Detroit, Michigan – June 2, 2008 — It was only a fraction of a second, but it was enough to give American Kirby Chambliss the win at the Red Bull Air Race in Detroit on Sunday.
Chambliss took first place with a time of 1:12.08, just 0.15 seconds faster than Paul Bonhomme of Great Britain. It was Bonhomme’s first loss of the season, after winning earlier in Abu Dhabi and San Diego.
“ … I was pretty sure he was going to beat me,” said Chambliss, who had watched Bonhomme finish with a time of 1:10.01 in the semi-finals. “I went crazy up there and went out as fast as I could fly. (Paul’s) got a fast airplane. I don’t know whether he went just a little bit conservative or something. But I’ll take the win.”
Chambliss punched the air with joy in the cockpit after hearing he’d won. “I was pretty happy up there,” he said.
Bonhomme said his time in the semi-finals lulled him into a false sense of security. “Maybe I should have pushed a little bit harder.”
Austria’s Hannes Arch took the last place on the podium, beating American Mike Mangold in the third place fly-off.
About 750,000 U.S. and Canadian spectators watched the competition from the shores of the Detroit River. It was the first Red Bull Air Race to take place on the border of two nations, the United States and Canada.
Racing in Detroit was hampered by heavy winds that forced the cancellation of the Qualifying sessions on Saturday, and winds picked up for the final race on Sunday, Bonhomme said. “From looking at the water it looked as if there was more wind on the water and that will make a difference to the times.“
Bonhomme still leads the World Series with 26 points. The next race will be held in Stockholm, Sweden on July 5-6.
You can view Red Bull Air Race footage on YouTube.
See more photos from the Race
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