RC Pylong Racing - 2012/10

The summer racing season is
in full swing and many parts
of the country have had wellattended
races with many hardfought
battles for bragging rights.
In my last column, I mentioned
my excitement about an upcoming
race in Billings, Montana, during
Memorial Day weekend.
This race was canceled due to
inclement weather—morning
snow followed by drizzles, to be
exact—but before the weather hit,
we flew a couple of practice heats
around the poles with our Electric
Formulas I (EFI) models. We flew
on the 375-foot course and it was a
blast. I look forward to a full day of
EFI (NMPRA Provisional) racing
at the 2012 AMA Pylon Nats. At
the time I wrote this, more than
55 pilots were registered.
This article will be devoted to
recapping racing results through June
2012. I hope this will highlight some
racing action in
your neck of the
woods and inspire
you to take the
Pylon Racing leap.
You won’t regret it.
This will give
some muchdeserved
ink to
local racers and
event organizers
across the country.
California: George
Finch Memorial
Race
The San
Fernando Valley
Radio Control
Flyers and CD
Travis Flynn hosted
the annual George
Finch Memorial
Race March 30-April 1. There were
15 participants in Q-500 (AMA Event
424), 12 in EFI, and 14 in Q-500 (AMA
Event 426) on Saturday.
Q-500 was flown on the AMA’s
475.5-foot short course, 2 miles for 10
laps, with EFI flown on the 375-foot
course.
Q-500 (424)
1. David Hill 1:21.92
2. Jim Padelt 1:27.46
3. Dan Coe 1:24.53
Fast time: David Hill 1:21.92
Q-500 (426)
1. Sam San 1:05.37
2. Chuck Andraka 1:07.73
3. Dan Thordarson 1:09.29
Fast time: Jim Allen 1:02.46
EFI (Provisional)
1. Troy Peterson 1:15.07
2. Jim Allen 1:21.11
3. Gary Long 1:26.41
Fast time: Troy Peterson 1:15.07
Florida: Markham Park Q-40 Gold Cup
The Markham Park club and event
organizers, Ray Brown and Jim Purdue,
hosted the National Miniature Pylon
Racing Association (NMPRA) Gold
Cup race April 14-15. Weather caused
Saturday’s action to be canceled and put
participants into a one-day winner-takesall
scenario.
Q-500 (424) and Q-40 (422) were
flown on the AMA long course. They
flew 2.5 miles for 10 laps, measuring 608
feet from the pylons, 2/3 to 1 with four
airplanes and 23 entries, respectively.
Q-500 (424)
1. Jack Fehling 1:49.63
2. Jeff Kerlo 1:44.64
3. Richard Zisa 1:46.36
Fast time: Jeff Kerlo 1:44.64
Q-40 (422)
1. Randy Bridge 1:00.77
2. John McDermott 1:00.77
3. Dub Jett 59.83
Fast time: Dub Jett 59.83
Missouri: KCRC Spring Pylon Race
The Kansas City Radio Control
(KCRC) Association, my former home,
and CDs Craig White and Duane Hulen,
hosted the one-day Q-500 race on April
28.
This event raced Q-500 (424
and 426) with 17 and 12 entries,
respectively. The classes were flown
on the AMA 475.5-foot short course.
Veteran racers split up their teams and
called for newcomers in 424. What
a great way to help boost continued
participation at events.
Q-500 (424)
1. Mike Tallman 1:18.19
2. Maurice Vereecke 1:21.90
3. Jim Nikodem 1:23.00
Fast time: Mike Tallman 1:18.19
Q-500 (426)
1. Scott Causey 1:05.28
2. Maurice Vereecke 1:07.28
3. Jim Nikodem 1:09.25
Fast time: Scott Causey 1:05.28
California: Woodland/Davis Electric
Pylon Race
The Woodland/Davis Aeromodelers
Electric Pylon Race and CD Robert
Holik put racing back on the map
May 19 in central California. This race
included the ParkZone Warbird class and
EFI. This may be a good format for the
aspiring event organizers out there trying
to establish racing in their areas.
There were five contestants in
ParkZone Warbird and 17 in EFI. Both
were flown on the AMA 375-foot course.
ParkZone Warbird
1. Doug Killebrew 2:15.94
2. Josh Killebrew 2:20.21
3. Travis Flynn 2:28.49
Fast time: Doug Killebrew 2:15.94
EFI (Provisional)
1. Robert Holik 1:18.58
2. Jim Allen 1:14.42
3. Steve Cole 1:29.25
Fast time: Gary Schmidt 1:11.92
Indiana: CAPS Indy Shootout
The Can-Am Pylon Society (CAPS)
and co-CDs Darwin Larson and Rick
Vogelsang hosted the Indy Shootout
at the AMA Headquarters in Muncie,
Indiana, May 19-20.
Saturday featured EFI Q-500 (424
and 426), flown on the AMA 475.5-foot
course. Sunday featured Q-40 (422) and
Q-500 (424), flown on the AMA 608-
foot long course.
Saturday Q-500 (424)
1. Duane Hulen 1:21.49
2. Jay Cappis 1:26.83
3. Kevin Matney 1:21.69
Fast Time: Maurice Vereecke 1:17.59
Saturday Q-500 (426)
1. Dan Kane 1:04.12
2. Lonnie Finch 1:07.51
3. Maurice Vereecke 1:06.13
Fast Time: Dan Kane 1:04.12
Saturday EFI (Provisional)
1. Jim Nikodem 1:29.38
2. Tom Scott 1:31.32
3. Mike Spencer 1:33.18
Fast Time—Dan Kane 1:26.11
Sunday Q-500 (424)
1. Duane Hulen 1:36.12
2. Jay Cappis 1:40.67
3. Darwin Larson 1:45.70
Fast Time: Tom Scott 1:35.13
Sunday Q-40 (422)
1. Tom Scott 1:03.13
2. Craig Grunkemeyer 1:03.56
3. Eddie Jump 1:10.52
Fast Time: Tom Scott 1:03.13
North Carolina: Old Julian Airport
Spring Race
The Old Julian Airport Model
Airplane Club and organizers, Mike
Langlois and Jim Katz, hosted the Old
Julian Airport Spring Race, May 12-13.
Saturday featured Q-500 (424 and
426), flown on the AMA 475.5-foot
short course. Sunday featured Q-40
(422) and Q-500 (424), flown on the
AMA 608-foot long course. There were
19 contestants in 426, seven in 424,
and 24 in 422.
Saturday Q-500 (424)
1. Mike Rutchka 1:31.34
2. Trey Witte 1:36.44
3. Bob Harris 1:33.98
Fast Time: Mike Rutchka 1:31.34
Saturday Q-500 (426)
1. Mike Helsel 1:03.16
2. Lonnie Finch 1:03.23
3. Dub Jett 1:07.48
Fast Time: Maurice Vereecke 1:02.63
Sunday Q-40 (422)
1. John McDermott 1:02.27
2. Matthew Fehling 1:07.23
3. Mike Helsel 1:02.27
Fast Time: John McDermott 1:02.27
Connecticut: Farmington Race
John Hinze was the CD for the
Farmington, Connecticut, race held on
June 3. There were 22 registered pilots
for this one-day Q-500 (424) race.
Saturday Q-500 (424)
1. Joe Tropea 1:18.24
2. Kevin Cyr 1:20.00
3. Don Ouimette 1:20.10
Fast Time: Joe Tropea 1:18.24
Ohio: Moonshot Race
The CAPS, Greater Cincinnati Radio
Control Club, and CD Tom Scott hosted
the Moonshot in Cincinnati, June 2-3.
Saturday featured EFI and Q-500
(424 and 426), flown on the AMA
475.5-foot course. Sunday featured
Q-40 (422) and Q-500 (424) flown
on the AMA 608-foot long course.
Saturday saw six in 424, 23 in 426, and
11 contestants in EFI. On Sunday, there
were six registered pilots in 424 and 24
in 422.
Saturday Q-500 (424)
1. Darwin Larson 1:23.61
2. Kevin Matney 1:31.88
3. Jim Nikodem 2:26.29
Fast Time: Darwin Larson 1:23.61
Saturday Q-500 (426)
1. Randy Bridge 1:03.01
2. Lloyd Burnham 1:06.30
3. Dan Kane 1:05.16
Fast Time: Craig Grunkemeyer 1:02.12
Saturday EFI (Provisional)
1. Dan Kane 1:33.66
2. Dennis O’Brien 1:32.59
3. Lonnie Finch 1:37.35
Fast Time: Dennis O’Brien 1:32.59
Sunday Q-500 (424)
1. Darwin Larson 1:42.12
2. Jim Nikodem 1:38.75
3. Kevin Matney 1:39.48
Fast Time: Tom Scott 1:37.63
Sunday Q-40 (422)
1. Randy Bridge 1:01.42
2. Mike Helsel 1:01.16
3. Dub Jett 1:03.28
Fast Time: Mike Helsel 1:01.16