British Speedway : Ermolenko the Only American to Qualify for the World Final

Speedway motorcyclist Sam Ermolenko of Cypress will be the lone American in the World Final in Poland next month after the final qualifying round Sunday in Bradford, England.

Ermolenko stunned the speedway world last year by finishing third in his first World Final appearance at Bradford, and he returned to the Yorkshire track to tie for fifth place with Kelvin Tatum of Britain and Jimmy Nilsen of Sweden with eight points.

Two-time defending world champion Erik Gundersen of Denmark won the meeting with 15 points and Danish stars Hans Nielsen (14) and Tommy Knudsen (12) joined Gundersen on the victory rostrum. The top 11 riders from the InterContinental Final advanced to the World Final.

Ermolenko had complained that his No. 1 bike wasn’t quick enough as the Californian managed only two third-place finishes in his opening rides for a mere two points. He switched to his backup bike for his third ride and scored two vital points, finishing second behind British champion Neil Evitts.

Ermolenko clinched his second appearance in the World Final by winning his fourth heat race. He defeated Chris Morton of Britain and Swedish riders Nilsen and Tommy Nilsson for his only heat victory.

Afterward, a relieved Ermolenko said: “I thought my bikes were good enough for this class of racing, but it was obvious today that they aren’t. We’ve got to regroup my equipment and get all my engines sorted out for the World Final in Poland.

“I’m still new at this game. I’m going straight in the deep end . . . that’s where I like to be. In a way, it was good to make mistakes today and get them over with so that I’m ready for the World Final.

“If everything had gone perfectly, maybe something would have gone bad in the final.”

There were supposed to be two Americans racing in Odsal Stadium Sunday, but Kelly Moran of Huntington Beach severed an artery in his left arm when he put it through a plate-glass window in a Polish hotel last Monday.

Kelly joins his younger brother, Shawn, on speedway’s disabled list. Shawn broke his right ankle in the Overseas Final in Coventry, England, last month and is out for the year. Both were expected to ride for the American team in the World Team Cup next month in Sweden.

Gundersen will compete in the U.S. vs. the World meeting July 31 at Ascot Park’s South Bay Stadium in Gardena.

In the World Final Aug. 30 in Chorzow, Poland, the top 11 riders from Bradford will compete against Victor Kuzvetsov (Soviet Union), Tony Kasper (Czechoslovakia), Karl Maier (West Germany), Armando Castagna (Italy) and R. Dolomisiewicz (Poland).