Red Bull Air Race Qualifying New York

NEW YORK -- Austria&Hannes Arch qualified fastest for the first-ever Red Bull Air Race in New York on Saturday and collected one championship point that cut Paul Bonhomme&lead at the top to just one point before Sunday&race. Canada&Pete McLeod took a remarkable third place on the turn-filled track on the Hudson River, between the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan skyscrapers. Americans Kirby Chambliss and Michael Goulian were in strong position for Sunday in fourth and fifth place, respectively. In front of a Qualifying Day crowd of more than 40,000 spectators lining the shores of Liberty State Park in New Jersey and New York, Team Abu Dhabi&Arch clocked the 5.5-km track of 13 Air Gates in 1:08.18, setting a track record on his first run. Despite a penalty-marred second run, Arch&time was still good enough to hold off Bonhomme&strong challenge. The defending champion from Britain was 0.80 behind Arch in Qualifying 1 and cut the gap to just 0.52 seconds with his faster second run later on when he hit speeds near 230 mph. Bonhomme leads the championship with 41 points while Arch has 40. "Paul× are so close," Arch said, delighted to cut Bonhomme&lead with the Qualifying victory and eyeing a record four straight wins on Sunday. "I hope he gives me more room tomorrow so I won&be so stressed. You have to fly on the limit but clean. I think that&the key: just focus and stay calm tomorrow." Bonhomme was disappointed he could not win the one Qualifying point despite the massive...