Race Across AMerica : Secrest Snoozes and Loses Lead, Awakes to Regain It

Michael Secrest of Flint, Mich., momentarily lost the lead Wednesday morning in the 3,120.2-mile Race Across AMerica bicycle competition, but he regained it Wednesday night and was 20 miles ahead of Jonathan Boyer when he passed through Tuttle, Okla., at about 8:30 p.m.

Boyer, of Pebble Beach, took the lead in Amarillo, Tex., while Secrest slept Wednesday, but Secrest came back to claim first place in Groom, Tex., while Boyer slept. It was only the second time in the four-day-old race that Secrest had relinquished the lead--Boyer led for a brief time in Arizona.

Michael Shermer, of Hollywood, is in third place, 56 miles behind Secrest, who had traveled 1,347 miles from the race’s starting line on the Huntington Beach Pier as of Wednesday evening.

In fourth place overall and leading the women’s category is Shelby Haden-Clifton, who traveled through Groom, Tex., at 6:43 and is 182 miles behind the leader. Susan Notorangelo, the second of three women entered in the ultra-marathon bicycle race, is in seventh place overall, 200 miles behind the leader.

Doctors advised Lon Haldeman, winner of the race in 1982 and ‘83, to drop out Wednesday in Amarillo, 1,093 miles into the race, because of severe flu disorders. He became the fourth racer to drop out after three of the 25 cyclists quit Tuesday. There are 21 riders remaining.

Jim Penseyres, a single-amputee Vietnam veteran from San Juan Capistrano, was in eighth place Wednesday, 217 miles behind Secrest. The race ends in Atlantic City.