Tips for Reno races 2022?

[Vagabond]

Hi All,

Due to an amazing confluence of events, Mrs VB and I will be able to attend the Sunday races at Reno this year! We have admission and pit tickets and are planning on photographing the event from the pits.

As first timers at the races, we welcome any advice from seasoned race goers as to where best to setup for photos and such. We'll likely be hanging about with the Palm Springs Air museum contingent in the pits.

Thanks!
PH

[Blackbirdfan]

Sunday should be a fantastic day to see the races. Get there early as the Formula 1 guys start early. I've found the west end of the pits to be a good spot to shoot from, you get a nice shot of the planes coming off pylon 8. That said, you need some focal length. 500mm gets you something, but even so, it can be a little short for the IF1s, and biplanes. T6s and sport are better, as they are bigger. You can also get some nice shots of launch and recovery for the different classes.

I'm really excited for the races this year. All the gold races should be great. Some of the Silver heats as well.

Will

[Vagabond]

Thanks Will - have a great time yourself at Reno! Thanks for the help!

Cheers,
PH

[Blackbirdfan]

Thanks Will - have a great time yourself at Reno! Thanks for the help!

Cheers,
PH

No problem. I'm looking forward to Reno this year, but I'm going to be about as busy as one can be. Up before sunrise for any ramp shoots, out on the pylons all day, back in to help a friend with his plane till the light gets good about 7pm or so, then out to the ramp for a sunset shoot until the light runs out. Then back to camp, hopefully in time to get a shower, then off to find dinner. Repeat all week long.

Way more work than my real job, but at least I like this kinda work.

Will

[Hooligan2]

My tip was going to be "fly fast, fly low and turn left" then I realised what you meant!

So my tip is simply "have fun"; wish I could get out there again, hopefully I will before the unlimited class as it is becomes history...

[garbs]

OK - I haven't been there in years, but these are my best recollections. I'm sure some corrections will be necessary:

You will park generally east - southeast of the general admission area unless you have other arrangements. Main gate brings you in near the middle of this area. As you enter, marvel at the infrastructure that is there basically for this event only, and imagine what it would take to put it all together somewhere else if Reno Stead ever becomes untenable. The entire spectator area is situated south of runway 8/26, with the finish line at show center. For most of the day, the sun will be behind you. There is no real good place to stand in the front row here.

Regarding General Admission, there are reserved boxes on the apron, reserved bleacher seats in the huge grandstand in front of you, and free seating in a smaller (but yet still massive) bleacher section to the east. Sounds like you'll be mostly in the pits, though. GA is where most of the food, beer, clothing, and trinket vendors are. As you stand there, the starting Unlimiteds will come over your right shoulder and fly away from you towards the guide pylon.

Proceed west (left) to get to the pit gate, where you will have to show your wristband. This will be a complete change from GA - more corporate suite-type spaces and some A/C manufacturers advertising their wares on your right; hangar space and food vendors on your left. About halfway down you will get into the Unlimited/T-6 pit area, where each team has their work space. Some are quite well funded. You can walk right up to the perimeter of any of these and take photos or chat with the crews (unless of course they are moving an aircraft in or out). Now that you are past the corporate boxes, you can go right out to the edge of the apron and stand as long as you want. Gets pretty crowded here during bigger races, though. Very little general seating over here, and almost none with shade. After the Unlimited Gold race, you can go out onto the apron and congratulate the winner.

Hangars at the far west end are Biplane, F-1, and Sport Class pits. Hangars to the south are apparently privately owned/rented. If you're lucky, the MB-5 replica may be out. There is a wide walkway in between the pit area and the south hangars; trams run back and forth almost constantly. About halfway into the Unlimited pits, there is a small shack on your right. This is sort of an information service and they post the latest daily schedule on the window every day. You can get a good idea looking at Airrace.org, but these postings will be the most up to date. Take a cell phone photo of it.

As I said, the Unlimited starts will come from the south, over the far east end of the bleachers. T-6 starts come in from the west, right down runway 8.

Regarding photos, I'll second BBF's comment about 500 mm lenses. I find the best place to take race photos is the west end of the free bleacher section. If you want to see the most 'rabid' race fans anywhere, try section 3 for a few hours! From there, you can catch all of the take offs before they bank away from you, one right after another. After any unlimited race, the planes are all milling about in cool down mode and there may be some minutes between the arrivals. If there is any kind of Warbird show during the day (like when Texas Flying Legends were there), you can get good shots of them landing if you walk all the way to the east as far as you can go (well past the last General Admission stuff). Wouldn't want to watch a race from there though.

All I have for now. Let the corrections begin!

[phil65]

"After the Unlimited Gold race, you can go out onto the apron and congratulate the winner." NO MORE...

Was there last year, seats were 3/4 full on Sunday..
Reno is probably its on its last legs, especially for the unlimited..

Hooligan2, thanks for the t shirt..

RIP Czech Mate...
Glad I got to see her in 2016....

Phil

[RandolphB]

Best bet is to get there early for the IF-1 and Biplane classes. Go through the pits, chat with teams and ask them what it's all about. If you express any interest, you may be kidnapped and come back next year as a Team Member for somebody.

IF-1 RULES!!!!!!

[Vagabond]

Thanks everyone for the advice, info and tips!

I’ve been shooting the Sigma 150-600 on my Canon 7DMk2 and it gives a lovely reach! Mrs VB has the R5, 100-500 the 1.4 TC and the 800. It’ll be great to see what the experience is!

Safe travels all!

Cheers, PH

[JohnH]

Bring a light jacket and leave it in the car. It's 100 degrees now but next week it won't be and the wind can kick up and the temperature can start to plunge in the late afternoon.

[Hooligan2]

Bring a light jacket and leave it in the car. It's 100 degrees now but next week it won't be and the wind can kick up and the temperature can start to plunge in the late afternoon.

When I went to the Airsho at Midland a couple of decades back, instead of the 70 or 80 degrees I was expecting it was very chilly - we had to go looking for a Marshalls when the flying finished and buy a thick sweater each. Only there for one night, after that it Chino/San Diego and gorgeous weather...

[Stephan Wilkinson]

If the smoke from the Mosquito Fire gets to the point the race officials cant't see the farthest points of the course, which means visibility of at least six miles, the races will be called off. I think current viz is something like eight miles.

[Hooligan2]

If the smoke from the Mosquito Fire gets to the point the race officials cant't see the farthest points of the course, which means visibility of at least six miles, the races will be called off. I think current viz is something like eight miles.

Just had Reno live pop up on YouTube - as Stephan forecast, racing currently suspended due to smoke haze from Mosquito. I've not seen much about this fire in the UK, sounds awful; gather some homes have been destroyed but I hope no casualties.

Another quick look: T6's are doing some racing?

[bdk]

Foreflight shows 6 miles with smoke at noon and 2 miles with smoke at 3 pm (Friday).

[Hooligan2]

Looks like they are flying the jet class at the moment, heard an exchange "visibility is great". Air does look pretty horrid...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4aYb7jTNjc