Ermolenko Loses Runoff at Speedway Championships

Speedway motorcyclist Sam Ermolenko of Cypress lost his bid to become the first rider to ever win a world championship in his first attempt Saturday when he finished third in a runoff to Erik Gundersen and Hans Nielsen of Denmark in Odsal Stadium at Bradford, England.

Ermolenko, 24, finished with 13 points, tying Gundersen and Nielsen at the conclusion of the 20-heat race program. But he had to be content with third place in the World Final as Gundersen won the four-lap runoff and Nielsen finished second.

Shawn Moran of Huntington Beach tied for fourth place with Kai Niemi of Finland and Tommy Knudsen of Denmark with 10 points, and John Cook of Roseville was seventh with nine points. Lance King, considered one of the favorites, was a disappointing 11th with only six points.

A crowd of 37,000 saw Ermolenko draw the pole position for the runoff, and the starting spot had been the best gate all afternoon. Nielsen drew the second gate and Gundersen was positioned on the outside.

Ermolenko started poorly and never contested the two Danish riders, who were side by side through the first turn. Gundersen managed to slip past Nielsen on the second turn and went on to become the first rider to win consecutive world titles since American Bruce Penhall in 1981-82.

Despite the setback in the runoff, Ermolenko was delighted with his performance in the pressure-packed meeting that generally takes its toll on first-time riders.

“I drew the No. 13 race jacket, which is my normal number in the United States,” Ermolenko said. “When I sat down at my hotel for breakfast and saw I was No. 13, I knew it was going to be my day.

“In the runoff, my confidence wasn’t good enough to beat Hans or Erik. They’ve been there before. But I knew I had a chance to spoil it for one of them. I tried to split them apart, but they were faster.

“I blame myself for losing the world championship in my third-heat race loss to Kai Niemi. I should have passed him, but I just couldn’t do it because I needed one extra tooth on my gearing. I went up a gear in my last ride and won.

“I didn’t feel nervous at any time in the meeting. I figured I had nothing to lose. I don’t let things get to me. I’ve really worked hard for this.”

Only five years ago, Ermolenko was riding at an outlaw, nonsanctioned track in Taft. He didn’t become a first-division rider in Southern California until 1982, but there he was lining up against Gundersen and Nielsen, two experienced riders who finished first and second in the World Final last year.

Nielsen looked like a clear winner until he crashed on his fourth ride. He had won his opening three races, including a win over Ermolenko and Gundersen in his first heat. But he tangled with Cook and Knudsen and was pitched into the fence.

He returned for the restart on a backup bike and could manage only a third-place finish. It was the only two points Nielsen dropped in the meeting.

Nielsen won his final race to finish with 13 points, setting the stage for Ermolenko and Gundersen. Ermolenko beat Jan Andersson of Sweden in his last ride to join the runoff, then Gundersen held off Moran and King in his ride to finish with 13 points.

Ermolenko rode for the Poole Pirates in the British Speedway League last season, but he elected to remain in Southern California this year when his overseas team went into bankruptcy. He said several teams have offered him contracts to ride the remainder of the season in England.

“I’m not going to allow myself to be distracted from my main goal, which is to win the national title back home,” Ermolenko said. “I’ve been asked to stay in England and ride, but in the past, I’ve spoiled my chances of taking the U.S. title by doing that. I owe it to my sponsors and all the people who have been behind me to return home and win the title.”

For three other American riders, the day was a forgettable one. King, who had finished second in both the Overseas Final and the InterContinental Final, was a flop. He was an early victim of the heavy track that was soaked by a morning rain, failing to gain a point in his first ride with a fourth-place finish. He never recovered.

Moran, who was listed as the favorite by English bookmakers, started well with a win in his first race and then watched his title hopes slip with two successive third-place finishes on the wet surface.

Cook ruined his chances of winning with a first-ride fall, but he came on strong after intermission with two straight wins.

Gundersen, a 25-year-old from Esbjerg, Denmark, staged an uphill battle to gain his second world championship. He lost to Nielsen and Ermolenko in his first race and then won four consecutive heats.

“I’m glad to have won for a second year like Bruce Penhall did,” Gundersen said. “It is harder to do it a second time and prove you are a real world champion.”