The Golden Hammer - 1985
By Tracy Holmes and Steve Baker

July 24. 1985.

All journalists and fans agreed on this one. British Champion Kenny Carter was in a class of his own. Quite happy to sit behind Hans Nielsen in round five, collecting the Golden Hammer for the second time. The first rider to do so. Champion of the World and home favourite, Erik Gundersen set a new track record in heat one but was left dumbfounded as Carter flew past him in Heat 8. A triple run-off for second saw the Main Danes fill the podium spaces and Cradley's Phil Collins unable to do anything about that.

What a year Kenny Carter was having. Fully recovered from the previous years cruel injuries, 'King Kenny' was back with the very best. And with the World Final at Odsal only 5 weeks away, what a glorious prospect lay ahead. All he needed to do, was to get through the last round ...

Heat 1. Gundersen, Crump, Nielsen, Alan Grahame.
Heat 2. Phil Collins, Knudsen, Andy Grahame, Neil Collins.
Heat 3. Schwartz, Cook, S Moran, Cross.
Heat 4. Carter, Pedersen, Petersen. Eriksen fall
Heat 5. Pedersen, Cross, Crump, Knudsen.
Heat 6. Nielsen, Phil Collins, S Moran. Petersen ef
Heat 7. Alan Grahame, Eriksen, Schwartz, Neil Collins.
Heat 8. Carter, Gundersen, Andy Grahame, Cook ret
Heat 9. Carter, Phil Collins, Crump, Schwartz.
Heat 10. Eriksen, Nielsen, Knudsen. Cook ef
Heat 11. Andy Grahame, Alan Grahame, Cross, Petersen.
Heat 12. S Moran, Pedersen, Gundersen, Neil Collins.
Heat 13. Crump, Neil Collins, Cook, Petersen.
Heat 14. Nielsen, Andy Grahame, Pedersen, Schwartz.
Heat 15. Carter, S Moran, Knudsen, Alan Grahame.
Heat 16. Gundersen, Phil Collins, Eriksen, Cross.
Heat 17. Eriksen, S Moran, Andy Grahame, Crump.
Heat 18. Nielsen, Carter, Neil Collins, Jensen. Cross ns
Heat 19. Phil Collins, Pedersen, Alan Grahame. Cook ret
Heat 20. Gundersen, Schwartz, Knudsen. Petersen ef
2nd place run-off. Nielsen, Gundersen, Phil Collins.

Kenny Carter 14. Hans Nielsen 12. Erik Gundersen 12. Phil Collins 12. Jan O Pedersen 10. Shawn Moran 9. Preben Eriksen 9. Andy Grahame 8. Phil Crump 7. Alan Grahame 6. Bobby Schwartz 6. Tommy Knudsen 5. Neil Collins 3. Simon Cross 3. John Cook 3. Bo Petersen 1. Res Finn Jensen 0. Res Steve Collins dnr.

This article was first published on 27th March 2022