We have some pretty spectacular fans and we just had to share this with everyone!

After meeting these two young supporters, we don’t worry about the future of this county at all! It will be in great hands! These two are enthusiastic, determined, smart, polite and confidant. We’re proud to have met them and to call them fans.

There is a wonderful article in the January 2009 Air and Space Magazine about Jon Sharp’s record-breaking 409 mph qualifying speed at the Reno Air Races in Sept 2008. But not only that, Jack Dailey, the Director of the National Air and Space Museum, wrote about the record in his “Viewport” on page 4. He first talked about Jimmy Doolittle and his records, and then proceeded to mention Sharp’s incredible record. A true honor!

Here is the first two paragraphs from the VIEWPORT by the director, J.R. Dailey.
AMAZING RACERS
Airplanes have been racing almost as long as they have been flying, and that long history has produced some of the most colorful pilots and honored traditions in aviation, not to mention some really great airplanes. Probably the most famous racing craft in the National Air and Space Museum hangs in the Pioneers of Flight gallery on the second floor of the Museum on the Mall. The Curtiss R3C-2, a dashing black biplane on floats, won the Schneider Trophy seaplane race in 1925, the same year its landplane version won the Pulitzer race trophy. A young Army lieutenant named James Doolittle startled the judges at that seaplane race by attaining an average speed of232.57 mph. The next day he flew the racer on a straight course to set a world speed record of245.7 mph.

Remembering that record makes the performance of Jon
Sharp’s NemesisNXT at this years National Championship Air Races all the more astonishing. Breaking 400 mph in a Sport Class kitplane-at the September 2008 event in Reno, Nevada-was a historic achievement and is the "milestone" in this issue’s Moments & Milestones (p. 80). Sharp and his team made history at Reno with an earlier racer, Nemesis, which won in the Formula One class (for 100-horsepower homebuilts) for nine years in a row. Nemesis is now on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia.

Attached is the article from the Air & Space Magazine. Just click on the "more info" icon below and it will take you to the Air & Space Mag. website.


By the way, the photo is by Daren Kimura

Breaking the 400 mph speed barrier in the Sport Class was no small task. Breaking it at a speed of 409 mph was incredible.

Jon Sharp, designer/builder/pilot of the NemesisNXT not only broke the 400 mph record , he shattered it with a 409 mph qualifying speed! In addition, Sharp is the only active race pilot in the 45 year history of the Reno National Air Races that is not only the pilot, but also the designer & builder of the aircraft designs he races.

But...there’s more!

He has won a record 14 Gold Championships at the Reno Air Races with his record speed of 392 mph in the Gold Super Sport Class Race. Incredibly, Sharp has broken more records at the race site than any other pilot. Although, this year was exemplary! One year, 5 records!

Sharp started the 2008 season with a C1-b 3 KM record of 356 mph, breaking a 19 year old record by 25 mph at AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI. He continued his record breaking ways at the Reno Air Races with a record qualifying speed of 409 mph in the Sport Class, a record Heat Race record of 393 mph, a record Super Sport Class Gold Race with a speed of 392 mph & finished up the year with a record 14 total Gold Championship Victories at the Reno Air Races.

In one race season, he won it all.

Team Nemesis owes so many thanks to so many people. So with that said...Special thanks to the "Fire Breathing" Lycoming Thunderbolt Engine, the "Awesome" Hartzell Propeller, the Powerful Grove Aircraft Landing Systems (Brakes), the “All Parts on Time” Aircraft Spruce, the “Great Service” provided by Cannon Aviation Insurance, the “Always Helpful” Paul Martin Enterprises, the “Incredible & Dependable” NmXT, the “Ones Who Started it All” Tri-Tech Machines, the Red LIne “Go Fast Lubricants”, the “Out of this World GPS Telemetry” UAV Technologies , “Let’s Build It” Coastal Enterprises and finally, the “Cast of Thousands” the team of people that make up Team Nemesis.

“Chase the Dream...Not the Competition™”
Jon Sharp

Jon Sharp, the pilot of the fastest Sport Class aircraft, the NemesisNXT, will be speaking at the Aircraft Spruce Super Sale Forum at 10 am at the Corona, CA facility.

“We love Aircraft Spruce!” states Sharp, “They have been sponsors of ours for over 10 years and have always been supportive of our efforts.”

Sharp will be talking about Chasing the Dream, the making of the NemesisNXT and its accomplishments.

For more information on the event http://www.aircraftspruce.com/supersale08

Hope to see you there!