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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Edited By:

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, driven by urban encroachment at the former Reno-Stead Airport.
The Unlimited Class, a prominent category featuring modified warbirds, has withdrawn from the 2025 races but aims to return for the 2026 event.
Roswell and New Mexico have made significant preparations for the new venue, including site modifications for safety and spectator amenities, and the 2025 races will still feature various classes like jets, T-6s, biplanes, and Formula One, alongside airshow elements 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The Unlimited Class, usually populated by modified warbirds and slick modern designs, has withdrawn from the 2025 National Championship Air Races (NCAR).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.