Pete Penseyres Still Holds Lead on 4th Day of Race Across AMerica

Pete Penseyres of Fallbrook was the first cyclist to pass through Tecumseh, Okla., Wednesday night as he continued to hold the lead after the fourth day of the 3,120-mile Race Across AMerica.

Penseyres, who is on a record pace, passed through Tecumseh--1,403 miles into the race--at 8:11 PDT. Penseyres, 43, the winner of the 1984 Race Across AMerica, was two hours ahead of Jonathan Boyer’s 1985 record pace of nine days, two hours and 16 minutes.

Race officials said Penseyres has been aided by moderate weather. Average temperatures have been in the 80s for the first four days of the race. Last year’s temperatures averaged in the 100s.

Second-place Michael Secrest of Flint, Mich., passed through Binger, Okla., at 4:30. This marks the second day that Secrest has trailed Penseyres by approximately 43 miles. Third-place Lon Haldeman of Harvard, Ill., passed Cordell, Okla., at 8:25.

In fifth place overall and leading the women’s division was Elaine Mariolle of Berkeley. Mariolle passed Groom, Tex., at 3:45. Susan Notorangelo of Harvard, Ill., was second in the women’s division after passing Shelby Hayden-Clifton of Greensboro, N.C., in Vega, Tex.