PYLON RACING SPEED RECORDS, BY CLASS
Unlimited Class
Qualifying
SPEED YEAR PILOT AIRPLANE LOCATION
| 297.767 mph | 1939 | Roscoe Turner | #29 Turner | Cleveland |
| 409.091 | 1946 | Alvin Johnston | #84 Airacobra | Cleveland |
| 418.300 | 1948 | Chuck Brown | #11 Airacobra | Cleveland |
| 423.40 | 1965 | D. Greenamyer | #1 Bearcat | Las Vegas |
| 426.60 | 1973 | Lyle Shelton | #77 Bearcat | Reno |
| 432.25 | 1974 | Lyle Shelton | #77 Bearcat | Reno |
| 435.556 | 1975 | D. Greenamyer | #1 Bearcat | Reno |
| 438.806 | 1976 | D. Whittington | #9 Mustang | Reno |
| 446.93 | 1979 | Roy McClain | #69 Mustang | Reno |
| 450.09 | 1981 | Skip Holm | #69 Mustang | Reno |
| 452.737 | 1986 | Rick Brickert | #8 Sea Fury | Reno |
| 466.674 | 1987 | Bill Destefani | #7 Mustang | Reno |
| 474.622 | 1988 | Lyle Shelton | #77 Bearcat | Reno |
| 475.899 | 1991 | Lyle Shelton | #77 Bearcat | Reno |
| 482.892 | 1992 | Lyle Shelton | #77 Bearcat | Reno |
| 489.802 | 1995 | John Penney | #77 Bearcat | Reno |
| 491.266 | 1996 | Lyle Shelton | #77 Bearcat | Reno |
| 497.787 | 2002 | Skip Holm | #4 Mustang | Reno |
Championship Race
| 283.42 mph | 1938 | Roscoe Turner | #29 Turner | Cleveland |
| 373.908 | 1946 | Alvin Johnston | #84 Airacobra | Cleveland |
| 396.131 | 1947 | Cook Cleland | #74 Corsair | Cleveland |
| 397.071 | 1949 | Cook Cleland | #74 Corsair | Cleveland |
| 412.63 | 1969 | D. Greenamyer | #1 Bearcat | Reno |
| 413.987 | 1971 | Gunther Balz | #5 Mustang | Reno |
| 416.060 | 1972 | Gunther Balz | #5 Mustang | Reno |
| 428.155 | 1973 | Lyle Shelton | #77 Bearcat | Reno |
| 429.916 | 1975 | Lyle Shelton | #77 Bearcat | Reno |
| 430.703 | 1977 | D. Greenamyer | #5 Mustang | Reno |
| 433.01 | 1980 | Roy McClain | #69 Mustang | Reno |
| 437.621 | 1984 | Skip Holm | #84 Mustang | Reno |
| 438.186 | 1985 | Steve Hinton | #1 Corsair | Reno |
| 452.559 | 1987 | Bill Destefani | #7 Mustang | Reno |
| 456.821 | 1988 | Lyle Shelton | #77 Bearcat | Reno |
| 468.620 | 1990 | Lyle Shelton | #77 Bearcat | Reno |
| 481.618 | 1991 | Lyle Shelton | #77 Bearcat | Reno |
190 Cubic Inch Class
Qualifying
| 166.792 mph | 1947 | Paul Penrose | #5 Chester | Cleveland |
| 170.213 | 1948 | Bill Brennand | #20 Wittman | Miami |
| 180.00 | 1948 | Art Chester | #2 Chester | Cleveland |
| 183.226 | 1949 | Billie Robinson | #3 "Little Toni" | Cleveland |
| 186.047 | 1950 | Keith Sorenson | #5 "Ballerina" | Miami |
| 195.122 | 1950 | Bob Downey | #4 "Minnow" | Detroit |
| 199.778 | 1951 | John Paul Jones | #16 Shoestring | Detroit |
| 203.16 | 1952 | John Paul Jones | #16 Shoestring | Detroit |
| 208.81 | 1956 | Bill Falck | #92 "Rivets" | Niagara Falls |
| 209.56 | 1959 | Jim Miller | #14 Miller | Fort Wayne |
| 210.28 | 1965 | John Paul Jones | #16 Shoestring | Palm Springs |
| 212.77 | 1966 | Bill Falck | #92 "Rivets" | Tampa, Florida |
Championship Race
| 165.857 mph | 1947 | Bill Brennand | #20 Wittman | Cleveland |
| 166.473 | 1948 | Bill Brennand | #20 Wittman | Miami |
| 169.608 | 1948 | "Fish" Salmon | #4 "Minnow" | Cleveland |
| 176.867 | 1949 | Steve Wittman | #1 Wittman | Miami |
| 177.340 | 1949 | Bill Brennand | #20 Wittman | Cleveland |
| 185.400 | 1950 | Keith Sorenson | #5 "Ballerina" | Miami |
| 187.785 | 1950 | John Paul Jones | #3 "Little Toni" | Detroit |
| 197.218 | 1951 | John Paul Jones | #16 Shoestring | Detroit |
| 197.29 | 1952 | Steve Wittman | #1 Wittman | Detroit |
| 208.81 | 1956 | Bill Falck | #92 "Rivets" | Niagara Falls |
Formula One
Qualifying
| 224.87 mph | 1968 | Bill Falck | #92 "Rivets" | Frederick, MD |
| 231.26 | 1969 | Bill Falck | #92 "Rivets" | Ft. Lauderdale |
| 232.258 | 1971 | Bill Falck | #92 "Rivets" | Reno |
| 235.29 | 1973 | Bill Falck | #92 "Rivets" | Reno |
| 240.00 | 1974 | Ray Cote | #16 Shoestring | Reno |
| 243.950 | 1974 | Ray Cote | #16 Shoestring | Mojave |
| 245.349 | 1976 | Ray Cote | #16 Shoestring | Mojave |
| 248.473 | 1979 | Ray Cote | #16 Shoestring | Mojave |
| 254.06 | 1980 | Ray Cote | #16 Shoestring | Reno |
| 254.504 | 1981 | Ray Cote | #16 Shoestring | San Marcos |
| 246.228 | 1981 | Alan Preston | #16 Shoestring | Reno |
| 248.73 | 1981 | Jim Miller | #74 Miller | Reno |
| 254.223 | 1993 | Jon Sharp | #3 "Nemesis" | Reno |
| 258.270 | 1996 | Jon Sharp | #3 "Nemesis" | Reno |
| 260.069 | 1998 | Jon Sharp | #3 "Nemesis" | Reno |
| 263.188 | 1999 | Jon Sharp | #3 "Nemesis" | Reno |
Note: data in blue indicates record set under more lenient IXL/IFM rules.
Championship Race
| 218.18 mph | 1968 | Bill Falck | #92 "Rivets" | Frederick, MD |
| 222.99 | 1969 | Bill Falck | #92 "Rivets" | St. Louis |
| 225.55 | 1969 | Ray Cote | #16 Shoestring | Reno |
| 227.20 | 1972 | Bull Falck | #92 "Rivets" | Dulles, VA |
| 231.263 | 1972 | Ray Cote | #16 Shoestring | Reno |
| 235.42 | 1974 | Ray Cote | #16 Shoestring | Reno |
| 237.026 | 1979 | Ray Cote | #16 Shoestring | San Diego, CA |
| 240.09 | 1979 | John Parker | #3 Wild Turkey | Reno |
| 249.07 | 1980 | John Parker | #3 Wild Turkey | Reno |
| 241.881 | 1982 | Phil Fogg | #1 Owl Racer | Reno |
| 244.887 | 1985 | Ray Cote | #44 Shoestring | Richland, WA |
| 248.19 | 1989 | Alan Preston | #44 Shoestring | Albuquerque |
| 246.849 | 1993 | Jon Sharp | #3 "Nemesis" | Reno |
| 248.911 | 1994 | Jon Sharp | #3 "Nemesis" | Reno |
| 249.904 | 1995 | Jon Sharp | #3 "Nemesis" | Reno |
| 258.760 | 1996 | Jon Sharp | #3 "Nemesis" | Reno |
Note: data in blue indicates record set under more lenient IXL/IFM rules.
Sport Biplane Class
Qualifying
| 152.80 mph | 1965 | Bill Boland | #3 Mong Sport | Reno |
| 157.618 | 1967 | Lee Mahoney | #1 Starduster | Cleveland |
| 178.74 | 1968 | Dallas Christian | #99 Mongster | Frederick, MD |
| 183.01 | 1969 | Dallas Christian | #99 Mongster | Ft. Lauderdale |
| 190.48 | 1970 | Don Beck | #89 Sorceress | Reno |
| 194.25 | 1973 | Sid White | #1 Sundancer | Reno |
| 213.375 | 1973 | Sid White | #1 Sundancer | Mojave |
| 218.57 | 1980 | Pat Hines | #1 Sundancer | Reno |
| 220.13 | 1981 | Pat Hines | #1 Sundancer | Reno |
| 217.229 | 1995 | Patti Johnson | #40 Mong Spt. | Reno |
| 226.919 | 2002 | David Rose | #3 Peregrine | Reno |
Note: data in blue indicates record set in short-lived Racing Biplane Class
Championship Race
| 144.57 mph | 1964 | Clyde Parsons | #11 Twister | Reno |
| 148.68 | 1965 | Bill Boland | #3 Mong Sport | Reno |
| 148.76 | 1966 | Skeeter Royall | #21 Pitts Spl. | Tampa, Florida |
| 156.17 | 1967 | Bruce McIntyre | #17 Pitts Spl. | Forth Worth |
| 177.16 | 1968 | Dallas Christian | #99 Mongster | Frederick, MD |
| 180.96 | 1969 | Dallas Christian | #99 Mongster | Ft. Lauderdale |
| 184.02 | 1969 | Dallas Christian | #99 Mongster | Reno |
| 189.723 | 1972 | Don Beck | #89 Sorceress | Reno |
| 194.946 | 1973 | Sid White | #1 Sundancer | Reno |
| 199.344 | 1973 | Sid White | #1 Sundancer | Mojave |
| 202.153 | 1976 | Don Beck | #89 Sorceress | Reno |
| 206.62 | 1980 | Pat Hines | #1 Sundancer | Reno |
| 209.44 | 1981 | Pat Hines | #1 Sundancer | Reno |
| 203.311 | 1994 | Earl Allen | #21 Pitts Spl. | Reno |
| 212.811 | 1996 | Patti Johnson | #40 Mong Spt. | Reno |
| 225.657 | 2002 | David Rose | #3 Peregrine | Reno |
Note: data in blue indicates record set in short-lived Racing Biplane Class
Prepared for The Society of Air Racing Historians Inc. by Don Berliner
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