Organizers have canceled the Iowa City start to the 2011 Air Race Classic, which was scheduled to begin Tuesday in Iowa City.

The forecasted showers and thunderstorms in the area and along the route prompted the cancelation, organizers said.

Pilots will instead start in Alliance, Neb. Wednesday. Racers have until noon Wednesday to get there, and have been told to fly from Iowa City as weather permits. Before the weather changes, Alliance was to be the fifth stop on the race after stops in Brookings, S.D.;  Jamestown, N.D.;  Spearfish, S.D.; and Rawlins, Wyo.

More than 100 pilots from across the country are expected to take part in the race, which ends in Mobile, Alabama on Friday.