FOR FIVE DAYS THIS MONTH, the best pilots from around the globe land in Roswell for the full-throttle thrills of the National Championship Air Races. “This is the only place in the world where you can see them compete head-to-head,” says Air Races Chairman and CEO Fred Telling. Often called NASCAR in the sky, the six classes of racing draw more than 100 competitors and 50,000 fans for high-speed thrills, aviation exhibits, military demonstrations, food, and family activities. Historically held in Reno, Nevada, this 60-year-old event makes its Roswell Air Center debut September 10–14, with fresh energy, first-time courses, and around $15 million in new infrastructure. “It’s people who love competition and love airplanes,” Telling says. “It’s just cool.”

Pilot Kevin Quinn in flight gear smiling and clapping.PILOT TO KNOW

Kevin Quinn

The STOL Drag founder and commercial flight instructor began organizing airplane drag races in the Nevada desert a decade ago. In the National Championship Air Races’s newest class, pilots race side by side down a 2,000-foot-long straightaway, land, turn around, take off again, and land back at the start-finish line all in about a minute.

“Two airplanes take off together. They pass that halfway line. They both go into this crazy side slip. It looks like they’re flying sideways, wing first, down the track. They’re usually pretty close. Bam! They both touch the ground. The dust flies. They come to a complete stop again. They go full power. They spin around at the same time, if they’re close. Off they go and come back the same direction. The crowd goes crazy as they do that slip, because you might not be used to seeing airplanes do that, and all of a sudden, you have a winner.”

CLASS ACTS

Get up to speed on the Air Races plane classifications. 
 

Two World War II-era fighters racing side by side.


1. Unlimited. Dominated by World War II–era fighters, this class has almost no rules for airplane modifications and is “the favorite of those with a historical interest,” says Air Races CEO Fred Telling. Editor's note: In August, the Unlimited class chose not to participate in the 2025 Air Races.

 

Jet class aircraft soaring at high speed.


2. Jet. Mostly Cold War–era straight-wing jets, these planes can reach a top speed of 520 miles per hour. “They are now our fastest class,” Telling says.

 

T-6 training aircraft in flight.
3. T-6. An advanced training aircraft for the U.S. military until the mid-1950s, the T-6 class features aircraft with the most similar mechanical makeup. “There’s probably more pilot skill input determining who ends up first, second, and third,” Telling says.

 

Formula One class racer turning in flight.
4. Formula 1. The oldest and most restrictive racing class requires that each plane begins with a Continental O-200 four-cylinder engine. “Then, it’s a matter of how much you can do to make it go faster,” he says.

 

Classic biplane competing in its racing class.
5. Biplane. Although defined by its stacked wings, this class features many different wing designs and cockpit positions. “They’re getting speeds well in excess of 200 miles an hour,” Telling says.

 

STOL drag aircraft taking off.
6. STOL drag. A wide variety of short takeoff and landing (STOL) planes—or backcountry planes—race head-to-head very low to the ground on straight tracks. “They vary in power,” Telling says. “It’s just a matter of how the pilot uses the power that’s available.”

 

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AIR RACES 

September 10–14, 1 Jerry Smith Circle, Roswell