By Pete Shirk

Air racing is a high-risk game but all the safety precautions and care usually keep it safe.  Sometimes the best intentions are just not enough, and that happened in a horrible way on Friday, Sept. 16, 2011.

Jimmy Leeward, a veteran pilot and air racer, had taken all the precautions, and yet on lap three of the Gold Race, coming off pylon eight on the west end of the course and heading down the home stretch in front of the flight line, crowd, bleachers, VIP tents, trailers, food and beverage concessions, FAA trailer, and control tower, all the care, safety precautions, experience and expertise gave way to catastrophe.