BRICKYARD 400: B-52 Bomber, F-16 Fighters Featured in Flyover at Brickyard
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
August 4, 2001
INDIANAPOLIS - A United States Air Force Reserve B-52 bomber will be accompanied by four F-16 fighters in a historic flyover during Brickyard 400 pre-race ceremonies Aug. 5 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The bomber, from the 93rd Bomb Squadron of Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, will have two of the F-16s, from the 181st Fighter Wing, Indiana National Guard, Terre Haute, Ind., on either wing. The fighters and bomber in this flyover represent the front line of the United States combat forces.
It's the first time that a fighter and a bomber have participated together in an Indianapolis Motor Speedway flyover.
Various types of air defense planes have played a dramatic role in pre-race ceremonies at the Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400 in years past, including a B-2 Stealth bomber, an AV-8B Harrier II jet, F-14 jets, a F117A Nighthawk Fighter, and F-16's, which flew over the inaugural Brickyard 400 in 1994.
The B-52 that will fly over during pre-race ceremonies is No. 21, which matches car No. 21 sponsored by the United States Air Force, driven by NASCAR Winston Cup veteran Elliott Sadler.
Text provided by Paul Kelly
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