charles
Adrian PatonA1GP car vs. Air New Zealand Boeing 777 jet
January 18th 2008 05:30
In a major publicity stunt for A1GP, the World Cup of Motorsport, an A1GP car driven by Team New Zealand's Jonny Reid took on an Air New Zealand Boeing 777 jet at New Zealand's Auckland airport.
The drag race took place ahead of the upcoming A1GP races in Taupo, New Zealand and ended up all square with the Boeing 777 and A1GP car winning one race each.
In both races, the Boeing 777 was given a head start over the A1GP car due to its large inertia and the commercial liner took out the first duel as the car couldn't get initial traction on the damp runway.
In the re-match, Jonny Reid got the launch of his car spot on and was able to reel in the Boeing 777 before it left the ground.
One win each for A1GP car and Boeing 777. Major publicity for A1GP and the races in Taupo. Everyone is happy.
What's got us thinking is what will A1GP have in store for when the championship lands in Sydney for the Eastern Creek races?
The Official A1GP Press Release:
Black Beauty races the jet
It finished all square in the incredible battle of an A1GP car vs a jet plane at New Zealand's Auckland airport today.
Given a head start, a massive Air New Zealand Boeing 777 kept A1 Team New Zealand's Black Beauty at bay after driver Jonny Reid couldn't get initial traction on the damp runway in the first duel.
However, a re-match was ordered. Reid nailed the second start and reeled in his gigantic adversary before the plane left the ground.
Reid said the unique race, a world first involving a commercial aircraft at a fully operational airport, was 'mindblowing' and the perfect adrenalin rush before the A1GP Taupo, New Zealand the weekend after next.
'This was a once in a lifetime experience,' Reid said. 'It's simply a spectacular day for everyone here; a spectacular day for New Zealand actually.'
Reid said he had every confidence in Air New Zealand's chief pilot Dave Morgan as they scorched along parallel runways at the country's largest airport. But he did have one hairy moment.
'Being so low slung I had to look up to see the jet and I didn't know where it was at one point, I lost it,' Reid added. 'The heart skipped a beat until I caught it starting to soar. I was pretty much underneath it thinking whoever gets to do something like this?'
Intense interest in the race – announced just 15 hours before – meant all available vantage points in the international terminal and at nearby look-outs were utilised.
Auckland Airport's next brush with A1GP will be when the 21 other nations arrive next week to compete at Taupo between 18-20 January.
[Source: A1GP]
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