WOW — Red Bull Air Race Blasts Into Budapest

Eight sporty aircraft zooming over — and under — downtown Budapest at speeds up to 250 mph drew hundreds of thousands of spectators on Aug. 20, Red Bull says. Flying a track above the Danube River, the racers were required to fly between inflated pylons, underneath a bridge — twice — plus execute half and full rolls, and knife-edged and vertical flight. U.S. flyer Kirby Chambliss squeaked to a win at just under a minute and a half for the course. Red Bull says the huge turnout was boosted by holding the race on St. Stephen’s Day, a national holiday in Hungary, and by the participation of Hungarian flyer Peter Besenyei, a three-time Aerobatics World Champion who is a national hero in his home country. Thousands more watched the races live on the Internet, Red Bull says. The next race in the international series will be held in Reno, Nev., Sept. 16-19.