Aircraft restoration and maintenance specialist Matt "Action" Jackson is building the ultimate Unlimited Air Racer, the "American Spirit", destined to race at the National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada in the coming years.

Matt has been involved in aviation from an early childhood, working at the family business, Pacific Continental Engines, with his brother John Jackson who now operates the company. Being involved in maintaining and flying warbirds for many years, Matt owns Classic Air Works, a maintenance and management company that operates from several shops in the southern California area; Cal City, Van Nuys and Whiteman Airport. The company is involved in many facets of aviation including; general maintenance, Navion and Aerostar modifications and warbird restoration and operations.

Matt started competing in air racing for over 15 years ago and has had the fortune of racing some of the premiere Unlimited Air Racers including; Stiletto, Rare Bear, Voodoo, Argonaut, and more recently Dreadnought, considered by most air race fans as the ultimate Hawker Sea Fury racer, producing over 4,000 horsepower. At Reno 2006, Matt flew Dreadnought to a second place finish in the Unlimited Class Gold Race Sunday afternoon with a speed of 453.559 mph.

The "American Spirit" was originally designed by Dave Cornell, and a partnership was then formed by Dave and Matt to build the aircraft. The design utilizes T-2 wings and speed brakes, along with a 4,000 horsepower Pratt & Whitney R-4360. The plane was originally being built in Dave Cornell's shop, funded by Howard Keck, and has more recently been moved to Sanders Aeronautics in Ione, California for final completion and flight testing.

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