Bruce Penhall

Motorsports Hall Of Fame 2011
World Champion 1981 and 1982
World Pairs Champion 1981
World Team Speedway Championship 1982
U.S. Nationals Champion 1980, 1981
A.M.A. Motorcycle Hall of Fame 2008
British League Champion 1981
British League Pairs Champion 1978

Place of Birth: Balboa, California - USA
Date of Birth: May 10, 1957
Occupation: Joint Promoter at Industry Speedway - Actor / Offshore Powerboat Racer
Action Photos by: Scott Daloisio Stssprts@aol.com - Speedway Motorcycle Photos

Bruce at Industry in 2011 - Dorcey Wingo Photo

2011 - Inducted into The Motorsports Hall Of Fame

YouTube Bruce Penhall's speech at the Motorsports Hall of Fame Awards in Detroit

Below is from Bruce Penhall on Wikipedia

Bruce first rode Speedway when he was 16 at Irwindale Raceway on the American west-coast. From novice status, he quickly established himself in the US National Championships, twice finishing in the top three positions. In 1976 he toured Israel and in 1977 Australia and New Zealand, before being lured to Cradley Heath Heathens in 1978 by Dan McCormick and Derek Pugh.

On his Dudley Wood debut against Sheffield in a challenge match, he notched just a single point. Never again in his British career would he score less than four for the Heathens. In his second match - his league debut - he scored nine; within a month he clocked double figures and topped the score chart for the first time with 13; in July he took over as club captain following the departure of Bruce Cribb and hit his first Heathens maximum; and by the end of the year he had achieved a season average of over 9.00 points per match.

In 1979 he won the Master of Speedway competition around Europe, as well as becoming the first American holder of the Golden Helmet match race championship. He was runner-up to John Louis in the British League Riders Final and led Cradley to Inter-League Cup success and their highest ever league position. By 1980 there were more cup victories, along with SWAPA Overseas Rider of the Year, American National Champion, a first World Final appearance (scoring nine points).

The 1981 season was Penhall's all conquering year. At the World Final at Wembley, 92,500 people witnessed Penhall come from behind to pip both former World Champion Ole Olsen of Denmark and later another Dane Tommy Knudsen on the finish line. His only loss of the night was finishing second to England's Kenny Carter when he only needed to finish third to clinch the title. Also in 1981 Penhall partnered fellow American Bobby Schwartz to win the Speedway World Pairs Championship in Poland. He also led Cradley all the way to their first ever league title victory, topping the individual league averages on the way. On top of a clean sweep of all the SWAPA personality awards was a special citation from US President Ronald Reagan.

However, he had less than one year left in speedway before moving on, firstly to the world of Hollywood movies and later to powerboat racing (where he would become a world champion again). In 1982 he won the World Team Cup with the USA and then his one last speedway ambition was achieved – World Individual success on his home soil in America, when he won his second world title at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. He effectively retired on the rostrum.

Costa Mesa Program Cover - April 18, 1981

Costa Mesa - Bruce Penhall & Mike Bast	Costa Mesa Jun 11, 1982
1982 World Finals Dennis Sigalos - Bruce Penhall - Philly Collins	Costa Mesa - Bruce and the Great Harry Oxley
1981 California State Championship Penhall - Bobby Schwartz - Dave Sims - Duane Yarrow	1981 California State Championship Penhall - Mike Cursoso - Gene Woods
1981 California State Championship	1980 IMS - Allan Christian - Penhall
1981 IMS - Bruce - Dave DeTemple	1981 US Nationals Costa Mesa
1981 IMS - Bruce and Ladouceur	1981 IMS
1981 US Nationals Costa Mesa	1985 Costa Mesa Sam Ermolenko - Bruce
1981 or 1982 IMS Bruce and Sonny Nutter	1981 IMS Spring USA Team