Air Racing Results: Oldest & Youngest are winners

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Air Racing Results: Oldest & Youngest are winners
Harlon Hain proudly announces his age as 80 ľ (makes you smile, doesn't it). Between his military service as one of the 90 pilots trained to fly the SR-71 Blackbird, his service at the Strategic Air Command and his survival of colon cancer, he deserves to be proud of his age and now there is another reason. He and Charlie Daubs, co-owner of their 1964 Piper 260 Comanche and also one of the 90 pilots trained to fly the SR-71 Blackbird, won the prestigious Marion Jayne Perpetual Trophy for the Best Combined Score of the 2007 National Air Races. In addition to the $25,000 in awards, 13 Learn-to-Fly Scholarships were drawn as teams from California to New York and Texas to Minnesota grew the perfect safety record to 533,488 miles – that’s over 20 times around the world. Photos are at http://www.us-airrace.org/events.html
Race 1, Hain/Daubs’ competition was younger with faster and newer planes but Race 1 used their precise flight and navigational skills in the Wichita 300 and Stevens Point 300 races to bring them two 1st place victories. The 300 mile races are done with all navigation aids and auto-pilot functions covered under Renaissance Rules. The purpose is to fly the way it was done at the birth of aviation with maps and eyeballs. These two National Air Races combined with their second place finish in the 1900-mile Marion Jayne Air Race brought them the Grand Championship Marion Jayne Perpetual Trophy.
Hain/Daubs also were the Top Team flying a Piper. If that wasn’t enough activity, immediately following the evening awards, they flew from Wisconsin to Omaha. They were up at 0’dark 30, loaded sweet corn, flew to Wyoming for the Wyoming Stampede and cooked the sweet corn as they continue their decades old tradition. Both men are from Bellevue, Nebraska and are featured in the SAC Museum where Hain’s SR-71 hangs on exhibit.
Race 1’s challenge was formidable in all manner of pilots and planes-equalized-by-handicaps to make the competitions a test of pilot skills. The youngest competitor was Race 5’s Jay Behel (pronounced beel) at 17 and he raced with his Dad, Lee Behel in the Lancair Legacy they built. It flew over 100 mph faster than the Hain/Daubs 260 Comanche and this was an advantage in the 1900-mile Marion Jayne Race as they could fly the cooler smoother air in the mornings. The father/son team from San Jose, CA won the longest of the three National Air Races, the Marion Jayne Air Race where using the winds and weather are key. They placed second by 3/10 of 1% in the overall performance for the Marion Jayne Perpetual Trophy
In analyzing the leg by leg results for the Marion Jayne event, Race 1 beat Race 5 on the first leg into Horseshoe Bend, AR but then Race 5 trounced Hain/Daubs on the second leg. Both teams stayed overnight at Jackson, OH, the third stop. At the end of that first day they didn’t yet know that Behels led Hain/Daubs by over 5 kts after 900 miles had been flown. This is a huge margin of over 3%. Scores are computed by subtracting the handicap from the on course ground speed.
Day two dawned with half the teams at the second stop in Nashville, TN and half at the Ohio stop. Teams were limited to 3 legs per day. While Hain/Daubs seemed to be out of the running for 1st place in the Marion Jayne, Race 16 Tony Toscano, NY and Brad Otis, FL were hot on the heels of the Behels in Toscano’s Baron 58. Veteran Race 6 team, Michigan residents, Charles Robinson Jr, Maisie Stears and Mike Westra were crowding Toscano in Stears’ Geronimo with 2004 Grand Champion’s Race 41 Shelby Bowles and Jim Reed, MD in Bowles Skymaster, “Wild Thing” right behind race 6.
Top results were mixed on leg 4 between those who stayed at Nashville and those who stayed at Jackson. While Hain/ Daubs won this leg, the margin wasn’t enough to help them much. Toscano/Otis was second, Bowles/Reed third and Behels fourth. Day two closed with Race 5, 1 and 10 in Ashland, WI the 6th stop and all other teams at St Ignace, MI, the 5th stop. The winning strategy was to fly the legs as 3, 3 and 1. Teams in St Ignace had headwinds to Ashland on Day 3 but all teams had whopping 20-30 kt tailwinds from Ashland to Stevens Point.
Since no results for the Marion Jayne race are announced until the Awards Banquet Race 5 had no idea they were .12 kts ahead of Race 1. It was the final National Air Race, the Stevens Point 300 that was the deciding factor in the Hain/Daubs Marion Jayne Perpetual Trophy victory. The on board black box GPSs show the Race 1 flight path could nearly be used for a ruler – their navigation and steady hand on the controls is that good. Add their signature turns and voila, first place trophies.
Other happy race teams included Race 71 and Race 11, Bob and Jeanine Axsom in their RV-6A and Dr. Henry Punzi and Bill Vorderbruggen in Punzi’s Mooney that also won their 100 points for their divisions in the SARL-sanctioned Wichita 300 race in the Aircraft Performance Racing (APR). Two Marion Jayne Encouragement Awards were given to husband and wife, Angus and Chloe Watson in the Schaumburg Flying Club 182 and Race 61 David Gallion and Donald McAlhany in Gallion’s Warrior for their precautionary stops en route to Ohio from Nashville. They didn’t like the weather they saw and took the safe route and landed. Both teams went on to fly the entire route.
Teams improved over the race week. The score spread on the Wichita 300 was 4.15 kts between first and third places. The score spread on the Stevens Point 300 was .94 kts between first and third places. This was very impressive improvement.
Race Management looks very closely at the first leg of the Marion Jayne route because all teams fly as close to the same time as possible. This is where only altitude and flight skills separate the teams and gives Race Management the best opportunity to see if handicaps make sense. A mere 5.4 kts separated the top 9 teams so handicaps were looking fair at this point. Compliments to all teams on the tight scores for the Perpetual Trophy competition as a total of 8.76 kts separate the top 9 teams after they flew over 2,500 miles.
The National Air Races had tremendous support from the Top Gun and Gold Sponsors. “Air Capitol of the World”, Wichita’s Mayor Carl Brewer held a joint press conference prior to the races. He also flagged off the Wichita 300 while it was being covered on live radio. The Wichita Airport Authority and the Mooney Airplane Company made the Wichita start location a stellar experience. The City of Stevens Point sponsored the Stevens Point 300 and provided perfect weather again. Arthur T. Mott Realty as a perennial Top Gun sponsor helps fund the black box GPSs and scholarships. While competition was the focus, the teams expressed their appreciation for the freedom to fly as we do by kicking off race days with our National Anthem led by Maisie Stears. John Dawson joined Maisie at the Awards banquet in “America the Beautiful” and “My Country ‘Tis of Thee.” As the song says, “Let Freedom Ring!” and thanks to our armed forces and veterans, it does ring loud and strong.
The U.S. Air Race was founded by world renowned race pilot, Pioneer Hall of Fame Inductee, and 100 Aviation Hero for the First Century of Flight, Marion P. Jayne as a charitable, all volunteer company whose goals are to: bring flying closer to the public, improve skills through competition and award Learn-to-Fly scholarships. The National Air Races are run by U.S. Air Race, Inc. More information is at www.us-arirace.org and below.
Harlon Hain can be reached at 402-680-3517 and Charlie Daubs at 402-681-3906.
Lee Behel can be reached at 408-398-7776.
Pat Keefer can be reached at 817-491-4055.

More description of the events follows from Pat Purcell:
They arrived in their aircraft and they provided a showcase of our General Aviation fleet. Past champions were in abundance: Mike Jones and Rick Vandam the 2006 overall winners, Marvin Guthrie the 2005 overall winner, Arthur Mott, John Dawson and Bruce Chapman…Arthur was the 1996 overall winner and has won more events than anyone. He just won the 2007 Jackpot Air Classic the week prior to the National Air Races. Dennis and Jeanette Hackler, back to back 300 mile race winners in 2006 flew the “Magic Carpet”, Piper Arrow in from Texas. The 1998 Shreveport 300 winners Harlon Hain and Charlie Daubs from Nebraska and the 2003 Renaissance 300 winners Charles Robinson, Jr. and Maisie Stears from Michigan with 2004 Grand Champion winners Race 41, Shelby Bowles and Jim Reed from Maryland rounded out the field of winning pilots.
The “Air Capitol of the World” provided the ideal backdrop for the drama of cross country racing! Racers carried the spirit of competition to Wichita where the air itself is steeped in aviation. One day prior to the arrival of the race teams, a press conference was held at Colonel James Jabara Airport. President Pat Keefer made a fine speech on behalf of the U.S. Air Race, Inc. Sponsors, the Wichita Airport Authority and Mooney Airplane Company were on hand. The Greater Wichita Convention and Visitors Bureau attended and were excited over the fact that the 2007 National Air Races had brought out every single TV station and 4 radio stations as well as the newspapers to this press conference. Pat Keefer flew the media in her Round the World Race Twin Comanche on a simulated timing run. On landing, the participating news anchorman said that he now was quite sure he wanted to learn to fly and was going to sign up for lessons as soon as possible. Volunteers from the Wichit
a area assisted with registration and ramp activities and hospitality. Stepping forward to lend a hand were some amazing individuals….a former state senator and aviation icon, one of our heroic Tuskegee airmen, airport board members, Museum board members and aviation professionals with amazing credentials - all took part in making the event a success. Headquarters for all of the action was Midwest Corporate Aviation whose staff provided nothing but the best for the event and its participants. Homewood Suites by Hilton on The Waterfront was the venue for serious pre-race briefing.
The weather did not dare to be anything but VFR and the Wichita 300 took to the skies as scheduled with a live remote radio broadcast covering all the action. Mayor Carl Brewer flagged off the aircraft as spectators lined the fence to see all the action. 2007 was a year of firsts for the U.S. Air Race. There were turbo charged entries in the handicap events and the newly offered Sport Air Racing League sanctioned Aircraft Performance Racing classes had two entries. The turbo charged entries provided everyone a first hand look at one of the newest production models, the glistening Mooney Acclaim. Looking to add to his points total for the Sport Air Racing League championships, Bob and Jeannine Axsom flew Bob’s Vans RV6A in his class unchallenged. Dr. Henri Punzi, who, after entering 3 previous races and having to scratch each time, flew his first race. He competed in both the performance and handicap classes in his Mooney M20C. In one hour the first racer crossed the fini
sh line, however, Pilot Skilled Racers fly against their handicap speed so that fastest around the course is not necessarily the winner. A specially built Lancair Legacy competed against a venerable 1959 Piper Geronimo. Three hundred miles, two course turns and navigation by pilotage only dictated that pilot and navigation skills were the keys to winning.
When all the planes had landed and all the black box GPS logger tracks downloaded, the oldest and highest time team had shown they had the right stuff. Harlon Hain and Charlie Daubs of Bellevue, Nebraska flew a Piper Comanche 260 to victory. This team had returned after a 4 year hiatus from racing. Only 1.91 knots behind and flying another precise course, Shelby Bowles and Jim Reed from Maryland in “Wild Thing” the Cessna Skymaster were second. Third place was earned by Michigan’s team “Sweet Potato”, (Piper Geronimo) and Charles Robinson jr., Maisie Stears and Mike Westra. Fourth place went to Stu Morse, Oklahoma and Jim Clarry, New York in the Stu’s, “Tiger Lily” and fifth to Mathew and Pam Giltner, New Jersey in “The Mighty Mooney”. Arthur Mott, Jim Dawson and Bruce Chapman finished in sixth in Mott’s “Cumulus Bound”. Six Learn-to-Fly Scholarships were awarded at Wichita. At the conclusion of the Wichita 300 Air Race awards Mooney’s Vice President of Sales and Mar
keting and veteran air racer Marilyn Copeland’s son, David Copeland, led a long standing ovation for Race Director, Patricia Jayne (Pat) Keefer, Marion Jayne’s daughter.
On Tuesday, July 17, 2007 the flag dropped and the planes were airborne for the 12th annual Marion Jayne Air Race. The first stop was Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas. All the racers refueled and continued on while commenting that Horseshoe Bend was the friendliest place they had ever stopped and marked it for a return visit. Next it was from a tiny airport in the Ozarks to the glamour of the big city and Nashville. Reports came back from the pilots that Nashville was the most professional operation they had ever seen. Day One ended with teams at Nashville, TN and Jackson, Ohio. More about Jackson later but it looks like it was quite a fun place. Day Two and Mother Nature got into the act. Weather along the route from Nashville to Ohio to Michigan was hovering on marginal to IFR conditions with the forecast of improvement as the day wore on. To make the finish line racers had to move to at least Benton Harbor, MI.
Today saw the two lowest time teams make very good decisions. They flew safely and both landed at non designated airports. These teams flew within their skills and showed the good judgment that marks true pilot excellence. With less than 900 hours combined time and VFR only Race 61, David Gallion, Indiana and Don McAlhany, Michigan decided to scratch. To everyone’s delight they flew to Stevens Point, WI via the race route later in the week to attend the final awards banquet. Race 9, Angus and Chloe Watson, IL, landed but continued on when the weather improved. They finished the race. Angus is a private pilot with 243 hours at the start of the race. Chloe, his wife is not a pilot. Again, these individuals displayed great judgment and in the eyes of all, they are true winners. By late afternoon the racers had all landed at St. Ignace, MI and Ashland, WI. Three teams had moved up to the last stop, Race 1, Race 5 and Race 10 and the rest enjoyed scenic Macinac County in
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Day Three and the run for the finish line saw the racers still working for the best conditions to post the highest scores. Teams landed during the morning and early afternoon. First to arrive and do a formation ceremonial fly by…Race 54, “The Mighty Mooney” flown by Mathew and Pam Giltner with wingmen, Harlon Hain and Charlie Daubs in Race 1 the Comanche 260….it was a wonderful sight. Next up to thrill us all were Race 5 and Race 10….Lee and Jay Behel in the Lancair Legacy and Mike Jones and Rick Vandam in the Glasair III. These were the two fastest entries and they did TWO ceremonial formation fly bys. Lee Behel and Rick Vandam flew together for many years in the National Guard and were each other’s wingmen flying RF-4Cs. As the racers landed, the scorers were downloading the loggers and scoring. Results would not be announced until the final awards the following day after the Stevens Point 300 Air Race.
With their spirits still flying high everyone gathered for dinner and the briefing for the next day’s Stevens Point 300 Air Race. More teams arrived to run just the final event. All the racers welcomed the rookie team, Race 88, Kenn Kessler and Brett Carpenter flying a Diamond DA20. They are students at Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN. They had just over 200 hours total time between them. Kenn and Brett represented our future in aviation and came ready to race and performed like true sportsmen and were smiling the entire time. Race 66 had weather in their way but got up early, got briefed before the race and flew as a team of three.
In the spirit of camaraderie and fun, the evening was highlighted by a photo caption contest. While enjoying their time at stop 3, Jackson, Ohio, several of the racers (all male) lined up for a photo. They were doing their best imitation of a chorus line. An enlargement of this epic moment was passed around and captions submitted. By applause, “Legs Over Ohio” was the winner submitted by Shelby Bowles. Race 3, Marvin Guthrie and Kristina Bucklew had their own memorable moment at Jackson. To get to the hotel they relied on local volunteers for transportation. Who came to ‘escort’ Race 3 to their hotel but the local sheriff in his squad car. Kristina was photographed seated in the cage…HMMMM…along with Marvin.
July 20, 2007 - the final day. It is VFR, the pilots are eager to race, the Stevens Point 300 is under way on schedule. Only the scorers know that the overall championship is up for grabs. Airport Manager, Mike Pinney waves the checkered flag and one by one the racers depart with Channel 7 TV filming the flights. All teams complete the course. Race 9 is still flying and competing. They know they are last on the Marion Jayne Air Race due to their precautionary landing but they have the spirit of true competitors and are racing on to complete the entire event. They were truly bolstered when they landed at stop 4, Benton Harbor, MI and were greeted on the ramp by a bagpiper. Yes, the Watson’s are Scottish, brogue and all and airport manager Lee Schweritz has a friend who is a bagpiper …thus he arranged this most unique welcome for the Watsons.
All the scores have been tallied. The awards are on display and the racers gather for the final banquet. The evening kicks off with the drawing for the Learn to Fly Scholarships. Seven more scholarships were awarded. The racing is history and all that is left is the telling. First the winners of the Stevens Point 300 are announced. It is Race 1 who just repeated the back to back feat of winning both 300 mile races. This accomplishment was first recorded in 2006 by Dennis and Jeannette Hackler. Harlon Hain and Charlie Daubs are again the short course specialists! And, again, Shelby Bowles and Jim Reed in second and third is Charles Robinson Jr., Maisie Stears and Mike Westra. Fourth in his Baron “Cumulus Bound” is Arthur Mott, John Dawson and Bruce Chapman from North Carolina. Fifth in a rented Cessna 182, Angus and Chloe Watson (talk about a comeback!). Sixth was Glasair III builder, Mike Jones, California and Rick Vandam, Nevada.
Next the Marion Jayne Encouragement Award was given and two awards were presented for the first time. Having flown in just for the awards banquet, Race 61 who had scratched along the route and Race 9 who had kept on going despite landing for weather with their time running both received recognition and loud applause from their peers.
It was time for the winners of the 1900 Mile Marion Jayne Air Race to be announced. Race 1 had won two events but how did they do on the long race? Eight different teams had shared the top four spots on the legs. Racers had employed many different strategies. The winning team is, drum roll, from California, father and son, Lee and Jay Behel in the Lancair Legacy. Two knots behind, in second place is Race 1, Harlon Hain and Charlie Daubs from Nebraska in the Comanche 260. Third Race 16, flying only the Marion Jayne Air Race, Tony Toscano, New York and Brad Otis, Florida in Tony’s Beech Baron. Tony is a veteran racer but a busy businessman and father who had not flown with the U.S. Air Race for several years. Fourth, that pretty blue twin….Race 6 with that trio from Michigan, Charles Robinson Jr., Maisie Stears and Mike Westra. Fifth, Race 41, Shelby Bowles and Jim Reed. Sixth was Race 54, Mathew and Pam Giltner.
Now, who has won the overall? The ’boys from Bellevue’ Harlon Hain and Charlie Daubs have the highest score from all three events…..the oldest team, the highest time team, the highest flying team (they are retired SR-71 pilots)….everyone applauds them. First time U.S. Air Race competitors, Lee Behel and son Jay (non-pilot) are second with Race 6 third, Race 41 fourth, Race 29 fifth and Race 54 sixth overall. The cash purse amounted to over $25,000. The highest scoring Piper team trophies went to Race 1. These are highly sought after awards and Piper aircraft always steps forward to recognize and reward their aircraft owners. Many valuable prizes were awarded due to the generous support of Jeppesen, Oregon Aero and AOPA.
Watch the web site for possible 2008 races at www.us-airrace.org

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