Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126654
left) Erik Gunde rson (Ieeding) in fourth place efter e cOl\tro versiel disque lificeti on. (Below Dennis Sigalo s, here I_ding Englan d's Kenny eerter , finishe d h to edven ce to the World Fine.. en Lence King scored seven points ; good enoug scored 11 points end finishe d e close third. (Below right) Americ Inte r-Co ntin enta l Spe edw ay Fina l Si ga lo s, Ki ng on to W or ld Fi na l By John Hipki ss LOND ON, ENGL AND, AUG. 7 Whi le Den mar k's Han s Niel sen took the overall hon ors in the Inte r-Co ntin enta l Spee dwa y Fina l with a score of 14 poin ts, ther e was a cons ider able amo unt of cont rove rsy in the event. It center ed aroun d Nielsen, the Danis h referee and Amer ican Denni s Sigalo s. Norm ally a cool-headed Californian , the leggy speedway star exploded with fury after being excl uded in the l~th heat for foul riding against Nielsen. Referee Jorgen Dorsecheus of Denma rk put all the blame on Sigalos for forcing Nielsen into the fence, and the angry American jumped from his machin e and leapt over fences to get to the phone to speak to the referee, who ignored his protest . Despite being rul~ out of the rerun, Sigalos followe d the other riders to the start line and held both hands to give the ref an ungent lemanly gesture. He was fined $75 on tbe spot and tbe track staff were ordered to remove Sigalos from tbe track. .u .. Sigalos said, ''I'm very, very disappointed with the referee. I was in front when my bike sudden ly lifted. I didn't fall but Nielsen went into the fence trying to avoid me. It's tough on him but that's racing. This decision has· cost me the title." That exclusi on certain ly did cost Sigalos his hopes of victory, as Nielsen went on to win the meetin g with 14 points from his five rides, followed by Mike Lee (12) and Erick Gundersen (II). Sigalos finishe d with JO, and will be joined in the World Final by fellow Califor nian Lance King, who scored seven points. Sigalos scored seven point from his first three rides, taking a win in his first over New Zealander Mitch Shirra. Then in his next two he finishe d second in each, behind Danish master Ole Olsen and Englan d's former .« "'A44 " •• J..... II World Champ ion Mike Lee, who has started to show signs of the form which made him the numbe r one in 1980. Siggy's exclusi on came in his fourth outing and he went on to take a second win when he beat Kenny Carter in the final race. Thoug h disappointed not to win the meetin g, his confide nce is sky high at the momen t. Sigalos is putting together high scores in the British League , and after finishing third at last year's final in Los Angeles, he knows of all the pressur es in the "big one. " King's passag e wasn't quitea s easy as Siggy's, as a third place in his first ride, followed by a second and anothe r third left Lance with just four points from his first three rides, with seven poi nts being regarded as the safe zone. King was left needin g three more points from his last two rides, and maybe he was a lillie lucky, because tion in his fourth race the opposi'd f rom th e Iower ord er 0 f n ers came and his win secured his first World Final appear ance in Norden , West Germa ny on Septem ber 4. In his last ride King met his BL teamm ate, Phil Collins , and he could afford to help the Overseas Champ ion when CoI- .. I.. . lins needed and got a point to qualiCy, with King trailing home pointless. On a typically slick and dusty White City track, the two Americ ans met in race II, with Sigalos getting the better of King, but Englan d's Mike beating them both. The top II scorers from this meeting go on to the final, where they will be joined by five riders from the other semi·fi nal held in Poland . Nielse n has only droppe d two points in world champ ionshi p qualifying rounds and there was no one to touch his consist ency at the tapes and his contro nled power on the slick track. If he can produc e the same form in Septem ber the two Am,ericans are going to be hard pushed to catch him. But as Sigalos said, "We start from scratch in the final and it's who's best on that day that gets the • title." I R esu ts QUAUFIERS (WHITE CITY): Hans Nie"n 1141; MiUl.ee112~ Erik Gu'-' n (11 I: DennilSi ga1oI110~ Kenny CIIrter (10); Billy 511.-0(1 01; Ole Dloen(91; Mitch Shirra(BI; Chri.Mon on(Btl.en ce ICing (7); Phil Collin. (6). NDN·QUAURERS: P. RlYn (6); Rea. J. A.-.aon(4t P. Bra........ .. (3tA. Grahame (2t L Roal(1). OUAUFIERS (POlAND): Zenon PIech (Poland) 16; Egon Muller (W_ Germany) 14; Jiri S,anct (CDChll 2; Pelr Dndraaik (l:DCh) 11. jl.l~....... a .. u",