This was the seventh consecutive
Sun 60 air race run since it was separated from the original Sun N Fun
air race, which was made up of both experimental and
production aircraft. Originally, both type of aircraft raced together,
but over time the experimental aircraft became so
fast that the 65 mile course was too short for them; therefore, the Sun
100 (approximately 100 mile course) was created for
experimental aircraft only, and the Sun 60 was retained for the production
aircraft. A few of us have participated in all of the Sun 60 (production
only) air races since the first one in 1992.
It was certainly a fun and exciting
race with lots of camaraderie. It was an all out speed race of approximately
65 miles against the clock. Each aircraft was timed
from a standing start at the drop of the starting flag, and ended with
a fly over the finish line at a minimum safe altitude
of 500 feet. Aircraft were spaced twenty seconds apart with the fastest
aircraft leading the way in order to reduce unnecessary
passing for obvious safety reasons.
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