And while the Sport class is heralded as the next big thing in air racing, the sleek, composite kit planes still have a lot of work ahead of them to overcome the sheer muscle of the Unlimiteds. The hugely modified — 4,000 hp — Grumman Bearcat Rare Bear, with John Penney in the cockpit, took the Gold final on Sunday with a speed of 466.3 mph, more than 100 mph faster than Greenamyer’s (600 hp) Sport class time. Two Sea Furies rounded out the top three with Brian Saunders guiding Dreadnought to a 448.8 mph second place and Stewart Dawson’s Spirit of Texas in third at 430.4 mph. Penney also found winning form in the Jet class, flying the L-39 Albatros at an average speed of 454.2 mph. In the T-6 class, Mary Dilda posted a winning speed of 237.2 while Andrew Buehler flew his Mong Sport to victory in the biplanes at 230.8 mph. Gary Hubler won the Formula One class in Mariah at a speed of 252.3 mph.
…Penney Wins Unlimited And Jet Classes
Key Takeaways:
- John Penney secured a dual victory, winning the Unlimited Gold final in the "Rare Bear" Grumman Bearcat at 466.3 mph and the Jet class in an L-39 Albatros at 454.2 mph.
- The Unlimited class showcased its power, with two Sea Furies ("Dreadnought" and "Spirit of Texas") rounding out the top three and significantly outpacing the Sport class.
- Other class winners included Mary Dilda (T-6), Andrew Buehler (Biplanes), and Gary Hubler (Formula One).
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