Red Bull Air Race Detroit 2008 Practice

Britain's Paul Bonhomme set the pace in the final timed training session at the Red Bull Air Race in Detroit on Friday ahead of the weekend's racing, topping the time sheets on the windswept course that twice crosses the international border between the United States and Canada.

Red Bull World Championship Air Race championship points leader Bonhomme, who is unbeaten in 2008 and looking for his third straight victory in Detroit after winning in Abu Dhabi and San Diego, was clocked in a time of 1:13.86 in the final session, ahead of American Kirby Chambliss in second (1:15.28) and Hannes Arch of Austria in third place (1:16.13) ahead of Saturday's Qualifying Session that will whittle the 12-man field down to eight for Sunday's Super Eights.

"I had a better run than the others due to the weather conditions being less bumpy when I was out there," said Bonhomme, who leads the championship with 18 points after two races and watched from his hangar as winds picked up and scattered rain marred the training for many who followed him. "So it wasn't really a good assessment of where we all stand today." The heavy winds forced the cancellation of the third and final training session on Friday.

With his newly refurbished 2007 engine and last year's propeller reinstalled in his Edge 540 as part of a routine overhaul, Bonhomme led the field through the 3.8-mile long course over the Detroit River at speeds of up to 230 mph just a few metres above the surface while enduring forces of up to 10G. A sell-out crowd is expected for Saturday's Qualifying session and Sunday's race. The nearly 50,000 tickets on the Detroit side of the river have already been sold out while there are still a few tickets available on the Canadian side in Windsor. The Red Bull Air Race pilots twice cross the international border during the race and spend about 13 seconds of the 75-second run in Canada.

American Mike Mangold, the defending champion who trails Bonhomme by three points after two races, had the fastest recorded time in the first training session on Thursday but fell back to fourth on Friday. Hungary's Peter Besenyei grabbed fifth and Britain's Steve Jones, helped by extensive modifications to his plane's aerodynamics since San Diego, was sixth.

Spain's Alejandro Maclean, who took delivery of his new MXS just before the race in Detroit, has struggled with the new plane and was 10th -- more than 28 seconds behind Bonhomme.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• red
• bull
• air
• race
• detroit
• practice
• training
• 2008
• rbar08

[TooR3alInMi]

Who ever thumbs down these comments is an idiot!

[robalbright06]

it took you eight hours, wow. were you riding a moped?

[XxSliCkNicKxX]

they should make those bag cones out of cement. wouldnt that be smart? they would pop....

[tastejones]

This year its being hosted in windsor so it will be moved even closer to the windsor show. So A: go to windsor this year

[littletootpilot]

after living in detroit for 34 yrs i would have to say goto windsor they have a nice park on the river front that runs all the way down and you dont have to worrie about getting muged

[gmitran]

Anyone know which side is better to view race, Det or Windsor? Thx.

[hawtpotato90210]

i was mvoing furniture at the Renaissance Center tower 3 when this was going on. amazing.

[ForBlueBlueSkiies]

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TALK TO ME

wanting new friends Pl

[powerline3]

i'm going to see the race in porto this year..

[Schmevel]

oah booo whooo... would you rather they died in a crash? Next time stay in Chicago. It will be better for us all.