Airplane races ?

 
 

Major event could lure international crowds
A new kind of motorsport soon could be flying into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Speedway officials are in discussions with the Red Bull Air Race World Series, a 5-year-old airplane race circuit that combines the intrigue of a high-wire circus act, thrills of an alpine ski race, and cutting-edge technology of Formula One auto racing.

“Indianapolis is in our sites, to say the least,” said series spokeswoman Maddy Stephens. “The city’s deep motorsports roots and a historical backdrop like the Indianapolis Motor Speedway make it a fantastic location.”

An air race could land at the Speedway as soon as 2009, Stephens added.

Several factors make the event intriguing to IMS and local tourism leaders, including that it would bring international crowds to the city and attract a worldwide TV audience.

“This is just catching on in the U.S., but it is hugely popular in Europe and other parts of the world,” said Zak Brown, president of Indianapolis-based motorsports marketing firm Just Marketing, which has overseas offices and ties to sponsors worldwide.

The series currently has 10 races, two in the United States. Competing planes usually take off from a nearby airstrip, then fly low to the ground through an obstacle course of sorts. A Red Bull Air Race World Series event would be the first plane race staged at the Speedway.

IMS officials attended two of the circuit’s races in 2007, and series honchos recently visited Indianapolis to tour the Speedway and surrounding cityscape, especially downtown and its hotels.

The Speedway will mark its 100th anniversary in 2009, and IMS Chief Operating Officer Joie Chitwood said some special events might be staged to highlight the milestone. The 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 is 2011, and IMS officials are planning a multiyear celebration.

“I don’t know how many annual events we would host after” the Indianapolis 500, Brickyard 400, MotoGP motorcycle race and a corporate golf outing, Chitwood said at a motorsports conference in New York Nov. 28. “But with the centennial era approaching, I think it’s about putting special events on the calendar. Air racing is very interesting to me.”

The Speedway’s annual calendar will become even more crowded if it succeeds in bringing back an F1 race, as Chitwood said he’d like to do.

Red Bull officials are hopeful that, if the air event proved successful, IMS leaders would consider hosting it annually. This story is from  cms.ibj.com for more check them out!


photo from cms.ibj.com

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