AirVenture Cup Race

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Wausau, WI
AirVenture Cup Race

The AirVenture Cup Cross-Country Air Race (AVC) is the world’s premier amateur open-circuit air race open to all experimental and factory-built aircraft.

The first AirVenture Cup was held in 1997 from aviation’s birthplace at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and featured ten homebuilt aircraft in three racing classes. Later years changed to a two-day format with a stopover in Dayton, Ohio, and then a single-day race of 400-500 miles across an annually selected course. Today the AVC has expanded to 19 classes based on aircraft power and configuration, including several classes for certified aircraft. Participation has burgeoned as well, often exceeding 75 racers flying everything from stock J-3 Cubs to 350-mph Thunder Mustangs. Many well-known EAA members make the AVC an essential part of their annual pilgrimage to Oshkosh; for several it has become a family tradition with multiple husband-wife and father-son teams participating.

10/31/2026

Happy Halloween!

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10/30/2026

Racer Spotlight!

After racing a Cozy III (N655DK) in eight previous AirVenture Cup Races, veteran competitor Jay “Cookie” Skovbjerg is back with something brand new. Having previously competed in the Formula FX Red class before the creation of a dedicated Cozy class, Jay is returning to his former racing roots with a brand-spanking-new Rutan Long-EZ, registration N755DK. Jay completed construction on the new aircraft in late 2025 and wrapped up Phase 1 flight testing in mid-May 2026. Now, it is time to see how the new build measures up against the competition in the FX Red class. The journey to bring N755DK to life spans decades. The original builder started the project back in the early 1980s, making significant headway until the mid-1990s when the airframe was set aside, collecting dust in a Southern California 217.65 hangar. Following the original builder’s passing, Jay acquired the project from the estate and spent the last five years painstakingly finishing it. This Long EZ year marks Jay’s ninth time competing in the AirVenture Cup—a passion that started all the way back with the Centennial two-day race in 2003. He is thrilled to re-enter the race grid, reunite with the community of speed enthusiasts, and make an honest run at bringing home a trophy.

10/30/2026

Which race plane is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!

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10/29/2026

Happy National Cat Day! Does your cat ever make it to the airplane? Drop a pic in the comments and let us know!

10/28/2026

We want to see your pictures! Drop a picture from your most recent flight in the comments and tell us where it was taken!

10/28/2026

Racer Spotlight!

Rich Lamb and Tim Trainer built and first flew their Long-EZ in 1996, took it to Oshkosh for the first time in 1997, and started air racing in 2003 at the 100th Anniversary of Flight race from Kitty Hawk. Race 93 has never missed an Oshkosh or AirVenture Cup race since then—making this their 23rd race and 29th year at Oshkosh—even sneaking into first place a few times! This year, Rich’s co-pilot will once again be his (getting far-too-lovely) granddaughter, Bella. As a fourth-year race veteran, Bella is one of eight different co-pilots to fly in Race 93, and the fifth family member to do so. Previous family co-pilots have included Rich’s daughter, Heather; his grandson, Aidyn; and his two wives, Gayle and Lynn (not at the same time, though he is pretty sure he’s in first place in that category). Bella will handle the primary duty of keeping them perfectly on the course line as the “Nagigator.” The EZ has transported the family coast to coast several times and to all sorts of wonderful places in between, leading Rich’s wife to call it their personal time machine. In 2022, Rich was stunned and deeply honored to receive the prestigious Lee Behel Excellence in Air Racing Award.

10/26/2026

On the National Day of the Deployed, we honor those who have been deployed and are currently deployed, as well as their families. We recognize the sacrifice that is made and thank you for your service.

10/26/2026

Who needs hobbies when you have aviation?!?! What's your hobby?

10/23/2026

Racer Spotlight!

Joe, a retired aerospace engineer with 42 years at Sikorsky Aircraft, first joined the AirVenture Cup in the early 2000s, racing as a back-seater in Long EZ Race #93 and once in RV-7A Race Pi (314). In 2017, he debuted as Pilot-in-Command in his PA28-180, earning four second-place finishes in the FAC4FX class. Now in his fourth Long EZ race (Race #112), he’s secured two second-place finishes in Formula FX Red. A commercial pilot since 1996, Joe holds single-engine, multi-engine, helicopter, and instrument ratings, with over 1,000 flight hours. This year, Joe’s co-pilot is his son, Matthew, the eldest of his four children with wife, Carol, whom he’ll celebrate 40 years with in October. Matthew, a University of Florida aerospace engineering graduate, followed Joe into aviation, serving over ten years in the U.S. Navy. He flew T-6A Texan II, T-45 Goshawk, and T-44C aircraft, completed two deployments, and served as an instructor pilot. Now a U.S. Navy Reserve pilot with VR-62 Nomads, Matthew flies the Airbus A321 for a major airline. Joe and Matthew race together, blending family, skill, and passion for flight at AirVenture.

10/21/2026

Racer Spotlight!

Race 902 is a Velocity SE named the “Veloci-Hornet”. Its namesake and paint scheme are a direct throwback to the original F/A-18A Hornet prototype that rolled out of the McDonnell Douglas factory in 1978. While trying to decide on a color scheme after completing flight testing in 2022, Steve rediscovered a photo of that classic prototype. He realized the historic Hornet livery met all of his criteria for his new homebuilt aircraft: a mostly white base, sharp contrasting trim colors, and a fun, slightly campy, yet deeply patriotic aesthetic. While Steve has never flown an actual F-18 jet, it remains high on his bucket list. Professionally, Steve has worked as an aerospace engineer for 28 years. His career has taken him to dozens of airlines across the globe to observe flight line operations and train specialized maintenance teams on servicing large aircraft wheels and carbon-carbon braking systems. A more complete backstory on the build and adventures of the “Veloci-Hornet” can be found by searching “VelociSteve” on YouTube, as well as featured in the June 2025 edition of EAA Sport Aviation magazine.

Address

725 Woods Pl
Wausau, WI
54403

Website

http://www.airventurecuprace.com/

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