Air Racing

It is natural therefore that the Yak would be considered for air racing in the Unlimited class where over-engined WW II fighter planes can top 800 km/hr just 30 metres off the Nevada desert as they race the clock and each other, eight times round an oval 14 km course.

Our Yak first raced at the 1996 Reno Air Races, dubbed ‘the World’s Fastest Motorsport’, debuting at a respectable 320 mph. Sadly the little Yak suffered a take off accident in 1999, suffering severe damage. See the aeroplane page for restoration work.

Once restored Graeme always harboured the idea of returning to Reno and completing the circle from wreck back to racer. And so it was that in 2017 a small team of aviation enthusiasts packed the fighter into a container and shipped it 10,000 km away to America. A race name was needed and Paula suggested ‘Full Noise’ as this was how we intended to race. 35 was chosen as our racing number in homage to Kiwi motorbike legend Burt Munro but little did this privateer team know they would be emulating some of his trials and tribulations.

During practice and qualifying the specially built race engine began overheating and losing oil so the team had to pull off a three day engine change in 18 hours, a line of thunderstorms just adding to the challenge! Of course with Kiwi can do they were up and running in time to start last of seven in the first race the following day. Two wins later and this rookie team had taken Full Noise from a rainy engine change and dead last, to a start in the “big dance’ the Unlimited Gold final, the marquee event at Reno.

A further finals appearance in 2018 where Full Noise finished 7th at 352 mph, capped off an amazing racing experience and plans are afoot for another tilt at the Unlimited crown in the future. Sadly a global pandemic put paid to our plans in 2020, however we plan that once again Full Noise will proudly represent the Kiwi racing spirit pioneered on the Bonneville Salt Flats by Burt Munro.