People do all kinds of risky things, and it’s part of the lure of these events. I’ve attended 6 Air Race events, never at Reno, but only one became what you’d call dangerous. In Phoenix, AZ, a highly modified Corsair had an engine fire, which began as a wisp of white smoke as the plane rounded the home pylon. I actually focused on the rest of the field, because it looked like the old Chance Vought would pull up and land on one of the adjacent runways. I heard a scream from the stands, and I looked up to see balls of flame puffing out of the lower cowling. This spectacle got much worse, as a steady stream of fire signaled the end of that fighter, and the entire crowd erupted in applause when a chute deployed as the Corsair spiraled vertically to the ground. My one chief concern was that the plane would be headed toward the grandstands. Danger is everywhere, and we have to accept that no matter where we are, our ticket could be punched in a myriad of ways.