RENO, Nev. (AP) -- A longtime critic of safety procedures at Reno's National Championship Air Races is suing organizers to try to strike down their ban on his access to the competition where 11 people were killed in a crash near the grandstand a year ago.
Mark Daniels said in a civil complaint filed in U.S District Court in Reno he has a First Amendment right to attend the 49th annual races Sept. 12-16.
The 56-year-old former Army helicopter mechanic and air traffic controller is one of the few people to speak out publicly in opposition to continuing the full slate of the races this year.
Air Races CEO Mike Houghton says Daniels' ban from the grounds is based on past threats and arrests for trespassing and has nothing to do with his criticism.
