Mike Luchessi: Ah, yes, it's the former two-time Unlimited National Champion, race 69 Jeannie, at the time owned by trucking mogul Wiley Sanders. Prior to that, the aircraft was owned and raced by Dr. Cliff Cummins as Miss Candace. After becoming disenchanted with air racing, Sanders sold the a/c to veteran racer Jimmy Leeward, who initially dubbed it race X (10) Spectre, but eventually painted the racer bright yellow with red trim and renamed it Leeward Air Ranch Special. The racer remains in a hangar at Leeward Air Ranch in Ocala, FL, awaiting the necessary sponsorship dollars (not to mention an engine!) to take to the pylons once more.

According to a highly respected publication entitled "Mustang: The Racing Thoroughbred" written by Dustin Carter and Birch Matthews, this racer N79111 is most likely NOT the former Cleveland era racer known as the Galloping Ghost. They claim that the original Ghost was shipped off to Israel after air racing ended in Cleveland in 1949, and that's where the record stops. Although this is not 100% certain, I believe this is now the most widely accepted view. Thanks.


Sander Wittenaar: N79111 aka Jeannie, probably taken at Reno 1980, owned by Wiley Sanders


Leo Smiley: Race 69 "Jeannie" N79111, 44-15651, looks like 1979 or pre-Reno 1980 before the belly landing. The ex-"Galloping Ghost" of post-war racing, and ex-"Miss Candace" (Cliff Cummings) she was sold by Wiley Sanders to Jimmy Leeward after a very hard race year in 1982. Leeward raced her as #X "Spectre", #44 and #9 "Leeward Air Ranch Special". She has'nt competed since 1988 after a hard landing. Probably the longest and most varied racing history of any mustang and one of the most modified.


William D. Yoak: This Mustang has some of the richest post-war history behind it.It was raced during the Cleveland era as #77 The Galloping Ghost and registration no. NX79111.I am not certain as to the history of it subsequent to the "Cleveland days" and prior to its racing days at Reno. It was purchased by Dr. Cliff Cummins in about 1960. The aircraft was based at Chino for several years under his ownership prior to when it was first entered at Reno in 1969 (in stock configuration).It was badly damaged at Reno in 1970 during a forced landing following its first set of racing modifications.

It did not return to competition until 1972 following another ambitious modification program which included the efforts of engineers: Bruce Boland and Pete Law , and the late Frank Sanders at his "shop" which was in Long Beach,CA. Cliff and this racer were plagued with several "blown" engines during the years,but they still demonstrated excellent potential with the light weight and aerodynamically clean airframe which this aircraft was known for. Cummins raced Miss Candice #69 from 1972 through around 1977 or'78 when it was sold to Wiley Sanders .Cummins only Championship victory was at Mojave in 1975 which was a good demonstration of Cummins' perserverance and determination.

Miss Candice was renamed :"Jeannie" and retained Race #69 during Sanders' ownership of it.This Mustang went on to a more successful racing career with pilots Mac McClain and Skip Holm on the Wiley Sanders Race Team.The victories of this racer are as follows:

1975: Mojave Air Races - 1st Place- Owner/Pilot: Cliff Cummins
1980: Reno Air Races - 1st place Owner: Wiley Sanders -Pilot Mac McClain.
1981 : Reno Air Races -1st place " " " " -Pilot: Skip Holm.

The Mustang was acquired by Jimmy Leeward in 1983 and renamed :Specter" Race #10 (Roman Numeral X displayed on aircraft). I am pretty sure that Leeward still owns this aircraft but have not followed its history much beyond the time subsequent to when Leeward first entered it.


Dirk Leeward: This was Jeanne formerly owned by Wiley Sanders. It is now owned by Jimmy Leeward and was raced most recently as the Leeward Air Ranch Special (NX79111), a history of which is already on the site.