NEAR PATTAYA, Thailand (Reuters) — U.S. racer Tim Cone has won the Air Race 1 World title in Thailand on Sunday (November 19).
The 52 year-old Virginia native dominated the final of the World Cup at U-Tapao International Naval Airbase in a Grove-Winged Cassutt racer named ‘What Airplane Honey’.
“Unbelievably happy. In love with Thailand. In love with the guys that I raced with. Some of the best pilots in the world. Some of the best pilots in the world do this. You stop and think about it there’s more astronauts than there are Formula 1 pilots so to have managed to get on top today just….it tops off an amazing summer, an amazing year and I can’t wait to come back and defend my title next year.” Air Race 1 World Champion, Tim Cone, said.
Cone started the race out back in third place but a late surge saw him catch and overtake U.S. pilot Justin Phillipson and Texan Philip Goforth.
The race sees light planes racing around a course with up to eight pilots speeding along an oval circuit of eight laps. The planes can reach around 450km per hour with pilots flying just metres above the ground.