Twenty-six competitors to participate in Big Muddy Air Race | Events

The Big Muddy Air Race will start off at Southern Illinois Airport on Saturday, June 4.

So far, 26 competitors have registered for the event that starts at 10 a.m. The race covers about 165 nautical miles over Illinois, Missouri and Kentucky. It is part of the Sport Air Racing League.

Faculty, students and staff at Southern Illinois University of Carbondale'a Department of Aviation Technologies will help with the race.

The race will run along the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, It includes checkpoints at Perryville, Mo., a natural gas suspension bridge near Grand Tower, an interstate overpass near Cairo, Fort Defiance State Park in Massac County, Metropolis and the smiley face water tower in Makanda before returning to the airport.

Race participants are arriving in Southern Illinois on Friday, June 3. The rain day has been scheduled for Sunday, June 5.

According to John D. Cotter, an assistant professor in the aviation technologies program, entries in the race include several experimental and factory aircraft along with a P-51 Mustang and a World War II air bird. Pilots are coming from several states like Texas, Alabama, Iowa, Tennessee, Kentucky and Michigan.

For more information, you can visit the Big Muddy Air Race online or contact event coordinator Sam Hoskins at 618-967-0016 or sam.hoskins@gmail.com.

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