Attacks ground Reno Air Races

Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001 | 4:43 a.m.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Clarence Bohartz, the agency's representative at the races, said the nationwide grounding of air traffic extended to the event at the Reno Stead Airport north of Reno.

Air Racing Association President Mike Houghton said it was not known when the races would resume. The FAA has put the airline shutdown on hold until at least 9 a.m. PDT Wednesday.

Emergency volunteers, such as fire personnel, were dispatched back to their units, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported.

"For our outlook, we just don't know. We shoot to have one day of qualifying tomorrow, and race on Thursday," Houghton said.

He said that if pilots could not qualify on Wednesday, they would qualify Thursday or Friday. Air race officials have not looked ahead to possible cancellation or rescheduling.

Unlimited class pilot Mike Brown of Carson City was optimistic.

"There are still two more days to qualify," he said.

Tuesday's events also prompted the Bureau of Land Management to cancel all four meetings scheduled this week in northeastern Nevada to discuss amendments to the Elko BLM land use plans for fire management.