Story and Photos by Lisa Bentson
The 2019 Mark Hardin Memorial Air Race at Terrell Municipal Airport (KTRL) in Texas was also an educational experience that brought the fever and excitement of aviation back to the annual Memorial Day weekend event.
Spectators came from the city of Terrell and surrounding area to watch the Sport Air Racing League race, eat decadent food truck culinary wonders, shoot off small rockets, bounce around in a balloon house, shake hands with Smokey Bear, explore municipal emergency vehicles and, without a doubt, explore the pits.
Race 13, AutoGyro Calidus, James Redman, 100.67 mph waiting to taxi and Race 44, RV-8, Peter Fontaine, 214.18 mph. 
Race 113, Adam A500, Dan Schindler, crosses the finish line at 201.26 while Mark Hardin’s beloved Ercoupe guards the ramp. 
Smokin Finish by Race 5, Long E-Z, Dave Aderson, 199.26 mph. 
Deirdre Gurry, Race 96, clocks 197.71 mph in her red, white, and blue RV-6 in this photo finish illusion, while Ken Krebaum, Race 118, executes a perfect landing in his red and white RV-8 with a race speed of 203.46 mph. 
Race 9, Stagger EZ, David Williford, 196.54 mph shuts down on the ramp while overhead Van Wadsworth, Race 701 crosses the finish line in his Mooney M20E with a speed of 191.24 mph 
Race 18, Mel Clark in his Legend Cub AL11 rounds out the competition with a respectable speed of 90.80 mph.
This year, 26 different planes competed in the race. Each was a beauty in its way. But the top race speed of 262.17 mph goes to Race 3, Steve Hammer in his Lancair IV.