NEW YORK – American pilot Michael Goulian said he felt a sense of awe on Wednesday flying around the Statue of Liberty for the first time ahead of this weekend’s New York Red Bull Air Race but the New England ace said he will be able to settle down and focus on the track rather than the world-famous sights by race time.
“I grew up in Boston and have flown up and down the Hudson River countless times,” Goulian said of his first flight around the Statute of Liberty into the race track. “I went in here thinking ‘No problem, stay focused’. So I went out there this morning on a flight and I’m sitting there, circling right next to the ‘lady’. It was surreal and I had to pinch myself. I came here thinking ‘Hey, I’m gonna be all business’. But today I found myself looking out the window having to pinch myself and saying ‘Hey, you have a job to do this weekend’. It’s a special thing for me to race in New York, having grown up around here.”
Goulian, compatriot Kirby Chambliss, and 13 other pilots were formally welcomed to the Race Airport on Wednesday by the Mayor of Jersey City Jerramiah T. Healy and Bob Martin, the New Jersey Commissioner of Environmental Protection. Red Bull Air Race CEO Bernd Loidl told a news conference at the Race Airport in Linden that racing in front of New York’s unparalleled skyline had been a dream-come-true for the world’s fastest growing motor sport since its start eight years ago.
The June 19/20 race will be a premiere in New York. It will be the 49th Red Bull Air Race since the first race in 2003 and the first time there has been a race on the East Coast of the United States.
“I’ve been with the race since Day One,” said Chambliss, the 2006 world champion. “It’s hard for me to find the words how excited I am to be flying here. As an American, it’s really special. I did the same thing as Michael but I didn’t pinch myself down there. I did look down and go ‘Wow, this is amazing’. It really is cool. I’ve got to refocus my energy and go out there and do my job — and that’s to win the race.” Chambliss then turned to the other 14 pilots and said: “So sorry guys, I’m taking this one.”
Loidl thanked the officials from New Jersey and New York who had helped make the race on the Hudson River possible. “It’s a historic moment,” Loidl said. “When we started the Red Bull Air Race a couple of years back we had one mission, one idea: We wanted to come here one day to this venue and have the chance to race here in front of this marvelous city and its fantastic skyline. Now it’s become a reality.”
Martin welcomed the race to New Jersey on behalf of Governor Chris Christie, calling it an exciting race for an exciting place. Martin said the Red Bull Air Race was putting a spotlight on Liberty State Park — one of the most-visited state parks in the United States with more than five million visitors each year.
“Thank you for coming here to New Jersey and for putting an exciting event on this side of the river and New York City,” Martin said. “It’s an exciting time for us. We’re proud to showcase one of the gems of New Jersey, Liberty State Park. It’s a fabulous venue to watch the race from. This is an important economic environment for New Jersey and an important event for New Jersey to be involved in. We’re looking forward to you coming back next year and the year after that. We hope this is an annual event.”
Jersey City Mayor Healy also welcomed the 15 Red Bull Air Race pilots to one of the most vibrant regions in the United States. “We have the greatest pilots on earth performing incredible feats in the greatest venue on earth — the Hudson River, Jersey City, Liberty State Park and New York City on the other side,” Healy said. “At that venue, our cities, our states, and New York City will be seen in over 200 countries over this weekend. It’s a great way for us to show the rest of the world what we have here in Jersey City and the state of New Jersey. We’re looking forward to a great weekend.”
