Fast and furious: New air racing sport satisfies need for speed

NEW YORK - This weekend, a 180,000-seat stadium built for NASCAR is hosting another emerging sport.

This time, the thrills are not on the track, but overhead.

Take a look at the daring world of high-speed air racing.

Kirby Chambliss, 54, is a former airline pilot who now makes his living cheating death.

"When I'm making that corner and I'm pulling 10Gs, it's like a house sitting on my chest," he said.

Chambliss is one of the world's fastest pilots. Saturday, he was one of two American's competing along with 10 international fliers.

Like a slalom skier, the fliers at the Red Bull Air Race World Championship must navigate through a challenging obstacle course of pylons at up to 230 mph.

For the first time, they will compete inside a crowded Texas Motor Speedway instead of over water or empty terrain.

"To draw the differences between racing an automobile and racing an airplane, well, one big difference is if the engine quits, I can't pull off the side of the road," Chambliss said.

"You're actually looking down on us as we're racing through the track. And to see the speeds and how hard and how fast these airplanes turn a corner will just blow you away."

Chambliss has the scars to prove how dangerous the sport can be.

"In China, during an exhibition, I hit the water at 180 mph, cart-wheeled several times and I got this nice little souvenir across the top of my head where I ate the panel," he said, pointing to a scar on his forehead.

Chambliss is not alone. After a crash and a series of near misses, organizers took a three-year hiatus to make safety improvements to the pylons. They raised their height and changed the material so they are more likely to burst apart when clipped.

Now, Chambliss is gunning for his eighth world title.

"I'm an adrenaline junky. I race motorcycles. I mean, I love speed. I love to skydive. I love doing this," he said.

At Sunday's finals, the Texas native would love to win on his home turf.