No I wasn’t at the races when it happened (thanks for the good wishes) got there about 90 minutes after. I live close and was escorting some assistance to the scene.
Back around 1990-91 I was living near Carson City and the Reno Air Races was a big event for me. I would get the pit pass and stroll among the different classes of aircraft all day long.
I think it was the ‘91 when they introduced The Pond racer, it was styled along the design of the twin boom P-38 but with modernized engines, actually I think they may have been souped up Datsun (Nissan) motors. I have a few pictures of the aircraft and the pilot from up close, during the race he had an electrical fire, he immediately climbed and they left the race area then went down about a half mile behind the viewing area and was killed.
I had a radio and even heard his last comments.
The next year I moved to Alaska and started to learn to fly myself. I did not ever consider the thought that racing of this type should be banned. This is living a life, if by the grace of god an accident happens it happens.
But then this aircraft from what I gather wasn’t a real P-51 but a pattern made frame, its a modern day copy altered for speed. And that saved many a life as the video shows the aircraft disintegrating and their was no fireball.