Massive World War II-vintage V-12 and radial engines will once again roar over the desert in September.
Organizers of the annual National Championship Air Races said all seven classes of racing aircraft, including Unlimited and Sport, will compete at this year’s event, scheduled for September 16-20. Unlimited and Sport did not participate in last year’s races, which were held for the first time at the event’s new home in Roswell, New Mexico.
Settling Differences
Racers and officials from the Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) have discussed and debated several issues, mainly regarding the racecourse layout. The groups were unable to settle their differences in time for last year’s inaugural gathering in Roswell, leaving other race classes such as Jet, T-6, and Formula 1 to keep audiences engaged.
Now, with all parties in agreement, the organizers said, the full racing schedule will resume.
“We pride ourselves on being the only event in the world where fans can see seven classes of air racing,” said RARA chairman and CEO Fred Telling. “We can’t wait to show first-time attendees what a full field of air racing looks like.”
Race fans have waited for this announcement, as some had expressed concern about the long-running aviation festival, which includes pylon racing, STOL drag competition, and diverse airshow performances ranging from military demonstration teams like the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds to warbird aerobatics and the ever-popular Flying Farmer comedy act.
Colorful History
The races trace their history to the rise and rapid advance of air racing during the golden age of aviation between the two world wars.
Racing halted during World War II with the Cleveland Air Races, a premier event at the time, resuming in 1946. A fatal accident involving a race plane that crashed into a home led to the end of the Cleveland event.
By 1964, pilots were eager to find a new, safer venue for reviving large-scale racing. For two years, Unlimited, Formula 1, and Biplane competitors gathered at a short, dusty strip called Sky Ranch near Sparks, Nevada. It was a good start, but the stark conditions and utter lack of infrastructure at Sky Ranch led to the event’s relocation to Stead Field, known today as Reno-Stead Airport (KRTS), where the races continued for the next six decades.
After so many years in Reno, racers, fans, and vendors wondered if it would be possible to find another location with the right combination of airspace, multiple runways, accessibility, and reasonable proximity to hotels and other amenities.
Difficult Times
The races also had experienced rough patches in recent years, including cancellation of the 2020 event due to the COVID-19 pandemic, fatal racing accidents in 2022 and ’23, and the announcement that ’23 would be the last year of racing at Reno.
The return of all classes, especially the top-rated Unlimiteds, for 2026 suggests the event can truly pick up in Roswell where it left off in Reno.
Public ticket sales are expected to begin in mid-to-late April.