Motor Racing / Shav Glick : Nielsen to Ride in Long-Track Cycle Program

Hans Nielsen of Denmark, world speedway motorcycle champion, will ride Friday night on Ascot Park’s half-mile oval against one of the strongest international fields ever brought together for the U.S. long-track championship.

Nielsen, who has won the last two world individual championships, will be challenged by Shawn Moran of Norwalk, the 1983 world long-track champion; Sam Ermolenko of Corona, third-place finisher in the recent World Finals at Amsterdam, and John Cook of Roseville, Calif., who took time off from his jet-skiing career and finished eighth in the World Championships.

Nielsen and Cook engaged in a torrid duel last summer at Ascot during the USA vs. World team competition, and Cook came out best. The versatile athlete scored 28 points to 26 for Nielsen, winning four of six rides in direct competition in leading the USA team to an upset victory. Cook is also a former national long-track champion.

In the International Jet Ski Boating Assn.’s World Finals last month at Lake Havasu, Ariz., Cook finished second in two expert class races--modified closed course and slalom. In the IJSBA world standings, Cook ranked fourth among expert men.

Cook has ridden well at Ascot before. In 1981, he won the long-track championship, then repeated in 1982, the week after the World Finals in the Coliseum.

Moran, the defending U.S. champion, and Ermolenko did not compete in the summer matches at Ascot. Both were racing in the British Speedway League at the time.

Moran, however, was the first American to win the world long-track championship. He won in Czechoslovakia by dethroning Karl Meier of Germany and also beating five-time champion Ivan Mauger of New Zealand and Egon Mueller, the reigning world individual champion at the time.

Ermolenko, who is awaiting a hearing on his suspension from the 1988 season for failing to submit to a drug test after a test series match in Hackney, England, in September, finished third behind Nielsen and Erik Gundersen, another Dane, in the World Championships. It was the second time in three years that the Corona rider has finished third.

Ermolenko was a random selection for a drug test but told officials he was dehydrated and could not provide a specimen and would return later. According to Ermolenko, however, after packing his gear he forgot about the test and left the track without notifying officials.

Three weeks later, Ermolenko broke his leg and wrist in a crash in Vojens, Denmark, that caused him to miss the U.S. Nationals at Costa Mesa. He expects to be able to ride at top strength Friday night, however.

Other former national long-track champions entered are Bobby Schwartz of Costa Mesa and Lance King of Fountain Valley, both veterans of British League racing where the tracks are much longer than the tiny fairground ovals normally raced in Southern California. Both have won twice on the Ascot half-mile.

Also in the 30-rider field are Mike Faria of Colton, the Ascot track and California state champion; Phil Collins of Manchester, England, who spent the summer riding on local tracks; Ronnie Correy of Fullerton, who rode this year in England; Robert Pfetzing of Santa Ana, Gary Hicks of Glen Avon, Billy Hamill of Monrovia and Jim Sisemore of Woodland, Calif.

SPRINT CARS--Car owner Frank Lewis was elected president of the California Racing Assn. to succeed Gary Sokola, who resigned to accept a position with the United States Auto Club after leading the CRA for the last 10 years. . . . Fan Appreciation Night at Ascot Park for the Parnelli Jones Firestone/CRA season will be held Saturday, and fans will be treated to the appearance of Indy car driver John Andretti, World of Outlaws veteran Ron Shuman and former USAC champion Rick Hood, as well as the regular cast headed by defending series champion Brad Noffsinger and perennial challenger Mike Sweeney.

DRAG RACING--The final event of Top Gas West, which was postponed last weekend because of a conflict with the rain-delayed Winston Finals, has been rescheduled for Nov. 29, at the Los Angeles County Raceway in Palmdale. . . . The Escondido Drag Racing Assn. will hold a Dash for Cash race Saturday at Carlsbad Raceway. Judy Hansen-English of Tustin is the favorite.

MOTORCYCLES--Two world championship Grand Prix events will be held in California next year. Laguna Seca Raceway, after extending its track from 1.9- to 2.2-miles, was granted a 500cc road-racing championship event April 10, and Hollister Hills will be the site of a 500cc World Championship motocross June 26. . . . Scotty Brown of Massillon, Ohio, who rode most of the speedway season last summer locally, was crowned indoor speedway ice racing champion after winning 6 of 8 events. . . . Mickey Thompson, in an apparent bid to take the stadium motocross market in Southern California away from Mike Goodwin, has applied for a June 18 date at the Coliseum. Thompson has already been granted a Jan. 30 date at Anaheim Stadium.

MIDGETS--Ventura Raceway will hold a combined USAC national and western regional 50-lap race Saturday night. The season will end Feb. 28 at El Centro, two nights after the traditional Turkey Night 100-lapper at Ascot Park.

VINTAGE CARS--Former Can-Am champion Denny Hulme is coming from New Zealand to drive in a Formula One historic car race during the Vintage Grand Prix Nov. 21-22 at Palm Springs. Also expected to drive are Parnelli Jones, Bob Bondurant and George Follmer.

AWARDS--Camel GTO driver Willy T. Ribbs received the Norelco Cup as the outstanding driver in the International Motor Sports Assn. GTO-GTU season. Ribbs, who drives a Toyota for Dan Gurney, received $10,000. . . . The Saugus Speedway awards banquet will be held Saturday night at Castaway’s in Burbank.

PIT INJURIES--Chuck Hill, 22, who suffered internal injuries during a pit row accident last Sunday at Riverside International Raceway, remains in critical but stable condition at Riverside Community Hospital. Doctors say that Hill, a tire changer on Bill Elliott’s crew, probably will remain hospitalized for at least another week. Butch Stevens, 35, had metal pins placed in his broken leg Wednesday and is expected to fly home to Charlotte, N.C., today. Both were injured when hit by a spinning car while they were working on Elliott’s car during the Winston Western 500.