1946 50-Mile Pacific Coast TT Championship Box Springs Race Track, Riverside, California December 8, 1946
Program for the twice-delayed Pacific Coast TT Championship race at the Box Springs track in Riverside. It was very close to the later location of the Riverside International Raceway. Floyd Emde Archive / Don Emde Collection
There were two Pacific Coast Championship races in 1946, one for Flat Track and one for TT. Floyd originally wanted to win both and since switching to the Harley-Davidson WRTT, he was running well enough to do that. But sometimes things happen that you can’t plan for. Like the Flat Track Championship at Dixon in October where his day ended early after taking a big rock in the face at 70 miles an hour. So now he had only the TT championship to try to win at Box Springs, but the other top west coast riders that Floyd had battled with all year wanted the same thing. That included Ed Kretz, of Ed Kretz was leading Floyd at this point of the race. Ed has his left hand off the handlebars as course. Floyd had beaten Ed a few times earlier that season, but he changes a gear on his hand-shift Indian Scout. Floyd Emde Archive / Don Emde Collection only in some inconsequential races here and there. The races Ed took seriously were what earned him the nickname of “Iron Man.” Those were the long-distance events like Daytona, Langhorne, Laconia…and the 50-miler on the Box Springs TT track that required not only speed, but physical stamina to muscle his heavy handshift, Indian 84 times around the twisty 6/10th-mile course. The other top Southern California riders were also entered, including Chuck Basney, Bruce Pearson, Kelly Myers and Ted Evans. Plus, Floyd expected some of the Northern California stars would be there too. As it turned out, it rained on November 11th and the race was postponed to the 24th. But it rained again that day and the race was rescheduled again to December 8th. Mother Nature finally cooperated that day and the big race was on. The uncertainty caused by the two weather cancellations cut into the attendance that day, but 8,000 still turned out. The format, like many were in those years, was that all AMA licensed riders—Novice, Amateur or Expert—could enter the event. Referee Royal Carroll then divided all of the entries up evenly into four groups for 5-lap qualifying Heat races. The first four finishers Look closely in front of the handlebars to see Ed’s front brake lever dangling with in each Heat went straight to the Main event, the rest were divided only the cable holding it. The lever bracket was broken in his crash early in the race. into two 5-lap Semis. The first four in the Semis went to the Main Floyd Emde Archive / Don Emde Collection with the balance to a 20-lap Consolation race. lead position for a short while, only to lose it to Bud Jorgensen, who led until he A classic Indian versus Harley-Davidson battle was about to begin. Floyd, Ed Kretz, Bud Jorgensen from Fresno, and Fred Ford from San developed some motor trouble, and Kretz re-took the lead. From that moment on Diego won their respective Heat races. The 24 riders were then lined for the it was a Tweedledum and Tweedledee race between Emde and Kretz as they swung Main event in eight rows of three. Of the motorcycles qualified for the Final, around the track. It was confusing enough that it was difficult to tell who was in only 3 were British. The other 21 were either Harleys or Indians. Kretz had the the lead much of the time.” According to the Riverside Daily Press, Floyd kept the pressure on and fastest Heat race time on his Indian Scout and would start on the pole position. was right on Kretz’s tail until the 30th lap when Ed fell going into one of the Floyd had the second fastest Heat race and would start alongside him. At 2:55 p.m., the official starter, Stan Irons, waved the white flag and the turns. Floyd sped past, while Kretz quickly remounted and got back into the race was underway. As reported in the January 1947 issue of Motorcyclist, the chase. Kretz was back about 20 seconds at this point, and now without the race began like this: “Ed Kretz was from the start the man out front, but close use of his front brake. The lever on the left handlebar was broken in his fall on his heels came Floyd Emde, and in nice form passed Kretz. Emde held the and he now had only the use of the rear brake.
162 FLYING FLOYD / The Motorcycling Life of Floyd Emde