Taking in the Reno Air Races' Final Lap

While tainted by tragedy, the last National Championship Air Races in Nevada represented a memorable example of aviation community.

Jonathan Welsh

Wednesday, March 06, 2024 at 01:50 PM ET

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Seeing the 2023 National Championship Air Races at Reno, Nevada, in person might have been the ultimate case of ‘better late than never.’ [Courtesy: Jonathan Welsh]

Key Takeaways:

The 2023 National Championship Air Races in Reno concluded as its final year, tragically marked by a fatal mid-air collision, though it remains a cherished event with a rich history in aviation.
The races highlight the immense dedication required to modify and maintain vintage warbirds for high-speed competition, with success depending on the right combination of aircraft, pilot, and support.
A key aspect of the event is its strong, tight-knit, and exceptionally supportive community of pilots, mechanics, and volunteers, demonstrating camaraderie that extends even to competitors, and which is expected to continue at the new venue in 2025.

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Many people involved in aviation will recall 2023 as the last year for the National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada. History will also mark it as a sad year for the event because of a midair collision that claimed the lives of two renowned AT-6 pilots.

For the estimated 140,000 fans who attended the weeklong celebration of aircraft performance (September 13-17), I suspect the overall experience was still one to treasure, in part because the races are more than the sum of the event. When you walk through the gates and head for the grandstands, you are stepping into a complex timeline that stretches back to the competition’s conception in 1964 and beyond to aviation’s Golden Age, with the Cleveland air races, and the Thompson, Bendix, and Greve trophies.