Bruce Penhall

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Bruce Penhall (left) during an interview at Costa Mesa Speedway, California (1981)

Bruce Penhall (born May 10, 1957 in Balboa Island (Newport Beach), California) is an American speedway driver who went to Hollywood after his racing career as a film and television actor .

Career

Penhall was individual speedway world champion in 1981 and 1982, secured the speedway pair world championship with compatriot Bobby Schwartz in 1981 and won the team world championship in 1982 with the US speedway team. In the British speedway professional league Penhall started from 1978 to 1982 exclusively for the team from Cradley Heath. He started his career in 1973 at the age of 16, took part in a speedway world tour organized by Barry Briggs in 1976 , which stopped in Israel , among other places . In 1977 he took part in the open championships of Australia and New Zealand in winter . Penhall's first major international success was winning the "Master of Speedway" racing series in Europe in 1979. In the Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg In 1980 he played his first individual World Cup final, which he finished with 5th place.

In the Wembley Stadium in London , which was filled with 92,500 spectators , Penhall won his first individual Speedway World Championship title in 1981 and after this triumph even received a congratulatory telegram from the then US President Ronald Reagan . Penhall was able to defend his world title in 1982 in the Coliseum of Los Angeles , only to announce his retirement from active speedway racing after this renewed triumph.

Penhall became known as an actor in the US television series "CHiPs". But Penhall also played in an episode of the series "Hotel". In 1999 Penhall was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame .

successes

singles

  • World speedway champion: 1981, 1982

team

  • Best-Pairs World Champion: 1981
  • Team world champion: 1982
  • British League: Cradley Heath: 1978-1982

Personal

Penhall started his speedway career at the age of 16, lost his parents in a plane crash at the age of 18, went to film after completing his speedway career in 1982, took part in speedboat and powerboat races and was involved in speedboat and powerboat races in the late 1980s and 1990s today as a promoter of speedway events in California.

Individual evidence

personal data
SURNAME Penhall, Bruce
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American speedway and long track driver
DATE OF BIRTH May 10, 1957
PLACE OF BIRTH Balboa (California)