IMS Adds Air Race
(Image Courtesy: Red Bull Air Race World Championship)
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA high-speed race will take to the skies above the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in October. The historic venue will play host to the seventh race of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship. The new competition harkens back more than 100 years to the first licensed aviation meet in the U.S. at IMS.
The 1910 meet featured pilots including Orville and Wilbur Wright. During World War I, IMS says the Speedway was also used as a military aviation and refueling operation.
Aircraft in the Red Bull competition will get to speeds of almost 230 miles-per-hour. Pilots will navigate through air-filled pylons that serve as the course as fast as possible, while incurring as few penalties as they can.
Boles says "in 2016, as we celebrate the historic 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race, it’s fitting that the world’s best pilots will gather at IMS for a breathtaking display of competition and innovation that will honor the legacies of IMS founder Carl Fisher, the Wright brothers and their fellow aviation pioneers."
Red Bull Air Race GmbH General Manager Erich Wolf calls IMS the "perfect location" for a stop in the champions series because of its place in motorsports and aviation history.
The event will feature practice September 29 and 30, qualifying October 1, then competition rounds of 14, eight and four on October 2 when a winner will be crowned. The series has eight races on four continents.
You can connect to more about the race and ticket information by clicking here.
You can view a video detailing the origins of the Red Bull Air Race here: