VOLUME ISSUE OCTOBER , P113
The season finale would be
held at the legendary Ascot
Park in Gardena, California.
Cycle News' Dale Brown called
it "a rousing show, attended by
a standing-room-only crowd of
10,233."
The evening got off to a start
that was more frightening than
rousing as rookie Lance Jones
crashed heavily on the fifth lap
of his heat race. For reasons
unknown, the race was allowed
to continue, even as Jones lay
motionless on the track. Fi
-
nally, 1970 champ Gene Romero
exited the race and demanded
that officials bring out the red
flag. Jones was transported to
the hospital but was not seri
-
ously injured. Both Springsteen
and Eklund won their respective
heats by comfortable margins,
setting the stage for a show
-
down that would decide the 1978
Camel Pro Series Grand National
Championship.
When the National began, it
was the Scott brothers, Gary and
Hank, leading the 14-rider pack
into Ascot's turn one. It turned
out to be a short stint at glory,
however, as Terry Poovey moved
into the top position before the
end of lap one. Springsteen
was near the leading pack, with
Eklund back in seventh.
The gasp from the crowd (and
H-D Team Manager Dick O'Brien)
must've been heard all the way
to Milwaukee when, on lap two,
Springer lost control of his Har
-
ley and narrowly averted a crash
that would've meant the end
of his hold on the number-one
plate. But, as he had done before
(and would do many times
again), the Michigan rider
stayed on two wheels, los
-
ing just two positions.
At the halfway point,
Springsteen was work-
ing to find his way around
Poovey for the lead.
Meanwhile, Eklund had
his hands full trying to
get around Gary Scott for
third place, which would
have put Springsteen in
his sights. On lap eleven,
Springsteen moved past
Poovey for the lead. One
lap later, Eklund dis
-
patched both Scott and
Poovey and began his
pursuit of the number-one
plate.
Nearing the end of the race,
Springsteen would bobble one
more time, allowing Eklund to
move "menacingly" close. Would
he have a chance for the win?
"The white flag," Brown wrote,
"came out too soon for Eklund,
and though he closed to within
20 feet at the checkered flag, it
just wasn't good enough." Spring
-
steen had won his third consecu-
tive championship, a feat that
hadn't been accomplished since
Carrol Resweber was champion
in 1959, '60, and '61.
"I knew he was coming!"
Springsteen said in his post-race
interview. Eklund was clearly
dejected in defeat but vowed to
make 1979 his year. "I'll be there
next year," he said.
And he was a man of his word!
In 1979, Eklund won the Grand
National Championship, some
-
thing no true privateer had done
in many years on the circuit.
Springsteen was a distant sec-
ond in the series points. The new
champ celebrated in a big way,
rewarding himself with a Ferrari
Dino, which would sport a license
plate that left no one wondering
who was at the wheel: "Eklund 1."
Steve Eklund loved racing,
and it would be the last thing
he would ever do in this world.
He was tragically injured in a
dirt track crash at a mile event
in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in
1990. In a coma for more than
a year, Eklund passed away in
September of 1991. Springsteen
spent many years battling a mys
-
terious stomach issue, and while
he would win many more races,
the 1978 crown would be his last
Grand National title. And it was
certainly one to remember!
CN
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Steve Eklund did everything he could
to beat Springsteen at the Ascot Half-
Mile final but came up just short.
