The Rocket Racing League (RRL) announced on Monday in a press conference that the First Exhibition Race will take place on August 1st and August 2nd 2008 at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and there will be at least three more similar events to follow by the end of the year.

“The first Exhibition Race of the Rocket Racer is an important milestone in the progression of the Rocket Racing League,” said Granger Whitelaw, Chief Executive Officer of the Rocket Racing League. “We look forward to sharing the experience and thrill of rocket racing with the public,” he added during the press conference.

The project for the first ever Exhibition Race will include a two-rocket competition, while the Rocket Racer pilots will be able to watch the race via in-panel and 3D helmet displays. At least 700,000 people are expected to witness an event that is considered the largest air show in the world.

“EAA has followed the development of the Rocket Racing League concept with great interest,” said EAA President Tom Poberezny. “We are excited about the opportunity to develop a whole new audience of aviation enthusiasts, while at the same time promoting aviation innovation.”

Following the EAA event in August, the Rocket Racing League detailed the exhibition program for the rest of the year as follows: the Reno National Championship Air Races will be held in Reno, NV on September 10-14, X Prize Cup will take place in Las Cruces, NM, while Aviation Nation, Nellis AFB, will be held in Las Vegas on November 8-9.

John Carmack, President of Armadillo Aerospace, which provides LOX engine for the RRL, said in a statement: "Flying people on our rockets has been our goal from day one, and we are excited to work with the Rocket Racing League® to provide a system that will be safe for the pilots, cost effective and robust for the teams, and spectacular for the crowds.”