Doug Polen looks to be telling Scott Gray and Mike Harth something funny at Road Atlanta during the WERA Grand National Finals in November of 1986. All three riders were competing in the Suzuki GSXR Cup Finals at Road Atlanta that year. Polen won the Suzuki GSXR750 Final over Harth. Gray finished tenth. Polen pocketed nearly $20,000 that weekend after winning the GSXR750 Final, finishing second to Dan Chivington in the 1100 final and also earning victory in the Honda 500 Interceptor Final.
Doug Polen looks to be telling Scott Gray and Mike Harth something funny at Road Atlanta during the WERA Grand National Finals in November of 1986. (Larry Lawrence photo)
Rider Files 
Scott Gray, classic road racer phyisique;) Look at those arms! I still think he was one of the fastest ever with what he was giving up in “horsepower”.
LikeLike
That was the GSXR-750 race where Mike “IRONMAN” Harth earned his well deserved nickname. Harth came from last to 2nd with broken bones in both hands. He had suffered those injuries while riding the Team Hammer Suzuki in the endurance race the day before. If the 750 race had gone another lap, Harth would have beaten Polen.
Mike started last because he had a mechanical problem on the grid, and the marshals held him at the rear. He rode to the front like a man possessed.
It was fun to watch him work his way through the field. I knew he was aggravated with being held. Mike Harth was a fierce competitor and my good friend. He was an inspiration to me and in my opinion is one of the greatest Privateer racers I ever knew. He was taken from us way too soon.
RIP Mike Harth.
LikeLike
Ed,
Gray could put on weight faster than anyone I knew. I have a picture of him just a few months before this shot and he looked skinny. He was super fast, super aggressive, but had so much bad luck. I had great admiration for Scott. He once paid out his own pocket to get extra haybales placed for a race at Sears Point. He then went out before and after the races and helped move the bales!
LikeLike
nice to see dan chivingtons name on this he kicked but that year
LikeLike
ed ,,i have not seen scott since 94 ,,raced with him on the 883’s.
hope all is well if you are in contact with him.
LikeLike
I saw Scott at Daytona three or four years ago. He was floating around trying to stay under the radar.
LikeLike