Wed, Sep 23, 2015
The Reno Air Races Also Marked The First World Cup Formula One Racing Championship
The 52nd Annual National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada was also the final race of the World Cup Formula One Racing Championships. The first-ever world cup trophy in the sport of formula one air racing has been won by Thom Richard of team Hot Stuff. Richard, of Sweden, won all three races held in Tunisia, Spain and the USA to achieve this decisive and historic victory in the international title for multiple-plane pylon air racing.
Jay Jones of the USA took second place in the overall series after a consistent performance all season and Steve Temple, also of the USA, rose steadily in the points after early setbacks to claim third overall in the world cup standings, knocking back serious contenders Mike Mundell and Kent Cassels.
Despite Richard’s wins in North Africa and Europe, the world cup trophy was always in contention down to the final event in the USA which was attended by tens of thousands of race fans at the US National Air Racing Championships. The challenges faced by all 20 teams in the Air Race 1 World Cup were immense, being the first time in the 70-year history of the sport that racers had to compete across a series of international races.
The final race of the series was full of drama and gripping action that kept the spectators guessing about the outcome. The heat races in the days prior that lead to the final grid positions were tense and competitive requiring the ground crews to work long into each night on modifications and enhancements to extract every ounce of performance from the race machines.
Richard won the top points in the final race, followed by Justin Phillipson, who was debuting his new airplane “No Strings Attached” that he and his brother built themselves. Philip Goforth had rebuilt his airplane “Knotty Girl” and changed to a new wing design, among other new improvements that helped him edge into third in the Nevada race.
Jeff Zaltman, CEO of Air Race 1, said: “Congratulations to Thom on a well-deserved victory! And congratulations to all the pilots and crews that launched this new world cup of the fastest and most demanding motorsport in the world.”
(Image provided by Airrace 1)
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