Monday, March 30, 2026

Air Races to include all classes

 The National Championship Air Races (NCAR) announced that all seven of its accredited race classes will be part of this September’s event, the Roswell Daily Record reports.

In 2025, the most popular classes cancelled their participation in the first NCAR in Roswell, the newspaper reported. These classes are “sport” and “unlimited.” Both groups cited as reasons for withdrawal that there was not enough time to resolve unique requirements they deemed necessary for safety and operational reasons. 


This year, visitors to the air races will be able to see the full race program, the newspaper said.


The unlimited class flies in speeds exceeding 500 mph. The sports class has high-performance kit-built aircraft. This race is considered the fiercest, with speeds reaching nearly 350 mph on a 6.37-mile course.


“We pride ourselves on being the only event in the world where fans can see seven classes of air racing. With the Sport and Unlimited classes back, we can't wait to show first-time attendees what a full field of air racing looks like and welcome back longtime fans,” Fred Telling, chairman and CEO of RARA, told the newspaper.


Air race insiders and season ticket holders will be able to participate in a pre-sale event through early April, while general sale tickets will launch in mid-April, the Daily Record reported.

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Thunderbirds to fly in Roswell

The Air Force Thunderbirds aerial acrobatic team will perform at the 2026 National Championship Air Races in Roswell, N.M.


This year’s races will be Sept. 16-20 at the Roswell Air Center.


Fred Telling, chairman and CEO of the races, said, “The enthusiasm and commitment we’ve seen from the racing community, the City of Roswell, and our partners across New Mexico gives us great confidence that 2026 will build on the tremendous success of our inaugural year here.”


The Air Races moved to Roswell from Reno in 2025.

Roswell Air Races in September

The 2026 National Championship Air Races have been scheduled for Sept. 16-20 in Roswell, N.M., said Fred Telling, chairman and CEO of the races.


This is the second year the Air Races will be held at the Roswell Air Center.


Tickets for the Air Races are expected to go on sale in March.