It’s back! The Red Bull Air Race World Championship will return to the skies starting next year with a seven-race circuit across six countries. Two of the world championship races will take place in the United States — first at the Texas Motor Speedway near Dallas next September 6-7 followed by a race October 11-12 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The Red Bull Air Race has been on hiatus the last three years as organizers have sought to make changes designed to improve course safety. For 2014, technical adjustments include adopting standard engines and propellers for all pilots, making changes to the lightweight nylon pylon material (making it easier for them to burst apart if they are clipped by race planes) and raising the height of the pylons that the pilots pass through from 65 feet to 80 feet. The high-G 270-degree “Quatro” turn through a set of four pylons from previous years has also been eliminated due to the exceedingly high g-force it exerts on the airplanes and pilots, organizers said.
