Racer John Hopkins and girlfriend Deseree Crossman have escaped from Newark, New Jersey where they had been stranded awaiting a flight back to California.

The couple was on a Continental flight from Lisbon, Portugal to Newark on Tuesday when the World Trade Center towers were attacked and the flight was diverted to Bermuda.

On Thursday they were able to fly from Bermuda to Newark, where they were told they could have to wait another three days and stand by to get on a flight home to San Diego.

Many readers in the Newark area called and e-mailed with offers of assistance for the couple. With help from Louis Fellman of Team Pro Motion, the pair got on an Amtrak train out of Newark Friday morning.