Gunter Wins Third 8-Mile Title

GUNTER WINS THIRD 8-MILE TITLE

CAROL A. SIMS

AL GUNTER WAS the last rider to enter the pits before the running of J. C. Agajanian’s 5th Annual 8-Mile National Championship at Gardena, California, and the first man home when the checkered flag fell. Often kidded about his tardiness, Prince Albert drove into the Ascot Park pit area long after practice had been completed and didn’t fire up his BSA until heat race time, as if to say, “Practice? Who needs it?”

Thirty-eight expert riders, 15 of them

sporting National Numbers, were on hand for qualifications the night before, with Stuart Morley (BSA) setting fastest time of the evening. He turned the half-mile dirt oval in a breathtaking 22.80 seconds, only clocking in the 22-second bracket and just off his track record of 22.75. Second fastest time of 23.04 went to Harley-Davidson mounted Ralph White; third fast was Elliott Schultz (R.E.) with 23.14.

A strong four-man Harley contingent from the East, comprised of National Champion Bart Markel, George Roeder, Tony Murguia and Ronnie Rail, had arrived to do battle with the best in the West. Though Markel experienced numerous difficulties (see Racing Review column, this issue) and did not run, much interest centered around young Mr. Rail, making his first Ascot appearance and fresh from two resounding National halfmile victories, Heidelberg and Charity Newsies.

Race night arrived and so did a turnaway crowd of 10,000 action-hungry fans; they jammed every nook and cranny, bulging from the stands and spilling over into the aisles and around the turns. But action they got — from the first lap on. Only four men from each of three 10-man heat races could transfer to the 20-lap final, so the pressure was particularly fierce.

First and fastest heat race found Gunter in fine form, winning by a bike length over early leader Jack O’Brien in 3:57.41. Dick Hammer and Clyde Litch took 3rd

and 4th places. Stu Morley, running in a transfer position, unloaded for the first time in 3 years, and was out of the race. Ronnie Rail battled Litch for final transfer position throughout the 10 laps, but was beaten out at the wire, squelching his hopes of scoring any National points. Before the “Big 8”\ he was tied with Ralph White at 49 points apiece.

White, perhaps stimulated by this bit of racing luck, went wire-to-wire in the next heat, ahead of Sammy Tanner, Neil Keen and. Bob Skibsted (who nosed out Dick Mann for 4th transfer spot late in the race). Most spectacular performance of the evening, however, came in the final preliminary event. Elliott Schultz, after a bad start, came roaring from last place and could do no wrong. He sailed high, low and down the middle, sometimes passing two riders at a time, to assume the lead on lap 4 and stretch it out thereafter. But as the one-lap-to-go flag appeared, Schultz experienced engine troubles and, accompanied by a massive groan of sympathy from the crowd, retired to the pits. Sam Satterley, by far the most improved expert of the year at Ascot, came through for the win in front of George Roeder, Don Hawley and Ron Nelson. The 10-lap consolation event went to Ronnie Gould over Lou Chandler, Bill Ershig and Jeff Sperry. Time; 4:10.83.

Eight amateur finalists rolled to the mark for their 7-Mile feature,, though only four of them were around for the checkered flag. Mel Lacher built up a substantial lead over Guy Louis early in the race, but Louis was forced out with piston troubles and Lacher fell on the 5th lap, sending Bob Emde to the fore ahead of Bud Waugh. A nasty spill brought out the black flag on the 8th circuit when Lee Wehrman and Mil Green, fellow members of the San Gabriel M.C., tangled and fell hard. Both boys were hospitalized, Wehrman with a dislocated shoulder, Green for further observation. On the single-file restart, it was still Emde and Waugh, with Ed Padgett a close 3rd and Bruce Holland 4th, and that’s how they finished. Emde, incidentally, is the son of Flying Floyd Emde, former national AMA champion and Daytona 200-mile winner.

Twelve of the nation’s finest professional riders lined up, 6 to a row, for the start of the 8-Mile classic. As the flag fell, former 8-Mile champion Sammy Tanner leaped off the line and was first into the turn, closely pursued by Gunter, White, Hammer, Satterley, Hawley and O’Brien. Tanner held onto his advantage until lap 2 when Gunter took over the lead, never to be headed. Hammer, looking better than at any time during the season, wrested 3rd place from White, who slid wide and was also passed by the fiercely-battling duo of Hawley and O’Brien. Roeder and White then began to give it a good go for 6th place, ahead of Satterley, Keen and Litch. Although the first two positions remained the same throughout all remaining laps, countless private battles behind the frontrunners had the crowd on its feet and shouting unheard messages of encouragement most of the time.

By lap 7 the pattern of the race had taken form. Gunter, riding a middle-ofthe track groove in flawless fashion, was about 5 lengths ahead of Tanner, with Hammer somewhat farther behind in 3rd. O’Brien, though still needled by Hawley, was firmly settled into 4th, Roeder had shaken off White for 6th, and rounding out the field were Satterley, Keen (riding his first race since breaking a collarbone), Litch, Nelson and Skibsted. On the 12th time around, Satterley slid down and out of the running, ending a most purposeful try. By lap 16, Hawley’s machine slowed noticeably and he dropped from 5th to 8th; O’Brien, meanwhile, was picking up speed and took over 3rd from Hammer on the 17th. Hammer regained the position on the 18th but fell back to 4th the following time around, as Keen edged White for 6th.

With one lap to go, Hawley’s machine gave up entirely and he was forced to pull in, after a doggedly determined ride. White fought back strongly, regained 6th spot from Keen, and proceeded to move in on Roeder. Not until starter Wes Drennan waved the checkered flag were all positions assured, and the finishing order was Gunter, Tanner, O'Brien, Hammer, Roeder, White, Keen, Nelson, Litch and Skibsted.

Time for the 20 laps was 7 minutes, 54.05 seconds, and AI Gunter, winner of more races at Ascot than any other rider (including two previous 8-Mile titles), proved once again that when it’s down for the money, he’s the man to beat. •