Legendary P-51 Mustang Strega to compete at 50th National Championship Air Races
Precious Metal, Dreadnought and Argonaut also announced as competitors in this year’s event
Strega in flight. (Anthony Taylor/WarbirdFotos.com)On the heels of the initial competitor announcement, the Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) announced that legendary Unlimited & Warbird Class (UWRC) racers Strega, Precious Metal, Argonaut, and Dreadnought, are the latest entrants into the historic event’s most recognizable racing class.
In a surprising twist, however, Strega, which has been flown to victory the past four years by defending champion Steve Hinton, will be flown by Air Race veteran Matt Jackson.
“With these latest additions to the Unlimited & Warbird Racing Class, we have as good of a racing field as we have ever had and one that is absolutely befitting of our special 50th event,” said Mike Houghton, president and CEO of RARA. “We are ecstatic to announce that we will have the most recognizable racing planes and pilots in the world and one of the most competitive national championships in the event’s storied history.”
In taking the helm of Strega, owned by acclaimed race champion Bill “Tiger” Destefani, Jackson will be piloting the winningest plane in the history of the Reno Air Races’ Unlimited division. He will be trying to unseat Hinton, who has won Unlimited Gold in each of the four years that he has competed in Reno.
The Breitling-sponsored Precious Metal will be piloted by longtime race pilot and Formula One Gold Champion Thom Richard, who will be looking to win his first Unlimited Gold victory. Additionally, brothers Dennis and Brian Sanders will be flying the fan-favorite Sea Furies, Dreadnought and Argonaut, respectively. All told, there are 16 Unlimiteds scheduled to compete in the UWRC, and more than 113 planes total racing, with more to come, in Reno’s six racing classes.
“This year’s event will feature some very unique storylines and we know, at the very least, we’re going to see a new face or a new a plane on the winner’s podium when all is said and done,” said Houghton. “And, in addition to some incredible racing, we will have a wide array of top-notch, one-of-a-kind entertainment that should serve as an emphatic tribute to aviation of all kinds.”
