Moran Edges Carter, Wins Overseas Final

Speedway motorcyclist Shawn Moran of Huntington Beach defeated Kenny Carter of England in a four-lap runoff to win the Overseas Final Sunday at Bradford, England.

The race was the first of two qualifying rounds that ultimately leads to the World Final scheduled for Aug. 31 at the same site. Moran and Carter finished the meeting with 14 points each, forcing a runoff.

Moran had defeated Carter in his first of five heat races, but fell behind in the runoff when Carter started well. But Carter lost control when he hit a bumpy portion of the track on his second lap, and Moran passed him to win the runoff.

“Kenny made a mistake and I took advantage of it,” Moran said. “The only race I lost was to Kelvin Tatum (England), and he rode a perfect race to beat me. I thought the track was beautifully prepared, and this should be a great place for a World Final.”

Five U.S. riders--Moran, Lance King (Fountain Valley), Sam Ermolenko (Cypress), John Cook (Roseville) and Rick Miller (Reseda)--were entered in the race, along with competitors from England, New Zealand and Australia. Miller was the only American rider who failed to advance to the next qualifying round scheduled for Aug. 3 in Vetlanda, Sweden.

King, who finished third in the world championship last year, was third in the Overseas Final with 12 points. Cook tied for seventh with eight points and Ermolenko was ninth with seven points. Miller managed only one point in five races. Ten riders advanced to the next round.

King finished last in his first heat race, failing to earn a point, but he rebounded with four consecutive victories.

“I didn’t gate particularly well, but there was a lot of passing on this track today,” King said. “I hope it’s that way for the World Final. I was a little concerned with my engine after my first heat, but it was flawless for the remainder of the meeting.”

King, Ermolenko and John Davis, of England, were the principal riders in the most exciting heat race of the afternoon. Ermolenko started fast in the last heat before halftime, but King and then Davis passed him halfway through the four-lap race. King and Davis dueled handlebar-to-handlebar for the final two laps before King gained the checkered flag.

Ermolenko, riding in his first world championship qualifying round, won his first heat, defeating favorites Chris Morton of England and Dave Bargh of New Zealand. But Ermolenko managed only two points in his final three rides and squeaked through to the next round.

An overnight rain created some bumpy riding areas on the 300-yard track at Bradford, a new stadium located 200 miles north of London.