Air Racing
The high-flying action of Red Bull Air Race will take to the skies over the San Diego Bay on April 15-16.
For the first time since 2009, the planes and pilots of Red Bull Air Race will be hosted in, or rather, over the San Diego Bay. The series return to SoCal was commemorated by American Air Race legend Kirby Chambliss as he took to the San Diego skies flanked by the Red Bull Air Force. Red Bull Air Race director Jim DiMatteo spoke about the thrilling return of the world’s fastest race series to the incredible layout and backdrop of San Diego.
“San Diego hosted incredible races from 2007-09. It has an amazing backdrop with the city and the bay and the Coronado bridge. It’s fun to be in SoCal. As a local San Diegan, I can say the spectators really appreciate the race in San Diego.”
DiMatteo goes on to mention the modified course for 2017 from the last event in 2009, where the layout has been updated for better fan viewing.
“The course is modified a little bit from '09 to now. We’ve implemented a new track, but in the same place. We’re bringing the chicane towards the spectator area, and we’ve implemented a vertical turning maneuver near the bridge. It’s a beautiful venue to see the race, the Embarcadero Arena. It’s a huge park area next to the marina. It just happens to be that the dimensions of the bay are exactly what we need.”
The racers and officials of Red Bull Air Race aren’t the only ones stoked for the series’ return to San Diego; it’s been a welcome addition to the calendar of events for the entire city. Joe Terzi, San Diego Tourism Authority, had this to say:
“The San Diego Tourism Authority is thrilled to have the Red Bull Air Races back competing on San Diego Bay. Events like this help entice visitors to keep coming back to our region. Millions of fans watching on TV will get to see our beautiful bay and skyline, which helps us continue to grow San Diego’s brand as a world-class destination throughout California, across the country and around the world.”
The Port of San Diego is excited to be a sponsor and is looking forward to seeing what unfolds over the sunny San Diego Bay. Here's what Chairman Robert Valderrama had to say about the event:
“The Port of San Diego is a proud sponsor of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship event and we look forward to the heart-pounding action amid the backdrop of our beautiful port and waterfront. The Port is dedicated to supporting dynamic events that bring together our community and the Red Bull Air Race World Championship does just that!”
For more information on the Red Bull Air Race in San Diego, head to www.redbullairrace.com and don't miss the action on April 15 and 16.