Dan Kane Jr. was introduced to the pylon racing world in the 1970’s. He grew up alongside his father, Dan Kane Sr. at the flying field. Dan Kane Sr. grew up on the South Side of Chicago and worked for some very well-known pioneers of model aviation. Danny Jr, spent many weekends and week nights with them and caught the model airplane bug very young. At 6 or 7 yrs old, Danny Jr. was placed in the crowds at trade shows as a ringer for Top Flite. During the Monokote demonstrations, Danny would be pulled from the crowd and be asked to show everyone how to use the new covering material. “See it is so simple even a kid could do it” is normally what was said. Right around this same time he started calling for his father in pylon racing. Dan Sr, was one of the founding members of the Chicago Pylon Club (CPC), and for the next couple of years the two would travel throughout the Midwest competing in Formula 1 and QM15. Some of Dan’s most favorite trips were to the contests held at SIG in Montezuma Iowa. It was here that Dan Jr. received his first full size airplane ride. At one contest Hazel Sig offered and little Danny jumped at the chance. Right there at the field, Hazel wheeled out her clipped wing cub and Jr. climbed in. How cool is that? From what I was told his mother was not very happy. As a youngster, he did anything he could to build and fly model airplanes. He flew free flight, hand launch gliders , A1 towline and rubber powered models. And then started designing small profile control line airplanes. These were constructed out of sheet wood and were powered by baby bees. Some of the first control line airplanes he built came from the plan sheets that were included with some of the pylon kits of the day. Both free flight and control line helped him hone his building skills. Danny once said, “If it wasn't for my father's patience and knowledge I wouldn't be what I am today”.

Danny Jr. began racing pylon in 1981, his first pylon event was a sport pylon race held in Bloomington, IL. Bloomington held many races back then and both Kane’s even participated in 100 lap endurance races with mandatory pit stops. It was during this time that Danny was able to spend time with a couple of guys that changed model aviation. One weekend the Kane’s loaded into Don Anderson’s van and along with Eric Meyers they all traveled down to Florida for the famous Tangerine race. The stories from that trip are tough to believe, but let’s just say everyone left a lasting impression on the littlest one of the group!

Throughout the 70’s and into the 90’s Dan Kane Sr with his close friend Bruce Balko owned and operated GoPop fuel. Danny Jr, talks about the many sketchy driving trips delivering fuel. When he was 16 it was his job to deliver to all the hobby shops in the Chicagoland area. Sometimes he would have up to 30+ gallon cans of fuel either loaded into his Volkswagen bug or one of Bruce’s many cars. Throughout High School Danny worked at Stanton Hobby shop on the city’s north side. In fact the entire Kane family worked at this hobby shop at some point. It was here that Danny met one of his best friends and the two still talk about and fly control line airplanes together just as they did when they were teenagers. During the late 80’s and into the early 1990’s Dan Sr, started to decline his participation in pylon, right at the time when Jr. was trying to ramp it up. It was here that a good family friend, Bob Petrinec stepped in and teamed up the younger Kane. They traveled all across the US competing in QM15 and Q-500 events, with a couple of F1 NATS thrown in. Danny had designed a low wing conventional tail Q-500 airplane that he called the “HurriKane”. Through the years this design has morphed into a shoulder wing V tail airplane and did some time as a T tail in between. In early 1993 Danny was welcomed into Team JR and Horizon Hobby. He married his beautiful bride, Cathy in 1994 and was teaching High School at the time. She called for him right up until they had children and finished as high as 2nd at the US nationals as a team. Cathy has a very strong connection to model aviation as well. Her father is Pete Waters. Pete owned and operated Kraft Midwest and was VP for the AMA. In fact Pete was part of the group that located and secured the Muncie site for the AMA. To help support his racing addiction, Danny would build and paint airplanes for other racers. Right around this time Danny was brought into the NMPRA as the QM VP. His task at the time was to try and bring together some of the factions that had separated or fragmented from the main pylon association. Danny called the meeting at the Silver Cup race that started the movement for Q40. Jim Gager, along with many others get all the credit for the event rules. Along with the credit came a world of pain. No good deed goes unpunished. These guys took a beating over the new class and Danny Jr. was along for the ride. But knowing Danny he would do it all over again to help promote and advance pylon.

For as long as I have known him, he was always involved with coaching. Danny has coached, High School football and wrestling for many years. During his years as a HS teacher he started a program for robotics, this program is still part of the school today. As his kids got into sports he was always involved and there to cheer them on. I’ve seen many proud dad videos and newspaper clippings from his kids accomplishments. Personally I think Danny got a little extra excited when his son Jack decided he wanted to try pylon racing, and of course why not try your first race at the AMA Nationals. Watching that father and son team was a lot of fun for all of us.

The following are some of the items of interest regarding his contributions to pylon racing:

He enjoys designing and building airplanes almost as much as flying them. He has designed many Q40 models including the following: Polecat, Loki, and Miss DARA. Danny and the late Jerry Small formed an incredible partnership over the years and the two created some innovative and outstanding designs. Both Dan and Jerry put everything they could into EF-1. They designed so many airplanes it is crazy. Many of which were given away just to help the event grow. Some of these designs were mass produced as ARF’s and changed the culture for pylon in a good way.

Danny was a pilot for the US F5D team 5 different times. He has served as the US team manager for the US F3D team twice. He has set US national records. And has been an ambassador for pylon racing for longer than many know. His many designs for tools, stands, flight boxes and airplanes will forever be part of our history.

He was the NMPRA President from mid 2011 through 2016 and is a current AMA Contest Board Member. Dan was instrumental in adding the entry level events like 424 Q500 and Club 40 to the AMA National event. After many years being dormant Dan helped get the NMPRA Hall of Fame back to a yearly event.

If I had to summarize Danny’s character, I would emphasize how he always puts others ahead of himself. For as long as I have known him, he was always helping someone with something and never asked for anything in return. I’ve never met anyone who cares more about helping others like the way Danny does. He has been known to loan out his best planes so others can have a chance to win.

He is extremely dedicated to pylon racing which is very evident in everything he does. But most importantly, he has been a friend to many and has very strong family ties. Ultimately this is what pylon is all about to him. Family and friends.

Dan And Jack With 2022 NATS Winning Q40 Miss Foxy Lady

Jack And Dan With 2022 NATS Winning EF1 Miss DARA

Dan With NATS EF1 Best Of Show He Built

Dan & Son Jack With His Miss DARA Design

Dan & Tom Scott With Latest Miss Foxy Lady Design

Dan & Travis Flynn With NATS Winning Miss DARA

Dan & Cathy At Last Formula 1 NATS

Dan Jr. & Dan Sr. With Their Racers

Dan Receiving Best Senior & QM15 Fast Time Awards At 1987 NATS