Hi there Race Fans and Fellow Addicts,
Well, here we are with just about three weeks to go until Reno 2000. This is the
second in a series of Favorite photos that I am running with the few short weeks
before R2k, (Reno 2000), that highlights some of the unique winners I have seen
in the almost twenty years of my attendance at the Reno National Championship Air
Races. In this photo, I am highlighting not only an aircraft, but a pilot as well
who has become a virtual icon at Reno and multiple winner of the Unlimited Gold
Race. This would be Skip Holm, who will have the duties this year of piloting the
very fast and competitive Dago Red. The aircraft Stiletto, was a highly modified
Mustang, with the radiator scoop on it's belly, (the main feature of it's identity)
removed, and moved to the wings. Both features are readily visible in this photo
that I took in 1988, with Stiletto piloted by Scott Sherman. I remember back in
about "86", Skip Holm flying her with a huge plume of white smoke pouring out of
the cowl in the Gold Race on Sunday and Skip keeping her in the race until the last
moment. Then it became obvious that he was not going to finish and Mayday'd. That
was really thrilling, and Skip earned my respect as one hell of a race Pilot.

Since then, Skip has been at Reno, flying several different Mustangs, and has been
involved in the development of several other high performance racers. This is not a
strange coincidence as he was a Lockheed test pilot at one time and flown many hot
and unique aircraft. Stiletto, on the other hand is no longer a racer, but to some,
(not me), rightfully returned to it's original form of a P-51D. I won't get into the
discussion of this particular subject here. I just want to say that Stiletto was a
great racer and would add tremendously to the high powered field racing this year.
That's my story for this week's installment of the Air Race Addict's favorite photos.
Thanks once again for visiting.
Sincerely, The Air Race Addict