Jon Sharp “Callin’ It A Day”

From the NemesisNXT website:

After 32 years of pylon racing success, and innovation, aIr racing legend Jon Sharp, and team leader of Nemesis® Air Racing is “Callin’ It A Day” by announcing his retirement from pylon racing, He’s walking away as the winningest pilot in the history of Air Racing.

Jon and his Team holds many of the most cherished records in air racing, including speed records on every race course flown in both the Formula 1 “Nemesis®”, and the most recent Sport/Super Sport class NemesisNXT®. His Team’s prestigious pylon racing resume includes winning a record 15 Reno Air Racing National Championships.

Jon and the Team’s career began with a trip to the first ever air races in Mexicali Mexico in 1978 with the Formula1 plane Jon had purchased named “Bilbo”, a stock Cassutt design racer. At Mexicali, Jon began building the team, starting with the backbone, Crew Chief Steve Hill. Jon and his fledgling team, came in last place that year, but the racing bug had bitten hard.

Along the air racing journey the team made stops at the air races in Mojave CA., Cleveland OH., and San Diego CA. Jon and his team went to the Reno air races for the first time in 1979 with “Bilbo”. Later “Bilbo” would be renamed “Aero Magic” in honor of the team’s engine builders Don Sanford, and Jack Wells, proprietors of the company Aero Mag.

Jon and the Team’s first of two Reno Championship wins with Aero Magic came in 1982, the second Championship in 1986. In 1987 ... [more here]