June 25, 2004 – Shortly before 6:30 a.m. EST, RAAM’s lone recumbent team,
ALS Lightning, became the first team to cruise over the half-way mark in
this year’s race. The four-man team riding recumbent bikes outfitted with
lightweight composite shells seeks to break the record held since 1989 for
crossing the country in five days, one hour, eight minutes with an average
speed of 24.02 mph. They are currently traveling at an average pace of
24.47 mph.
Another record in question is the record for most mileage during a 24-hour
period. Between 8:36 yesterday and 8:43 today, ALS Lightning covered 676.6
miles from Mountinair, N.M. to Yates Center, Kans.

Heavy thunderstorms late last night and early this morning did nothing to
cool the contest between four-man teams Action Sports and Vail Go-Fast.
From Mexico, across the northwest corners of Texas and Oklahoma, and
through Kansas, roughly 25 minutes was all that separated Vail Go-Fast’s
lead from Action Sports’ fervid pursuit. At time of release, both teams had
checked in from Jefferson City, Missouri with Vail Go-Fast holding a 45
minute lead over Action Sports. According to RAAM veterans, the second half
of the race typically triggers some surprises as well as some brazen race
strategies. If each four-man team expects the other to ease up on the
throttle during the second half, opponents might have to sleep with one eye
open.

Fit and fast solo rider Jure Robic briefly let his lead slip today when
Michael Trevino opened up a 12-minute gap at Mount Vernon, Kans. Robic
quickly chased down Trevino and put him behind by 54 minutes by the next
time station at El Dorado, Kans. Spooked by Trevino’s stealth and prowess,
Robic’s crew kept watch over the second place rider throughout the
afternoon and into the evening.
At time of release, Robic is ahead of Trevino by two hours, seven minutes.

The eight-person Kaiser Permanente team continues to widen the gap between
them and second place Team Insight. Finely tuned race strategies and an
organizational structure that would make the military blush are a few of
the secrets that corporate teams were willing to share prior to the start
of this year’s RAAM. Four-person team rotations on eight-hour shifts allow
each member of the team to properly rest before winding up to a time trial
pace. At last check in Yates Center, Kans., Insight trails Kaiser
Permanente by one hour, 14 minutes with team Rim-to-Rim in third place at
one hour, nine minutes behind Insight.

All teams are still intact and seem to be fortifying their strategies as
they roll eastward. The solo field is down to 15 racers from 19. The modest
two-man team TBW Brasil stays a steady pace at 15.8 mph with Team New
England almost over the Kansas state line from Oklahoma.

All race times are in EST; stay tuned to www.raceacrossamerica.org for
up-to-the-minute race status.

Race Notes:
Upon learning about RAAM in his local newspaper, fast-food restaurant
manager in Pratt, Kans., Steve Strecker was happy to serve a RAAM team that
came into
his restaurant. He then extended an invitation to all RAAM participants on the
course to stop by for a meal, courtesy of Strecker and his staff.

Solo racer Pius Achermann withdrew from the race at 9:50 today in Dalhart,
Texas. After being brought to the hospital for saddle sores, it was decided
that he could not continue.

Solo racer, Tracy McKay, withdrew from the race at 11:12 today in Vaughn,
N.M. McKay, who was experiencing lots of pain in his leg, consulted with his
doctor Posfor a strained quadriceps. Following that he felt that it was too
painful to
continue. In a phone conversation with McKay, he said that he will give the
other riders encouragement along the way back to the finish line in Atlantic
City, N.J.