The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is more than a cathedral of speed?it?s the Vatican. Since 1911, the fastest men in the world have come to these two-and-a-half miles and four corners to add their faces to the greatest prize in motorsports: the magnificent Borg-Warner Trophy. The Yard of Bricks has been on my bucket list since before I could walk, but I?m almost embarrassed to say I had never made the pilgrimage before. And what better partner to explore the Great American Race Track with than Hamilton. Hamilton?s involvement in the globe-trotting Red Bull Air Race series runs deep; not only have they become the official timekeeper for the series in 2017, Team Hamilton has been partnered with veteran pilot Nicolas Ivanoff since 2005.
Spirits were high we landed in Indianapolis for the beginning of the race weekend. The lead-up to the race weekend itself was ripe with drama: as the championship entered its final round, the Red Bull Air Race world title was still wide open. Four out of the fourteen pilots in the series were still within striking distance of the prize, with enough championship points left up for grabs for any of the four to have a realistic shot at the win. Nicolas Ivanoff
In fourth place, with an outside chance at the trophy coming into Indianapolis, was series veteran Kirby Chambliss. Fifty-seven years old and with a wealth of aerobatic experience stretching back to the ’80s, the American ace is no stranger to the pilot?s seat. He?d won the title twic...