The 120th Fighter Squadron, Colorado Air National Guard, performed a flyover with four
F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft for the Daytona 500, Daytona Beach, Florida, Aug. 23, 2025.
The flyover was the culminating flight of a rigorous multi-week training exercise that
ranged from the Rocky Mountains to the East Coast where the 120th integrated with
multiple units from the Florida area.
“We were originally doing Agile Combat Exercises,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Daniel “Cass”
Thompson, director of operations, 120th FS. “We then left for Homestead on [Aug.] 19th
for joint training.”
Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida, is home to the 482nd Fighter Wing and 93rd Fighter
Squadron, who trained with the 120th FS. The 159th Fighter Squadron, Jacksonville Air
National Guard Base, Jacksonville, Florida, also participated in the exercise.
Their training consisted of multiple scenarios to keep all three fighting squadrons fit to
fight and capable of adapting to changing environments.
“We seamlessly integrated with them to conduct air-to-air exercises and expeditions in
different environments,” Thompson said. “It showed that despite living and training in
separate areas, we were able to easily integrate.”
While it was still a training maneuver itself, the Daytona flyover was monumental for the
pilots after a long training exercise.
“It was awesome to fly over a legendary speedway,” U.S. Air Force Capt. Vincent Sabine,
pilot, 120th FS said.
The flyover at the Daytona 500 may have only lasted a moment, but for the 120th FS, it
was instrumental for staying mission-ready, strengthening their relationship with the local
community, and was a final sendoff from the units in Florida with which they had been
training.
Official flyovers are requested through the USAF Aerial Events Office and are conducted
at no additional cost to the taxpayer, as they serve as training. The COANG 140th Wing
maintains F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft, which remain on alert, 24/7, to protect the U.S.
from airborne threats.