The Air Race Classic last held an actual race event in 2019, when it celebrated its 44th year. With pandemic restrictions in place last June—the month the event is normally held—and projected to still curb large gatherings early this summer, the ARC organization searched for a solution that would be better than cancelling the historic women's air race for a second year. To this end, ARC has created the 2021 Air Derby, a one-day circuit race that can be flown on a user-determined course any time between June 12 and 26, 2021.