An end-of-year call out for donations proved successful for the Reno Air Racing Association (RARA), which says it will have the financial means to commit to a 2021 National Championship Air Races. The event is scheduled for Sept. 15-19, 2021.
“Save the Races” was launched Nov. 13 with a goal of raising $500,000 by the end of the year—the amount required for RARA to stay afloat and produce the long-running northern Nevada event. In a statement, RARA said it had raised the majority of those funds, $460,000 so far, through the support of the air racing community, the organization’s board of directors and STOL pilot Trent Palmer.
“We are thrilled to bring the air races back to Reno and reunite our September family,” said Tony Logoteta, COO of RARA. “While we still need to bridge the financial gap and have a lot of work ahead of us it’s nice to have something to look forward to after such a difficult year. We are incredibly grateful for everyone’s support and are committed, as always, to putting on a spectacular event in 2021.”
The 2021 event will be held pending COVID-19 restrictions, but organizers are optimistic.
“With the evolving health situation, we will continue to follow the guidelines set by officials and are optimistic that by September we will have the resources needed to ensure the show is both safe to attend and can deliver on the exceptional experience the National Championship Air Races are known for,” said Fred Telling, CEO of RARA.
The organization is still working to fill the remaining gap in their funding through community support. Donations to the nonprofit are tax-deductible and can be made online at AirRace.org or by check and mailed to 14501 Mt. Anderson St. Reno, NV 89506.
Details on 2021 ticket sales and race participants have yet to be released.
