The Golden Hammer - 1991
By Tracy Holmes and Steve Baker

July 24. 1991.

This is how Steve Johnson reported it for Speedway Star. "Sam Ermolenko produced a superb performance to lift the Golden Hammer for the first time. The Wolves skipper stood head and shoulders above any other rider on view, reeling off four immaculate wins from the front to put himself in pole position for the Trophy. He needed just two points from his last race to clinch it but, for the first time on the night, missed the gate. Jan O Pedersen was way out in front but second placed Gary Havelock could not shake off the flying American. Ermolenko was closing all the time and on the final lap, made his challenge in brilliant fashion. He drew level along the back straight and then swept around Havelock on the final bend for the two points which secured the Title. Cradley's Gert Handberg was a surprise packet, finishing second a point behind Ermolenko in second place and Pedersen beat team-mate Billy Hamill in the run-off for third."

Heat 1. Ermolenko, Handberg, Alan Grahame, Louis.
Heat 2. Gustafsson, Hamill, Tatum, Screen.
Heat 3. Hancock, Pedersen, Nielsen, Dugard.
Heat 4. Havelock, Wilson, Thorp, Scott Smith.
Heat 5. Ermolenko, Dugard, Tatum, Wilson.
Heat 6. Louis, Hamill, Pedersen, Thorp.
Heat 7. Havelock, Nielsen, Screen, Alan Grahame.
Heat 8. Handberg, Gustafsson, Hancock, Scott Smith.
Heat 9. Ermolenko, Hamill, Nielsen, Scott Smith.
Heat 10. Hancock, Havelock, Tatum, Louis.
Heat 11. Alan Grahame, Gustafsson, Dugard. Thorp ef
Heat 12. Pedersen, Handberg, Screen, Wilson.
Heat 13. Ermolenko, Screen, Hancock. Thorp ret
Heat 14. Gustafsson, Nielsen, Louis, Wilson.
Heat 15. Alan Grahame, Pedersen, Scott Smith, Tatum.
Heat 16. Handberg, Hamill, Havelock, Dugard.
Heat 17. Pedersen, Ermolenko, Havelock, Gustafsson.
Heat 18. Screen, Scott Smith, Louis. Dugard ef
Heat 19. Hamill, Alan Grahame, Wilson, Hancock.
Heat 20. Handberg, Nielsen, Tatum, Thorp.
3rd place run-off. Pedersen, Hamill.

Sam Ermolenko 14. Gert Handberg 13. Jan O Pedersen 11. Billy Hamill 11. Gary Havelock 10. Henrik Gustafsson 10. Alan Grahame 9. Greg Hancock 8. Hans Nielsen 8. Joe Screen 7. Chris Louis 5. Kelvin Tatum 4. Martin Dugard 3. Sean Wilson 3. Scott Smith 3. Paul Thorp 1. Res Mark Robinson dnr. Res Anthony Boyd dnr. Andy Smith inj ns. Jeremy Doncaster ns.

This article was first published on 1st May 2022