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USAF Thunderbirds Thrill Daytona 500 Fans

USAF Thunderbirds roar over Daytona international Speedway at conclusion of National Anthem. [Joe Jennings Photo]

Daytona Beach, Fla. – The United States Air Force Thunderbirds are rapidly becoming a tradition at the Daytona 500. In conjunction with the National Anthem, the Thunderbirds rocket overhead in formation just as the final words of the Anthem are sung, to the delight of the full grandstand and the national television audience.

While the race cars zoom around the track inches apart at speeds in the 200 mile-per-hour bracket, the six F16s fly by only 36 inches apart at speed of 400 mph.

The Thunderbirds have been thrilling crowds since 1953 with their flyovers and breath-taking air shows, and their presence draws large crowds, crowds that ooh and aah each time the precision air team flies by.

Based in Nevada at the Nellis Air Force Base, the squadron is led by Lt Col Chris Hammond, who commands a staff of 120 skilled professionals. The squadron arrived in Daytona on Friday, flying high over the Daytona International Airport as they landed after a 3 1/2-hour flight from their base. Included in the flying time was a mid-air refueling stint somewhere over Kansas.

Flying next to Lt Col Hammond is Maj Joshua Boudreaux, who is thrilled to be a Thunderbird. “It is exciting for me to get out and tell the story of the military and the U. S. Air Force and to inner-act with people. It is a great honor to be part of this,” said the Louisiana native.

Boudreaux, a father of three, is a graduate of the U. S. Air Force Academy and has been with the USAF for 15 years. As the left-wing pilot, he flies the No. 2 F-16.

According to Boudreaux, the Daytona 500 flyover is one of the highlights of his three years with the Thunderbirds. “It is exciting any time you get to shine and do your job. We are doing our job and doing the best we can. The thing I like the most about coming to NASCAR races is the people. They are a flag waving, fun-loving crowd. They love their NASCAR, their country and the military. ”

It takes precision to coordinate with the wind-up of the National Anthem, and they expect the Anthem to take approximately 90 seconds to complete. “We aim for about 400 mph as we fly over, and I am right next to the boss,” Boudreaux indicates. “I am about 3 feet from Lt Col Hammond, so we have a little bit of room. It is not ‘rubbin-n-racin,’ but we are pretty close. Daytona takes the cake on flyovers for me as we get the full experience.”
Early in week, the advance team flew into Daytona Beach to lay the groundwork for the flyover. While here, two F-16s have been on display, and the team gave demonstration flights to drivers Aric Almirola, Michael Annett and Kasey Kahne along with NBC Sports play-by-play announcer Rick Allen.

In preparation for a test flight, guests go through 2 ½ hours of orientation that ranges from life support equipment, understanding the aircraft and the ejection seat followed by a session with medical staff to explain the G levels to be experienced and its effects on the body.

“In other words, it is not just come out, meet me, shake my hand and jump in my jet,” Maj Scott Petz said. “Flying in our jets is not like getting in an airliner, as we will be flying at more than 400 mph and putting 9 G’s on a person’s body. If your head weighs 10 pounds and you pull 9 G’s, your head then weighs 90 lbs., which your neck needs to support.”

Almirola flew with Maj Petz, and the two hit it off well. “Aric was all smiles from beginning to end,” Petz indicated. “On takeoff, I knew he was going to be a good person to fly with. We hit 8.6 G’s and he handled it like a champ. And I talked to him throughout, as I don’t want any surprises during our one-hour flight.”

As always, race fans and television viewers will be thrilled to see the Thunderbirds in action and to realize the Daytona 500 is only minutes away.

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