Copper State Inaugurates STOL Drag in Style

The event matched competitors in a new bracketing system designed to facilitate movement between the previous classes.

Josh Richling

Monday, February 28, 2022 at 06:43 PM ET

Verified

Steve Henry in #44 dominated the action at the inaugural Copper State STOL Drag competition. [Photo: Bryan Weathers]

Key Takeaways:

The Inaugural Copper State STOL Drag competition successfully debuted at the Buckeye Air Fair in Buckeye, Arizona, marking the first time the event was featured and highlighting the city's growing support for general aviation.
A dedicated 1,800 ft airstrip was constructed for the competition, and a new bracketing system was introduced to ensure fair play by ranking pilots solely on their times, irrespective of aircraft type.
Notable achievements included Brent Womack winning the Fastest Newcomer Award, and 18-year-old Austin Clemens impressively reaching the finals against veteran pilot Steve Henry, showcasing exceptional skill.

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The Inaugural Copper State STOL Drag competition took place earlier this month at the Copper State Fly-In, held in conjunction with the Buckeye Air Fair in Buckeye, Arizona (KBXK). Folks attending the event showed STOL Drag racers a warm welcome—even the mayor was present to greet pilots and patrons alike.

Although not the first time the air fair has been held, it is the first time the ever-growing STOL Drag movement has been a part of it. Buckeye is the second-fastest growing city in the U.S. and it’s bringing general aviation right along with it, rolling out the red carpet to allow a STOL Drag course to be constructed at the airport the week preceding the event.