The Reno Air Races are one of the few remaining air racing events, taking place each year in Nevada, USA.
This year, the Reno Air Races had enough competitors in its classes to warrant an extra day of racing heats, which started on Wednesday.  Fortunately, this did not diminish the crowds or the excitement for the weekend.  The culmination of the week's events, proved to be an extremely busy Sunday with 12 races and 7 air show performances.  These performances included the Red Eagles biplane acrobatics, Patty Wagstaff in her Extra 300S, a C-17 Globemaster III tactical demonstration, and the Blue Angels.  For any serious attendee of the air races, the defining event of the week was the Unlimited Gold race at the end of Sunday. 
The winner of this year's Unlimited Gold race was the returning champion from 2008, Strega.  Strega was flown by Steven Hinton this year, and at 22 years old, he is the youngest to ever win the National Championship Air Races.  His chief competitor for the Gold race was expected to be Will Whiteside flying Voodoo.  Unfortunately, Voodoo had mechanical difficulties and was forced to pull out of the race midway through.  The second place finisher for the Gold race was John Penney in Rare Bear, who called a mayday after the race finished, though he did land safely.
Head on of the Blue Angels
Head on an F-15 Eagle
Head on a A-10 Warthog
An A-10 Warthog being towed to the flight line
The inside of a GAU-8/A on an A-10 Warthog
Rear view of a CH-53 Super Stallion
The front of a CH-53 Super Stallion
A CH-47 Chinook
A KC-10 Tanker
An MQ-1 Predator UAV
A special Topgun F-16 Fighting Falcon
A US Air Force cargo lifter
An NHP Cessna
Patty Wagstaff's Extra 300S
Race 8, winner of the Sport class gold race, in the pits
Six-Cat, winner of the T-6 class gold race, in the pits
Strega, winner of the Unlimited class gold race, in the pits
Voodoo and Strega before the Unlimited class gold race
Voodoo overtaking another racer in the Unlimited class gold race
Strega winning the Unlimited class gold race
Rare Bear making an emergency landing after the conclusion of the Unlimited class gold race
Strega in the winners circle
The start of the T-6 class gold race
Six-Cat winning the T-6 class gold race
Viper winning the Jet class gold race
Invictus winning the Formula 1 class gold race
Nemesis on the ground after winning the Super Sport class gold race
Blue Angels C-130 "Fat Albert" overflying the crowd
Blue Angels synchronized start up
Blue Angels 5 & 6 making a high speed opposing pass.
The Blue Angels prepare for a formation split
All 6 Blue Angels making a split
Blue Angels formation taxi at the end of their demonstration show
A C-130 making a salute to Section 3
A C-17 Globemaster 3 making a low flyby
The C-17 demonstrating a "tactical" landing (Less than 1500 ft)
Two F-15's breaking formation.
Patty Wagstaff making a hammer head turn
Patty Wagstaff using her Extra 300S to cut a ribbon
The US Air Force demonstration rocket car
The rocket car racing a biplane
Two parachute jumpers carrying the United States and Alaskan flags.
US Army color guard during the opening ceremonies
The US Marine Corp recruiters
An F-22 Raptor replica trike for children
Section 3
Every time a mayday is called, emergency services rolls out onto the tarmac


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Location: 39°39′47.3″N, 119°52′39.1″W
Wikinews visits the 2009 Reno Air Races