It’s the final Reno races and if you have an old press pass or airplane or anything from the good old days now’s a good time to show it off.
Which is why the second of the “Super Tugs” is prowling around the ramp this final year. If you were here back in the day when the Unlimited guys were hopping up tugs to race on the ramp during beer-thirty then you’ll know what you’re looking at. If you weren’t at Reno then we’re sorry you missed some really good times.
And yes, this is a real aircraft tug. It started life as a United Airlines unit, but it didn’t have the blower on the small block Chevy in those days.
With all the gear reduction these things have—it takes two gearboxes in a row to cog these things down in preparation for pulling a Boeing—you could guess they have snappy acceleration. Word is it’s best to have a couple of people riding on the back to avoid wheelspin.
