On May 31 and June 1, twelve of the world’s best pilots including three Americans will introduce the Midwest to a new dimension in motorsport. The pilots will pull up to 10 Gs with unprecedented skill and precision in their high-performance race planes just feet above the Detroit River in a captivating race against the clock.
The Detroit race will follow the first U.S. stop of 2008 in San Diego on May 3 and 4. In 2007, more than 50,000 San Diegans came to watch the Red Bull Air Race and 4.5 million spectators attended 10 stops worldwide. The 2008 season opener took place in Abu Dhabi, UAE on April 10 and 11 where British racer Paul Bonhomme brought a first-place finish back to Great Britain.
Many may not know that the 11th largest city in the United States is also home to many aviation milestones in addition to its rich automotive history. It served as the birthplace and hometown of aviator Charles Lindbergh, and it was the primary location for the mass production of B-24 bombers during World War II. Detroit’s rich knowledge in the automotive and aviation industries as well as its abundance of sports fans make it an ideal stop for the Red Bull Air Race World Series. The city also shares an international border with Canada located on the other side of the Detroit River. This race will mark the first time the Red Bull Air Race will take place between two countries at the same time, making world history for the Series and for the cities of Detroit and Windsor, Ontario.
“We thank you, Red Bull Air Race, for bringing the World Series right here to Detroit,” stated Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick at the official launch of the race today at the Detroit City Airport. “We said this to the Super Bowl, to the NCAA, the best race that you will have in your entire series will be the race in the city of Detroit.
The race will be a ticketed event along downtown Detroit's five-mile long, spectacular riverfront. This Detroit landmark is being revitalized by public and private donations, including a significant investment by General Motors in its waterfront. "On behalf of the 2.1 million residents of Wayne County, I welcome Red Bull racing to Detroit. This is a unique race attraction that will bring thousands downtown to be a part of this exciting experience on both sides of the Detroit River," said Wayne County Executive Robert A. Ficano
