Thursday, November 30, 2017

Air Race 1 – Thailand 2017




Another amazing race put on by Air Race 1, this time in Thailand; where sixteen racers from all over the world met at U-Tapao Naval Air Base to continue the competition from the Reno Air Races in September for the World Championship.
Jeff Zaltman has been putting on these races for several years now and believes this was the largest crowd to watch a Formula 1 Race – ever. Estimates of over 40,000 spectators have been quoted. We certainly don’t get 40,000 spectators for our early races at Reno!

Tim Cone Overtakes Phil Goforth for the Lead

Tim Cone won and is now the Air Race 1 World Cup Champion. He had some hiccups earlier in the week, but in the Gold Final, he shot passed the competition. The Gold Podium included Justin Phillipson,” No Strings Attached” in Third Place and Philip Goforth of Texas in “Knotty Girl” in Second Place.
Cone’s airplane, a highly modified Cassutt named “What Airplane, Honey”, was named when his wife only realizing he owned the plane when she saw him flying it on TV during the NBC Sports airing of the Reno Air Races. Nice try, Tim!

Justin Phillipson in No Strings Attached

Behind the leaders were 2015 Air Race 1 World Cup winner Thom Richard in “Outrageous” who settled for fourth place and Team Siam Air Racing “Hysteria” flown by Bangkok-based Frenchman, Lionel Mougel finished fifth.
Steve Temple in “Quadnickel”, Ryszard Zadow in “Last Lap Player” and Jerry Marshall rounded out the Gold Final.
Pilots at the Opening Ceremonies

Silver Race
Earlier in the afternoon, Swaid Rahn flying “Heatstroke” was the winner of the Silver Final, finishing ahead of Chip Maples in “Miss USA”. Swaid led the entire race from start to finish.
Afterwards he was quoted as saying, “Thailand has been an awesome experience and we would love to come back.”
Canadian Scott Holmes finished third in ‘Outlaw’, just ahead of Paul Newman in fourth and Kent Jackson in fifth. Trevor Jarvis finished sixth and Des Hart from Scotland, continued his difficult week, with a DNF. Steve Tumlin in his first Thailand Race received a DNS.

More close racing action in Thailand


Other locations?
Discussion has started to have another Air Race 1 event in Ely, Nevada. We were lucky enough to stop by their local airport and discuss how the planning was coming along.
While Ely is far from major cities, they do know how to put on a World Class event. They host the Silver State Classic and Nevada Open Road Challenge each year. For this event the entire town comes out to volunteer or to spectate.  
They are blessed with a beautiful airport – with plenty of flat land for racing and pylons. Multiple runways give pilots lots of options.
More on the Ely Race as we get closer. But, I believe 2018 will be a great year for Air Racing – across the globe!
Special THANKS to Naomi Dschaak, who was lucky enough to go to Thailand and was kind enough to let us use her photos for this month’s column!


Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Red Bull Air Racing 2018 Preview

 
 
Great Britain’s Ben Murphy – a former leader of the renowned Royal Air Force aerobatic team “The Red Arrows” – has secured a spot to compete for the Red Bull Air Race World Championship in 2018. Bringing two years of experience as a Challenger Class contender, Murphy will be joining an elite international field in the Master Class, including six overall podium finishers with four season titles among them.
 

Salzburg, Austria - Highlighting the 14-pilot lineup for the new season that kicks off in Abu Dhabi this February are all the top competitors from 2017. Chief among them, four pilots will be looking to reignite the rivalry that they took all the way to the season finale: first-time World Champion Yoshihide Muroya of Japan; the standouts in second and third overall, Martin Šonka of the Czech Republic and Pete McLeod of Canada; and former double titleholder Kirby Chambliss of the USA, who finished fourth. Meanwhile, 2016 World Champion Matthias Dolderer of Germany is determined to return to dominance, and two-time overall runner-up Matt Hall from Australia is back in top form after getting a new raceplane and team members up to speed.

Great Britain, however, has the best record in the World Championship. Across 10 previous seasons, 40 percent of the overall wins have been claimed by British pilots Paul Bonhomme (2009, 2010, 2015) and Nigel Lamb (2014). After the two legends retired, fans of the Union Jack were left without a home hero last year – but that will change the moment Murphy takes off. 



“It’s a huge honor to be moving up to the Master Class in 2018. It will be great to have the British colors flying again and to follow in the footsteps of fellow British pilots Paul Bonhomme and Nigel Lamb,” says Murphy, who will spend the off-season securing a raceplane and assembling his Blades Racing Team. “Both have been an inspiration to me, and this move marks the next major step in the campaign to battle to the top and match their World Championship successes. Those are big shoes to fill, though!”

Bonhomme, who retired in 2015 and is now an expert analyst for the Red Bull Air Race live broadcast, notes, “It’s fantastic that the UK fans will have a pilot to follow in 2018. It’s a steep learning curve, however, and they should be patient for podiums and wins. Having said that, Ben has the skills, background and support available to do well.”

Including Murphy, the Challenger Class – a component of the Red Bull Air Race launched in 2014 to give talented aviators a chance to build their racing skills – has produced seven Master Class pilots, who quickly became forces to be reckoned with. Their technical innovations and podium finishes have made the World Championship even more exciting and unpredictable than ever. 



“The World Championship in 2017 gave us a taste of things to come. No one dominated for the entire season, and I reckon we’ll see similar next year,” Bonhomme assesses. “Having said that, there are some very hungry pilots out there. The first two to three races will give us a clue to see if anyone can pull ahead.

Ben Murphy will make his Red Bull Air Race World Championship debut at the 11th consecutive season opener in Abu Dhabi, UAE on 2-3 February 2018.

2018 Master Class Pilots
Cristian Bolton (CHI)
Mikaël Brageot (FRA)
Kirby Chambliss (USA)
Matthias Dolderer (GER)
Michael Goulian (USA)
Matt Hall (AUS)
Nicolas Ivanoff (FRA)
Petr Kopfstein (CZE)
François Le Vot (FRA)
Pete McLeod (CAN)
Yoshihide Muroya (JPN)
Ben Murphy (GBR)
Martin Šonka (CZE)
Juan Velarde (ESP) 


 
Be there! Tickets for the 2018 Red Bull Air Race World Championship are now available. For all the latest news and information, including tickets, visit www.redbullairrace.com.

###

RED BULL AIR RACE 2018 CALENDAR
2-3 February: Abu Dhabi, UAE
21-22 April: Cannes, France
26-27 May: Europe, location TBA
23-24 June: Budapest, Hungary
4-5 August: Asia, location TBA
25-26 August: Kazan, Russia
6-7 October: Indianapolis, USA
November: Asia, location TBA 

ABOUT RED BULL AIR RACE
Created in 2003, the Red Bull Air Race World Championship has held more than 80 races around the world. The Red Bull Air Race World Championship features the world’s best race pilots in a pure motorsport competition that combines speed, precision and skill. Using the fastest, most agile, lightweight racing planes, pilots hit speeds of 370kmh while enduring forces of up to 10G as they navigate a low-level slalom track marked by 25-meter-high, air-filled pylons. In 2014, the Challenger Cup was conceived to help the next generation of pilots develop the skills needed for potential advancement to the Master Class that vies for the World Championship. 

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Red Bull Air Race 2018 calendar

Red Bull Air Race 2018 calendar to include
first-ever stop in France
 
08.11.2017
 
 

 
In 2018, the Red Bull Air Race World Championship will make eight stops around the globe, featuring classic series destinations and exciting surprises like a premiere in Cannes – the first French race in the history of the sport. Here’s a preview.
 
Cannes, France – On 2-3 February, the campaign for the 2018 World Championship will take flight with a record 11th consecutive season opener in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Next: Cannes rolls out the red carpet for the series’ long-awaited debut in France on 21-22 April. With French pilots in both the Master Class and the Challenger Class – including the first woman to compete in the series, Mélanie Astles – the 370kmh action over the Riviera will undoubtedly mark one of the high points of the season.
 
In May, the towering 25-meter Air Gates will rise at another European location, still under wraps, for the third stop of the season; while the midpoint will be celebrated as the raceplanes once again speed under the iconic Chain Bridge in Budapest, Hungary on 23-24 June.
 
The 2017 World Champion Yoshihide Muroya of Japan – the first Asian pilot ever to claim the overall title – is sure to be the center of attention when the second half of the calendar kicks off with a race in Asia slated for August at a location to be announced. Then on 25-26 August it’s a return to Kazan, Russia, where the World Championship ignited the passion of the country’s motorsport fans with a maiden race in 2017.
 
The final two stops will criss-cross the globe, with a showdown on 6-7 October at the USA’s famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the third year in a row, followed by the high drama of a November season finale, which will make history as the first to be held in Asia (location TBA).

“The 2017 title went down to the wire, keeping the world in suspense up until the final run of the final race, and now the teams are using the off-season to make their raceplanes even faster,” says Erich Wolf, General Manager of Red Bull Air Race GmbH. “The best pilots in the world just keep getting better, and the destinations that will welcome them next year are spectacular. I can’t predict who will win the 2018 season, but I guarantee it’ll be one to watch.”
Ticketing for the 2018 Red Bull Air Race World Championship is underway. For all the latest news and information, including tickets, visit www.redbullairrace.com.

Red Bull Air Race 2018 Calendar
2-3 February: Abu Dhabi, UAE
21-22 April: Cannes, France
26-27 May: Europe, location TBA
23-24 June: Budapest, Hungary
4-5 August: Asia, location TBA
25-26 August: Kazan, Russia
6-7 October: Indianapolis, USA
November: Asia, location TBA 


###
 
ABOUT RED BULL AIR RACE
Created in 2003, the Red Bull Air Race World Championship has held more than 80 races around the world. The Red Bull Air Race World Championship features the world’s best race pilots in a pure motorsport competition that combines speed, precision and skill. Using the fastest, most agile, lightweight racing planes, pilots hit speeds of 370kmh while enduring forces of up to 10G as they navigate a low-level slalom track marked by 25-meter-high, air-filled pylons. In 2014, the Challenger Cup was conceived to help the next generation of pilots develop the skills needed for potential advancement to the Master Class that vies for the World Championship.

NEWSROOM
The Red Bull Air Race Newsroom is a free media service providing news, stories, high-resolution photography, audio, footage for TV and web, as well as race results and background information about the Red Bull Air Race World Championship. www.redbullairracenewsroom.com 

Sunday, October 15, 2017

Muroya wins 2017 Red Bull Air Race World Championship

Yoshihide Muroya’s race went from disaster to delirium on Sunday, when after facing elimination in his opening heat, the Japanese pilot finished as the 2017 Red Bull Air Race World Champion. In the season finale at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Martin Šonka of the Czech Republic earned second overall and Pete McLeod of Canada took third.

Indianapolis (USA) – The season finale was heartstopping from the very beginning, with Šonka and Muroya, ranked one and two in the standings, going head to head in the Round of 14. Flying first, Muroya’s championship hopes seemed to be over when he incurred a two-second penalty – but in strong winds Šonka hit a pylon for a three-second penalty that advanced Japan’s hero to the Round of 8. The other two pilots with a chance for the championship, Pete McLeod (Canada) and Kirby Chambliss (USA) also stumbled in the opening round, but Muroya still couldn’t rest, because Šonka ended up advancing after all as the round’s fastest loser. When the title contenders both won their Round of 8 heats, it all came down to the Final 4. 



There, going first with everything on the line, Muroya was fearless, flying to a new track record of 1:03.026 that 2016 World Champion Matthias Dolderer of Germany and Spain’s Juan Velarde couldn’t match. The pressure all was on Šonka. The Czech pilot flew cleanly, but with a technical issue plus a wing stall in the Vertical Turning Maneuver, he could manage only 1:07.280, and both the race win and Asia’s first Red Bull Air Race World Championship belonged to Muroya.

As the race awards were handed out in the iconic infield of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Muroya was joined on the podium by Dolderer in second and Velarde in third. Then, when the World Championship trophy was presented, Muroya was sprayed with champagne by Šonka and McLeod, who stood on the overall podium for the first time themselves with second and third place overall, respectively.  



“This is an amazing chapter for motorsports to win a race here. It was the tightest championship ever with the four of us close right up until the end. We were behind at the start of the season, so it was the long way and the hard way, but we made it,” said Muroya as he held back tears. “I thought the timing was broken when I saw my time in the Final 4, and before the race our computer would have said it wasn’t possible, so something was pushing me quite a lot. That was the fans, my family and my team, so thanks to them for making it happen.”

Clinching Japan’s first World Championship at Indianapolis Motor Speedway also marked a remarkable new milestone in the history of the century-old racetrack, where just this year Takuma Sato – who was on site all weekend to cheer Muroya – became the first Japanese racecar driver to win the famed Indianapolis 500. 

Results Master Class race Indianapolis 2017: 
1. Yoshihide Muroya (JPN), 2. Matthias Dolderer (GER), 3. Juan Velarde (ESP), 4. Martin Šonka (CZE), 5. Petr Kopfstein(CZE), 6. Mikaël Brageot (FRA), 7. Michael Goulian (USA), 8. Matt Hall (AUS), 9. Cristian Bolton (CHI), 10. Kirby Chambliss(USA), 11. Pete McLeod (CAN), 12. François Le Vot (FRA), 13. Nicolas Ivanoff (FRA), 14. Peter Podlunšek (SLO)

Final standings, 2017 Red Bull Air Race World Championship: 1. Yoshihide Muroya (JPN) 74 pts,   2. Martin Šonka(CZE) 70 points, 3. Pete McLeod (CAN) 56 pts, 4. Kirby Chambliss (USA) 53 pts, 5. Petr Kopfstein (CZE) 43 pts, 6. Matt Hall (AUS) 40 pts, 7. Matthias Dolderer (GER) 39 pts, 8. Juan Velarde (ESP) 37 pts, 9. Michael Goulian (USA) 28 pts, 10. Mikaël Brageot (FRA) 24 pts, 11. Nicolas Ivanoff (FRA) 16 pts, 12. Peter Podlunšek (SLO) 14 pts, 13. Cristian Bolton (CHI) 9 pts, 14. François Le Vot (FRA) 9 pts


Monday, October 9, 2017

A Year to Remember - National Championship Air Races - 2017


This year provided some of the best racing in recent memory. It seemed that all the Classes had epic battles, fought before the larger than expected crowd.


Biplane

Even in the Biplane Class there was some close racing. Andrew Buehler was flying Phantom this year instead of Tom Aberle. Earlier in the week, Andrew had some troubles keeping Phantom on the course and on the right side of the pylons. Jake Stewart in Mojo won 2 of the three Heat Races and lost to Andrew in the Gold Final.

Andrew was pulling double duty, racing his Mong in the Silver also. While Jake and his dad, Mike Stewart brought two highly competitive aircraft and finished are strong competitors and second and fourth. Nice showing for a father and son team.

Hoping to see more Biplanes in the future, this was likely the smallest field the Biplanes have had since I started racing in 2003.

Phantom 2017 Biplane Winner




International Formula 1

IF1 always puts on a great show. The battles begin in Qualifying, move to the runway and finally finish at the checkered flag.

Qualifying held few surprises. Lowell Slatter, last year’s winner – took the lead with Steve Senegal in Endeavor and Vito Wypraechtiger, both previous winners, coming in second and third.

Justin Phillipson fought miscellaneous gremlins all week and ended up winning the Bronze instead of fighting for the podium in Gold. But, I’m sure Justin will have it all figured out in time for Thailand. More on that later.

The 5th place qualifier was Philip Goforth. Philip has some sort of magic prop which enables him to hot rod down the runway on takeoff. He then leads for the first few laps – until the other props can dig into the air and get their groove on. You’d have to see it to believe it – watching Phil on the runway, dodging slower movers, is worth the price of admission!

The top three jumbled a few times during the week, but remained the same on Sunday for the IF1 Gold. Lowell, Steve and Vito.


Air Race 1 World Cup

After the race, the IF1s started packing up and heading to U-Tapao Airport in Thailand on their International tour with Air Race 1. The Race will be November 17-19.

The Thai government is hosting the event and the Prime Minister of Thailand will be in attendance. For a country with very little General Aviation – the IF1 Race Teams are treated like the Rockstars that they are!

Big hat tip to Jeff Zaltman for putting this together and making it happen! And to the 18 IF1 Race Teams attending – have fun, fly well, make memories.


Lowell Slatter in Fraed Naught




T6

The T6 Class always provides close, exciting racing. This year – they outdid themselves.

The top three qualifiers were Nick Macy in Six Cat, Dennis Buehn in Midnight Miss III and John Lohmar in Radial Velocity. With barely 3 mph between the three – less than 1.5 seconds on their qualifying laps – the title was up for grabs.

Nick and Dennis have tossed the win back and forth for several years – both with 6 wins. This would be the deciding race – first to 7 wins. But, John Lohmar had a different ending in mind.
John Lohmar started racing over 10 years ago – but is still the newbie compared to Dennis and Nick. 
In 2007 when I met John, he had just won the Bronze and was not happy. He was so focused on winning the Gold, I knew it was just a matter of time.

The Gold Race was EPIC! Nick had the lead, but John was not letting up. Every time he would get to the straightaways, he would gain on Nick. And then lose it in the corners again. Lucky for John, the Home Pylon is on the front straight. It was “by a nose” – just over half a 10th of second between the first two racers.

Even if you didn’t have a horse in the race, you were on your feet. You couldn’t sit this one out – you had to feel like you were part of the outcome. The entire crowd was mesmerized by the finish. A BIG CONGRATS to our friend, John Lohmar and his crew. You did it!

John Lohmar making his move on Nick Macy

 

Sport Class

The Sport Class has its champion back and it seems no one can beat Jeff LaVelle. They line up to try yet they fail. He’s that good. It seems the only one able to beat Jeff is Jeff himself.  

John Parker always puts on a good fight, but his Blue Thunder II was cranky all week and he had to sit this one out. Vicky Benzing has a new ride, but again – close but no cigar. Andrew Findlay keeps getting closer – but again, failed in the final test.

So, the Gold in Sport Class ended up Jeff LaVelle in that seemingly benign Super Glasair III, with Vicky Benzing in Second, and Dave Sterling in third. Vicky is once again the Fastest Woman in Air Racing, competing in the Sport Gold and the Jet Class.

Another great story coming out of the Sport Class is the return of Alan Crawford. Alan won the Silver in his Lancair Legacy affectionately called “The Beast” – but we know her as “The Phoenix”. This Legacy sports an 8-cylinder 780cc super motor. But, that’s not what makes Alan a fan favorite.

In 2014, after competing in a cross-country race, Alan’s last Lancair Legacy, Spirit of America, had a mechanical problem and before Alan could get the plane down in a field, the cockpit was overcome with smoke and flames. Alan had severe burns which put him out of flying/racing for several years. 

But, with the love of his amazing wife, Sherri and his friends and family – he fought back and is the most inspirational person I know. Love you, man!



Jeff LaVelle in his Super Glasair


Jets

While the winner of the Jet Race wasn’t a surprise, the racing had you mesmerized. With Rick Vandam sharing the flying duties with Mike Steiger, American Spirit was always in the lead. From Qualifying to the final Checkered Flag, it was all Jet #5.

The race then became for 2nd place. Zach McNeill brought his Vampire back – but this time it’s painted BLACK and looks ominous – something out of a horror movie {shiver}. David “Killer” Culler, Vicky Benzing and Scott Farnsworth making the racing heart throbbingly exciting. 
Soko O’No flown by Robert McCormack added more excitement to the racing. Always good to see something unusual in the field. The Vampire and the 2 Galeb G2s were the only non-L-29/39s in the field.


Rick Vandam in American Spirit



Unlimiteds

I know that 50 years from now, I will be able to say, I WAS THERE.

For the two weeks leading up to the National Championship Air Races, Voodoo, Steven Hinton and the crew have been holed up in Idaho going for the 3KM Speed Record. With wildfires, weather and engine issues adding to the drama, they set the Absolute Propeller Driven Piston Powered 3KM Speed C1E Record. Their average speed over 4 runs was 531 mph. They had hoped to break the now retired record set by Lyle Shelton in Rare Bear in 1989 of just over 528mph. The rules state that a record must be bettered by 1% and they wanted to get 533 to put all the naysayers to rest. But, because Lyle’s record is now obsolete – and the C1E record was held by Will Whiteside in Steadfast, his Yak 3U back in 2012. So, they easily beat Will’s record – just not Lyle’s by the required margin. 

A win – but not an absolute win.

After that drama filled experience of record setting, the Voodoo crew headed to Reno. What did we expect? Did we think they would sit back and rest up? Did we expect them to go for it from the beginning? I had no idea if they would be able to hold together after all they went through just days before.

But Voodoo had a few surprises up her sleeve. And Tiger wanted nothing more than to say – that Strega beat “The World’s Fastest Mustang”.

Jay Consalvi flew Czech Mate last year – but was happily saddled in Strega this year. Steven in Voodoo and Joel Swager in Dreadnaught. Three Young Guns all ready to take to the air. If the Mustangs coughed, Joel was there to take the win.

Qualifying saw Jay and Strega in the lead 484.724 vs 479.364 for Voodoo. The first Heat Race on Friday looked like it was going to be all Strega this year. Saturday’s race didn’t change any minds.
But then came Sunday and the Final Gold match between these two young men and their Super Mustangs.

Coming down the Chute, Voodoo put the coal to it and took off. WHAT!? Like the plane was shot out of a cannon – amazing start. But, Strega wasn’t going to sit back and let that happen. Jay went high, knowing he had to pass high and outside. The first lap speed was nearly 500 mph. Amazing.

The laps went that way until only two laps to go. They were passing slower traffic and suddenly, it looked like Jay found another gear. He wouldn’t be satisfied with 2nd place for two years in a row. He wanted that win.

They were passing Curt Brown in Sawbones – lapping the 4th place aircraft – when Jay started pulling ahead. Then Voodoo got the lead back. Coming up on 924 flown by Mark Watt, Jay went high and Stevo stayed low – holding his line. Jay dove down and took the lead away – exchanging the altitude he gained into airspeed and shot passed Voodoo. And that’s all she wrote.

It was a duel between these two amazing aviators and two legendary Mustangs. Not to mention Tiger vs. Button – two friends who love to compete against each other in this, the highest stakes racing we can find.


Jay Consalvi in Strega for the Gold



Thank you

A BIG THANK YOU to everyone associated with the Air Races. The Fans, for coming out and supporting us. 

The Racers and the Crews who dedicated their entire year for one week in the sun. To the Volunteers and Photographers – thank you all for what you do! 

And to the staff and Board at the Reno Air Races, thanks for giving us a playground again this year. 

To Stihl, thanks for the sponsorship and the chain saws! 

And to all the other sponsors, friends and family of the races. We couldn’t do it without you.



And to Anthony Taylor – thanks for the amazing shots I used in this column. You ROCK! 

Sunday, July 2, 2017

USA’s Chambliss unbeatable in Budapest


Two-time Red Bull Air Race titleholder Kirby Chambliss put his 2017 season on track with a confident win at the World Championship stop in Budapest on Sunday. Canada’s Pete McLeod was scintillating in second, while Japan’s Yoshihide Muroya retained the head of the overall standings by clinching third.

Budapest is the prestigious grail that every pilot wants to win, and Chambliss now has six podiums and two victories at the stop that first hosted a Red Bull Air Race in 2003. A weekend crowd of 80,000 lined the banks of the Danube to see the raceplanes dart under the city’s Chain Bridge, where Chambliss’s 1:00.632 was just 0.108 ahead of his fellow North American McLeod. Muroya’s third place was also his third consecutive race podium, after wins in San Diego and Chiba.

As the midpoint of the season, Budapest marked a critical milestone, and Chambliss jumped up five spots to fourth in the World Championship standings with four races left to go. Muroya, meanwhile, tightened his grip on the top of the leaderboard ever so slightly, with 39 points to the 37 of the Czech Republic’s Martin Šonka, who finished fourth in the Budapest race, and McLeod moved to third overall. The day was disastrous for defending World Champion Matthias Dolderer, who edged over the G limit in the opening round for a “Did Not Finish” (DNF) penalty and dropped to sixth on the leaderboard, a full 16 points behind Muroya.
“I love Budapest. I can’t thank my team enough – it’s not a one-person effort. I over G’d in Chiba and our tactician Paulo (Iscold) told me I needed to rein it in at Budapest, so I just went out and put down a nice, clean, fast time. And it worked,” said Chambliss, who had last won a race in 2008. “I had started to forget what the Champagne tastes like, so I’m excited. Winning is easy when you’re winning – it’s not when you’re not.”




Tickets for the 2017 Red Bull Air Race World Championship – including the fifth stop, the World Championship’s debut in Kazan, Russia on 22-23 July – are on sale now.
For more information on tickets and all the latest, visit www.redbullairrace.com

 


Results Master Class Budapest 2017:
1. Kirby Chambliss (USA), 2. Pete McLeod (CAN), 3. Yoshihide Muroya (JPN), 4. Martin Šonka (CZE), 5. Petr Kopfstein (CZE), 6. Mikaël Brageot (FRA), 7. Nicolas Ivanoff (FRA), 8. Matt Hall (AUS), 9. Juan Velarde (ESP), 10. François Le Vot (FRA), 11. Cristian Bolton (CHI, 12. Michael Goulian (USA), 13. Matthias Dolderer (GER), 14. Peter Podlunšek (SLO)

World Championship standings after four races: 1. Yoshihide Muroya (JPN) 39 points, 2. Martin Šonka (CZE) 37 pts, 3. Pete McLeod (CAN) 26 pts, 4. Kirby Chambliss (USA) 25 pts, 5. Petr Kopfstein (CZE) 23 pts, 6. Matthias Dolderer (GER) 23 pts, 7. Juan Velarde (ESP) 15 pts, 8. Michael Goulian (USA) 14 pts, 9. Nicolas Ivanoff (FRA) 14 pts, 10. Peter Podlunšek (SLO) 12 pts, 11. Matt Hall (AUS) 11 pts, 12. Mikaël Brageot (FRA) 9 pts, 13. Cristian Bolton (CHI) 4 pts, 14. François Le Vot (FRA) 4 pts


About Red Bull Air Race:
Created in 2003, the Red Bull Air Race World Championship celebrated its landmark 75th race at the 2017 season opener in Abu Dhabi. The Red Bull Air Race World Championship features the world’s best race pilots in a pure motorsport competition that combines speed, precision, and skill. Using the fastest, most agile, lightweight racing planes, pilots hit speeds of 370kmh while enduring forces of up to 10G as they navigate a low-level slalom track marked by 25-meter-high, air-filled pylons. In 2014, the Challenger Cup was conceived to help the next generation of pilots develop the skills needed for potential advancement to the Master Class that vies for the World Championship.

 

Bird's Eye View over Budapest

 
 

 
Red Bull Air Race legend Peter Besenyei led current World Championship leader Yoshihide Muroya (JPN) and rising star Petr Kopfstein (CZE) on a flight through the heart of Budapest, right along the Danube and past the magnificent Hungarian Parliament. “This amazing series has its roots right here in Budapest,” said Besenyei, who retired in 2015. “My heart will always be with the Red Bull Air Race, and it’s a pleasure to show these pilots my city from the sky. Approximately 8 years ago I was in Tokyo and Yoshi was leading me over the city. So now I`m very happy to lead him over Budapest.”
 
Muroya and Kopfstein also soared past the dramatic Liberty Statue that overlooks the region from high on Gellért Hill. They’ll see her again when the racing begins with Qualifying on Saturday, 1 July, followed by Race Day onSunday, 2 July 2017.    
 
 
About Red Bull Air Race:
Created in 2003, the Red Bull Air Race World Championship celebrated its landmark 75th race at the 2017 season opener in Abu Dhabi. The Red Bull Air Race World Championship features the world’s best race pilots in a pure motorsport competition that combines speed, precision , and skill. Using the fastest, most agile, lightweight racing planes, pilots hit speeds of 370kmh while enduring forces of up to 10G as they navigate a low-level slalom track marked by 25-meter-high, air-filled pylons. In 2014, the Challenger Cup was conceived to help the next generation of pilots develop the skills needed for potential advancement to the Master Class that vies for the World Championship. 

Friday, June 23, 2017

Statement from the Reno Air Racing Association Regarding Mike Crowell

NCAR_Logo
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 23, 2017
              

Statement from the Reno Air Racing Association Regarding Mike Crowell

Reno, Nev. – The Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) Board of Directors this afternoon issued the following statement:

“Micheal Crowell, President and CEO of the Reno Air Racing Association, informed the Board of Directors today that he has resigned his position, effective immediately. Crowell, who has held his post for the last two and a half years, is stepping down to focus on his wife’s health.  We are thankful to Mike for his hard work and dedication to continuing this one-of-a-kind event.

“While we conduct a search for a new CEO, Joey Scolari, CEO of Scolari’s Markets and a board member, will serve as interim CEO. Joey will work with RARA staff, including new COO Tony Logoteta, to continue planning for the 54thNational Championship Air Races in September.”

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About the Reno Air Racing Association:
The Reno Air Racing Association (RARA), a 501(c)(3), holds the National Championship Air Races every September just north of Reno. The Reno Air Races have become an institution for northern Nevada and aviation enthusiasts from around the world. The 2016 event generated more than $91.7 million for the region’s economy. The event features six racing classes, a large display of static aircraft and several military and civil flight demonstrations. For more information on the National Championship Air Races, to obtain media credentials, volunteer or purchase tickets for this year’s event, visit www.airrace.org.

Media Contact:
Mary-Sarah Kinner
The Glenn Group

Thursday, April 27, 2017

RARA Announces Aerobatics Performer for 54th National Championship Air Races

 NCAR_Logo
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 2017
              



Reno, Nev. – The Reno Air Racing Association today announced that Brad Wursten Airshows will perform at the 54th National Championship Air Races this September 13th – 17th in his MXS-R aerobatic aircraft by MX aircraft.

“Brad Wursten brings power and performance to each airshow,” Mike Crowell, President and CEO of the Reno Air Racing Association said. “We are very excited for our fans to be able to watch as Brad pushes the envelope and amazes the crowd while remaining well within his tight margin of safety.”

Wursten’s plane, one of the most highly sophisticated airplanes in the world, features a complete carbon fiber airframe that weighs an impressive 1100 lbs.  The Lycoming engine has 385 HP and can reach a top speed of over 300 MPH, a roll rate at 420 degrees per second, and “G” loading at +/- 15 “G’s”.

Wursten joins previously announced performers the Texas Flying Legends Museum.

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About the Reno Air Racing Association:
The Reno Air Racing Association (RARA), a 501(c)(3), holds the National Championship Air Races every September just north of Reno. The Reno Air Races have become an institution for northern Nevada and aviation enthusiasts from around the world. The 2016 event generated more than $91.7 million for the region’s economy. The event features six racing classes, a large display of static aircraft and several military and civil flight demonstrations. For more information on the National Championship Air Races, to obtain media credentials, volunteer or purchase tickets for this year’s event, visit www.airrace.org.

Media Contact:
Mary-Sarah Kinner
The Glenn Group