefire.com/oh2/bracing/index.html) should be a regular stop for every RC pylon fan and wannabe.
- Dave Carpenter, who tried but failed to avoid the attention of gossipy reporters.
- Husband/wife team of Glenn and Peggy Wierschke, who with consistency and determination placed high in spite of having a best time in the double-digits (1:13).
- Local hero Chris Fry from Dayton, succeeding without visible means of support. Chris filled in to call for a more-or-less total stranger from out of town, asking only for the chance to "do my best and learn from you." Later, I find out I have nothing to teach this kid; he makes Top 10 with a best time of 1:08. Sandbagger!
Saturday was typically hot and humid; the name of the game was to keep drinking water first, and fly model airplanes second. Those of us who weren't producing terrific heat times might attribute that to the weather, except that Dodd and Grunkemeyer went about their business in the same sweaty heat—those who are prepared need fear no evil—or at least no combination of temperature and humidity.
Grunk didn't lose a heat, didn't post a time that didn't end in "05" or "06" except once, in the last heat of the day, when he deviated enough from his routine to grab a 1:03. That was nearly three seconds (half a lap) ahead of the next-best time of the contest.
Tom Scott's story was similar, except that Tom had the misfortune of getting beat once in the third round (with a 1:07—ouch!). That put him into a four-way tussle with Kane, Fraser, and Blanchard that continued for the duration, with Wierschke and Condon periodically knocking on the door.
Sunday morning brought a refreshing blast of Canadian air, which unfortunately came in perpendicular to the runway. There were many noseovers on takeoff and one or two landings in which the wheels were the last things to touch the ground.
Several contestants brought out their backup airplanes. However, Grunkemeyer kept flogging the Miss Ashley and it soon became apparent that he had his eye on Dayton. The stay-at-homes would keep their shiny paint, but they would not be as prepared for adverse conditions nor would they come armed with a box full of propellers that worked day in, day out in that crucible of atmospheric randomness known as the Midwest.
Two weeks later the efficacy of Grunk's approach proved out, as he set a pending world record of 1:00.02.
Tom Scott, solidly in second after nine rounds, consoled himself by winning the Trophy Dash.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
