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Skinny Wheels at Ascot-- Nutter,Konle Winners by John Bethea/Creative Images Phc!ltos by Dan Mahony GARDENA, CAL., Nov. 24, 1972 Speedway on the half-mile finally got underway at Ascot after several rainouts, but not to the joy and shouting of Steve Gresham or Scott Autrey. They appeared to be the fastest, but that wasn't enough as both spilled hard to end their chances. In fact, Gresham went down three times in turns three and four. His first two spills came in practice and both were pretty heavy but Steve managed to limp away. He then began to progress through the program with a cautionless air that had his fellow racers scratching their heads in dismay. That is, until he and big Mike Konle faced off . in their scratch heat. Gresham went wild again, slamming into the turns with fuU-Iockers but Konle, who wasn't riding conservatively either, was right there and when Steve drifted wide in tum two of lap Lhree Mike whooped him. Enough of that. Steve went into the Scratch Semi and returned to winning ways again, besting Sonny NutLer. Having already etched his name onLo the Handicap Main card, Steve looked in brigh t shape for a possible double win. Then there was Scott Autrey, who had wowed the crowd during practice. All the way around, flat out, never shut off, sending up rooster-tails that would make the bravest of flat-trackers shudder. Right away, in event one, the Handicap heat, Scott came off the 3D-yard line and passed them all as he wen t in to lap two. He was flat haulin' as he climbed to an incredible lead picking up the white flag. Then, womp, the engine went to sleep and Scott slowed to a stop at trackside. Mark Cherry, zerO-liner, managed to hold off the desperate drives of Mike Bast's souring machine in that one. So, Scott went through the program doing the advancing bu t still trying to get the engine back and well. When he and Mike Konle ended up the only two running in the Scratch Semi, he was rolling along smoothly but aggressively in front. Then it happened. In tum two, the last lap the sound of an engine going dead. Scott and bike hit the wall. When the ambulance made the tum back to the pits and not La the exit, a great sigh went across the bleachers. .Five minutes later, however, they decided to take Scott to the hospital anyway. After Sonny NuLter clicked his heels and whipped the troops in the Handicap Consolation, the Main evenL crew lined up. Mike Konle was undefeated through heat and Semi; Gresham, LOa. A real faceoff again. Out of tum three it occurred: four riders flip-flopped around and even tually tangled with the It; u .. Q ~ w Z W ..J U >- U wall. Mike Bast and Dubb Ferrell were the only ones to make it around safely. Konle was the first up, and he stood at the track's side and chatted with Bill Cody, who limped over. Jim Gresham squatted next to his brother, who was obviously the worst hurt. After much discussion, Steve finally wobbled off the track under his own power and headed for the pits. He and Bill Cody failed to make the restart. No matter as Konle flat lowered the boom and sped to the win. Ferrell and Bast were locked in a good one and Mike finally got by the 10-liner while heading into the final tour. A great deal of hullabalOO followed as riders and officials tried revamping. and advancing riders to fill up the fast dwindling card for the Scratch Consolation and Main. Both Mike Bast and Mike Curuso, third in their Scratch Semis, got awarded a transfer to the Main anway to fill the two vacancies. That pulled Robin Nicolaides and Keith Tennis out of their lounge ch airs and into the saddle to vie for the Consy ti tie. Guy Waterson shook his head and made his position quite clear: first all ABOVE: Steve Gresham ate it three times like this. He felt a bit stiff aherwards. LEFT: Jim Gresham lead brother Steve and Bill Cody. the way. Ferrell wound up second with Robin third. Then the talk started all over again. Apparently. SLeve Gresham' considered himsel f in rideable condition, which meant either Curuso or Bast had to go. Curuso went over to his machine and slid his helmet on while Bast and Gresham and officials discussed the problem. Finally Gresham tossed his hands up and headed back toward the pits, admitting his body ached a little bit afterall. lmmediate,ly, Bast and Nutter went at it in a great dice. On tum three, Sonny had the lead but Bast took it away. Two laps laLer, Sonny took it back and Bast took up the chase. But Sonny was flying now and kept on running. Konle hung in for third and Curuso. who held the lead at the very beginning, ended up fourth. After all Lhe hoopla, Nutter and Konle took the big wins. All Gresham and Autrey could really show for their efforts were a lot of bruises and quite a few aches. To top it off, Speedway on the quarter-mile heads this Friday night's card here at Ascot and they all go at it again.