Hectic time for world champion

Press, 6 February 1982, Page 60

Hectic time for world champion

Life has been very hectic for the world solo motorcycle champion, Bruce Penhall, of California, and it will continue to be so as the 24-year-old American prepares to defend his world title in his own country on August 28.

Penhall and his Californian team-mate, Bobby Schwartz, arrived in Christchurch yesterday and will compete in an international best pairs meeting at the Ruapuna Speedway this evening against the New Zealand combination of Ivan Mauger and Larry Ross, and the English riders, Kenny Carter and Craig Pendlebury. Penhall and Schwartz won the world pairs championship in Poland last year from the two New Zealand riders whom they will race against this evening. Since Christmas, the

American pair have had little respite. They have just finished a month’s tour of Australia where they competed in about 10 meetings: “When I wasn’t riding I was occupied in promoting the sport and myself,” said Penhall. After his New Zealand visit. Penhall will return to the United States for meetings on March 6 and 7, but will be in England at the end of March for that country’s speedway season. ' The 1982 world solo motorcycle championship will be held at the Los Angeles Coliseum, the first time the championship has been held outside of Europe. Penhall, who became the first American to win the world crown for 44 years, is dead keen to retain his title before his home crowd. “That's what I want, you betcha,” he remarked.