Seven Classes of Racing Aircraft Will Settle Their Championships Over a New Mach Course at Roswell
The Unlimited and Sport classes skipped the first New Mexico meeting last year and join the full programme for Sunday's finals.
The National Championship Air Races will decide seven class championships at Roswell Air Center in New Mexico on 20 September 2026, the closing day of a meeting that began on 16 September.
All seven classes are racing at Roswell for the first time. The Unlimited and Sport classes did not take part in the 2025 event, the first held in New Mexico, and this year join Jet, T-6, Biplane, Formula One and STOL Drag on the programme.
Fred Telling, chairman of the Reno Air Racing Association, said the organisation prides itself on being the only event in the world where fans can see seven classes of air racing. The classes range from single-seat homebuilts weighing a few hundred kilogrammes to restored second world war fighters.
Qualifying and heat racing through the week set the grids for Sunday's finals. Aircraft pass the grandstands at more than 500mph, and a new Jet Mach Course has been laid out for the fastest class.
The races moved to Roswell after about 60 years at Reno in Nevada, where development around the airport raised safety concerns. The United States Air Force Thunderbirds are flying between races from 18 to 20 September.