The Longest Running Air Race in the US May End After 60 Years
The Reno Air Racing Association needs a new airport to host its annual event.
The Reno Air Race, one of the nation's most popular aviation events, is set to end at its current location in 2023. The event's organizers, the Reno Air Racing Association, said rising insurance costs mean the spectacle can no longer be held at Reno-Stead Airport. There will be an airshow in 2024 to celebrate 60 years of the event, but after 2023, the race will have to find a new home or it will end.
The decision was made by the Reno Tahoe Airport Authority, which cited the region's significant growth and "other concerns" with respect to its decision. The Reno Air Racing Association is clearly not happy about having to move the location of the air race after nearly 60 years of operation at the same airport. As the Reno Gazette-Journal reports, RARA Chief Operating Officer Tony Logoteta said they've “very publicly stated that we hope to stay here forever, right? But sometimes, you know, things change and things don't go exactly as we planned or as we hoped.”
In a statement, RARA said it is "currently exploring several possible locations to host the event in the future." Its tone implies it is urgently looking for a new venue to host the race.
The association says the 2023 race, happening Sept. 13-17, will be a celebration of the event at Reno-Stead Airport. More than 150 planes and pilots are slated to take part. Along with the planes in the air, there will also be static displays of aircraft on the ground. Tickets are available now on the race's website.
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