Plus, that ground-loop occurred after a fatal midair collision of two AT-6/SNJs on the first lap of their Saturday heat race. They collided right in front of us on the west turn and metal pieces flickered through the air as the one T-6 got chewed up by the prop of the black one. Awful sound. Two dull thuds as they hit the gound and then silence as the other racers climbed off of the course to the east. Then just the sound of the Army medical Huey's blades as they got airborne and went over to the site.
About an hour later they ran the Unlimited Silver heat race where Whittington had his mishap mentioned above. That was unique too as Bob Hoover, the pace pilot, called a no-start the first time they came down the chute from the south. "GENTELEMEN, YOU DO NOT HAVE A RACE, YOU DO NOT HAVE A RACE." It was mayhem as they all pulled up and basically didn't know just what to do. It took maybe ten minutes for Hoover to marshal them all back into the start formation and try it again with Hoover admonishing the pilots to get it right this time. The second attempt was when Whittington came in and bent the H-model.
It was a hell of a day at Reno.
The following photos came out of Sport Flying magazine.
