Race Across AMerica : Haldeman and Beerer Fight to the Finish for Second and Third Spots

Almost 23 hours after Pete Penseyres completed the Race Across AMerica in record time, Lon Haldeman of Harvard, Ill. and Matt Beerer of Garden Grove crossed the finish line of the 3,107-mile bike race within an hour of each other Tuesday.

Haldeman, who won the race in 1982 and 1983, arrived at the Golden Nugget Hotel in Atlantic City at 5:02 p.m. PDT to finish second, and Beerer followed at 5:57 for third. Haldeman covered the course in 9 days, 8 hours and 2 minutes. Beerer finished in 9 days, 8 hours and 57 minutes.

Haldeman was one of the favorites in the race, but Beerer, a 23-year-old computer technician, surprised race officials by finishing third in his first Race Across AMerica.

Penseyres, 43, from Fallbrook and the 1984 RAAM winner, pedaled into Atlantic City Monday night, finishing the race in 8 days, 9 hours and 47 minutes, more than 16 hours ahead of Jonathan Boyer’s 1985 record of 9 days, 2 hours and 6 minutes.

Elaine Mariolle of Berkeley, who has been leading the women’s division for eight days, reached Jefferson, Md.--2,888 miles into the race--Tuesday and is expected to finish today in record time. She is in fifth place overall.

In fourth place overall and in the men’s division is Kye Waltermire of Columbus, Ind., who passed Hanover, Pa., at 6:06 PDT (2,935 miles into the race). Gary Verrill of Windham, Me., passed Boyce, Va. at 6:11 (2,851 miles) and is in sixth place.

Susan Notorangelo-Haldeman, who is seventh overall and second in the women’s division, passed Bentonville, Va. at 6:22 (2,824 miles).