Unlimited Class Withdraws From National Championship Air Races

Moving from Reno, Nevada, the 2025 event is scheduled for September in Roswell, New Mexico.

Meg Godlewski

Tuesday, August 19, 2025 at 02:00 PM ET

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Meg Godlewski

A P-51 Mustang, part of the Unlimited Class, sits on the ramp at the 2021 National Championship Air Races at Reno, Nevada. [FLYING Magazine Archive]

Key Takeaways:

The National Championship Air Races (NCAR) are relocating from Reno, Nevada, to Roswell Air Center Airport (KROW) in New Mexico for 2025, after 60 years, due to civilian development encroachment at the former site.
The iconic Unlimited Class, featuring modified warbirds, has withdrawn from the 2025 NCAR but plans to work with organizers for a return in 2026.
Roswell and the state of New Mexico have undertaken extensive preparations for the new venue, including significant infrastructure improvements, aiming to host the races for at least 30 years.
Despite the absence of the Unlimited Class, the 2025 NCAR will still feature jets, T-6s, biplanes, Formula One racers, STOL demonstrations, warbird displays, and a STEM Discovery Zone.

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The Unlimited Class, usually populated by modified warbirds and slick modern designs, has withdrawn from the 2025 National Championship Air Races (NCAR). This year the races will be conducted for the first time at Roswell Air Center Airport (KROW) on September 10-14.

The Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) operates the event, which, as the name implies, was in Nevada from 1964-2024. The races were first run at a small dirt strip known as Sky Ranch then relocated to the Reno-Stead Airport (KRTS), a former Air Force base.