Bruce Penhall the Cheat?? 1982 Overseas Final at White City

[@SuzyQ334]

Thanks for sharing this Martyn Hepworth. Great memories for an old speedway fan. xx

[@martynhepworthArchiveSpeedway]

Thanks Susannah, my 1st meeting was at Weymouth in 1974, still love the Sport.

[@SuzyQ334]

I'm proudly British and as a speedway fan from back in the day the US riders (especially Penhall, Sigalos and the Moran brothers) were universally liked by English speedway fans and their UK team-mates. Bruce Penhall in his day blew every other rider off the track. When he won the world championship he totally deserved it. Anyone who calls him a cheat is an idiot.

[@Holden308]

Penhall wasn't the first rider to do this for the sake of his countrymen to qualify and really, he wasn't the last. I didn't see it as cheating. I mean, would it have been any different if his engine had failed?

[@SuzyQ334]

@@Holden308 Exactly. The Swedish, Polish and Danish riders were all good UK team players but in international competitions they looked after their own fellow countrymen. That's sport and that's patriotism, which I believe is a dirty word these days. I miss my speedway but us British fans loved all the overseas blow-ins. xxx

[@stuartwhitaker6209]

Universally liked? Seriously?

[@dustyroads5409]

@Susannah Hayward Never a cheat, always the team player in life and family. Kodus to Bruce

[@sailorman8668]

@@dustyroads5409 Yeah, but on this occassion, he made a very bad decision, and broke a racing rule in the process.

[@250txc]

BP was classy & honest in his interview ...

[@nervo6321]

What the hell else could he do but help out his buddies? If it was an English rider doing it he would have been given a standing ovation, in the early eighties apart from Michael Lee and to a lesser extent Carter no English rider could hold a candle to Penhall....as for all the Muppets in the crowd and in the press that slaughtered him at the time calling him a cheat etc, the fact he threw away 3 points in his last ride meant an English rider won the meeting...this fact seems to have passed everybody by.....

[@rickmatz1935]

I like the interviews. These guys were reserved and had class.

[@rob1921]

Im english but bruce and his fellow americans were what made british speedway what it was in the late 70s early 80s, entertainment

[@fivecitydirttracker4776]

Thank you. He was something.

[@SuzyQ334]

Absolutely Robert. I'm English too. xx

[@brianlockyer900]

Bruce had a brilliant riding style l watched him win his first world title he was certainly no cheat but an American rider who was missed when he retired.

[@archieevans4822]

He was a cheat his he was high as a kite on drugs most races a disgrace to the sport

[@kevinbrookes4870]

Well he cheated at this meeting. Ordered to by the team manager or not is irrelevant. If someone tells you to jump in the fire you wouldn't would you? A disgrace he was here. Should've had pts deduction and he wouldn't have been in the final at all

[@quartusbuys6831]

@@archieevans4822 seems you and many others had a issue with him. I think he was faarking good.

[@SuzyQ334]

Bruce was a brilliant speedway rider ... and one of the nicest human beings in the sport.

[@ashleyprincess1253]

@@SuzyQ334 Iii

[@jasonjessup8078]

It's no diffrent than when Bob Hannah was shown on his pit board to" let Broc bye" in motocross by their Yamaha management

[@mk1cortinatony395]

To me it looks like Bruce took one for the team and was ORDERED to do so. He looked gutted about it and didnt blame the management.

[@concettamarottaignazi389]

i was there all those years ago.travelled all the way from sheffield to support shawn moran a true tigers hero.but it didnt feel right.Jessup was gifted the win.it was a bad day for speedway

[@michaelporter4050]

Away from the controversy for a moment, I think the White City stadium is now the Westfield shopping centre. No doubt you can hear the ghostly roar of the bikes as you circulate among the Armani, Hugo Boss and other assorted cathedrals of consumerism. Sigh...

[@Win-xl7no]

It's not where Westfield is. Its further up towards the A40. Offices and flats are where the stadium are now.

[@SuzyQ334]

@@Win-xl7no That is sad to hear. This old Londoner's two big loves in the late 70s/early 80s was speedway and rock music. White City was to speedway what Wembley was/is to rock music.

[@SuzyQ334]

Oh gawd, Michael Porter ... is it true that they've turned the brilliant White City Stadium into a Westfield shopping centre? Bearing in mind that retailers are going belly up every day (even classy John Lewis are starting to close retail stores), this old ex-pat living in Oz can only apologise that Australia has given the UK one of the most boring, generic, overpriced and customer-unfriendly shopping "experiences" ever invented. No wonder we're all shopping online, or not shopping at all.

[@calloverpete1318]

No the site is offices for the BBC.

It's not a sport, it's a business and sentiment has no place in business. Putting country above personal gain is a noble gesture.

[@macroevolve]

It's called sandbagging, in the US it is anyway. When a rider purposely rides below their skill level for the benefit of someone else, or maybe because of a points situation, I don't know.

[@johnmcglasson3287]

They deliberately made it a team sport, nation vs Nation, and there were no rules against it, it had been done previously. Penhall was under team orders.

[@antonyhobbs1144]

Kenny Carter the best British speedway rider I've ever seen.

[@nervo6321]

I wouldn’t have gone that far…Peter Collins and Michael Lee at their peak were far and away superior riders in every respect.

[@hambone9444]

Competition invites injury, if you don't need the points, stay off the throttle. Less chance of needless mishap to yourself or your teammates. No dishonor in that at all.

[@AldershotDave]

Dave Lanning - THE voice of speedway!

[@SuzyQ334]

He was good wasn't he?

[@mike_skinner]

Eastbourne Eagles

[@worriedalot525]

Team play !! When similar was done for the team at Cradley it was looked upon with heartfelt gratitude and praised :) one of the things i always loved about speedway ... individual & team sport at same time ... i still remember a time when a team mate let my uncle Dave pass him for first place to get the points he needed, it was a 5-1 win either way of course but still a lovely gesture to sacrifice your win to help someone else in your team ; ) which i also saw many times over .... no different here in my opinion ... Bruce a true Hero for his country ... sacrificed for the good of his team .... good on him i say and God Bless Speedway :)

[@KWN-Cards]

It was nothing more than pure gamesmanship, Bruce put his fellow countryman before himself. What's the problem?

[@MrDavidfball]

he could have been excluded for not racing it is a rule in speedway

[@KWN-Cards]

Yep, I'm aware of the rule. As much as I disagree with it, it is a rule, but that still don't take away from Bruce putting team and country first. I'm not a big Penhall fan, but I will give credit where credit is due.

[@hakapik683]

He threw the race so the bottom of the barrel shit u.s. riders could get through at the expense of the superior British riders. He sucks. Dont get that? Whats the problem?

[@KWN-Cards]

Awwww yu're so cute.

[@bradleyupdyke9492]

@Hakapik; were they on his team? If so it's called team riding nothing BS about it. Superior British riders Hell Penhall, Kelly and Shawn Moran all were top of the heap over in England Speedway racing... Penhall won back to back WORLD championships... yea barrel of shit U.S riders... how many did Kenny Carter win... enough said...

[@Steve-gm2jl]

He was honest about it. Credit there.

[@ianholmes3761]

I remember being at this final everyone was booing Bruce

[@raynic1173]

The last heat was the best, criss-crossing lines, excellent.

[@rangerjones5531]

Damn I hated this tool , and when the kid went to CHiPs he showed how cheezy he was 👹

[@dustyroads5409]

Team player,we need more of that these days.

[@deanwilliams4365]

But its not a team sport, so team playing is cheating. as a result of these tactics and because the governing committee did not ban and or suspend such riders the sport disappeared within 5 years

[@sailorman8668]

Penhall broke the rule regarding 'must make a bonafide effort' - you missed that my friend?

[@dustyroads5409]

Kenny broke the fundamental rules in life with his wife. Enough said on this subject

[@mtnmann72]

Phil Collins is out of it. Good thing he had that singing career.

[@bradrook3919]

lol..

[@bigsur175]

He didn't cheat that's doing it for his country

[@alsmith9818]

I'd call that TEAM RIDING! a GOOD move on Penhall's part!

[@zztop7306]

It's only cheating if the Americans do it lol many other riders from other countries have done the same, even back then. Ofc it's the English who have an issue with it.

[@FranktheDachshund]

"I've seen it done by the Eastern Europeans" Ouch! Never liked imposing team tactics on solo sports.

[@markpav9906]

Ronnie Moore and Bruce Penhall my favorite. two old school riders . not that they ever raced each other.few yrs apart

[@Kurt_Steiner]

Was a dons supporter in the day.... Ronnie Moore was god...

[@lilorbielilorbie2496]

And this is a good example why there is No I in the word team.

[@mandynixon2258]

dave jessop, uncrowned undisputed world champ unlucky on many occassions

[@nickbellinger1047]

you legend bruce

[@EarthSurferUSA]

No no no. Cheating is putting "hot fuel" in your float bowl for a better start, and not being able to detect it in your tank. :) Did they do that? Well, we will never know now, will we? :)

[@danielneece6404]

I didn’t know that was possible but sounds good

[@lordbyron4163]

He put his country before himself ....... that says something about his character - right or wrong.

[@peterchappe828]

All you had to do is qualifier for next round.

[@robpeasley1482]

Um, how about the manufactured race with Jessup, Lee, Mauger and Ross in the 1981 Overseas? Or the Danes (Olsen/Gundersen/Petersen) in Heat 20 of the 1982 ICF? Why pick on Penhall? Double standards.

[@deanwilliams4365]

a friggin big difference. 1 Jessup, Lee, Mauger and Ross in the 1981 Overseas. this was not a points set up to promote one country over another by manipulation. all the riders had enough points anyway to advance. it was only a rubbish report in the daily mirror who sponsored the race that was upset. 2 they didn't even qualify that year so ????

[@robpeasley1482]

Eh? Both Lee and Mauger needed first or second from that final ride in the 1981 Overseas to qualify, and Jessup and Ross were happy to sit back and let them pick up the points. As for the 1982 ICF, Petersen lost in the run-off, but before that in Heat 20, he was waved by Olsen and Gundersen on the final bend. No difference. Just singling out Bruce Penhall. As I said before, double standards.

[@matelot95]

Bruce was my favourite rider (after Steve Wilcock). All he had to do was bust the tapes, put his hand up and retire... anything other than fanny about at the back. It would have been so easy to not make it look obvious.

[@markme4]

Exactly what I was thinking, he could have made it look like he was trying, I mean no one wins them all right?

[@EarthSurferUSA]

#2 in the yellow gear looks a lot like Bob Hannah on a Speedway bike. :)

[@bugbomb8048]

Let me in that race ...... I show them how to come in last

[@justbrowsing1963]

didn't realise that Alan Partidge commentated on speedway too!

[@ianfaultless3240]

I was there for this meeting and while most people could agree with the reasons I think it was the fact Penhall was popping wheelies at the back and that was taking the mick out of the fans and that's what I and many others didn't like

[@DavidLee-no9uc]

And so your saying YOU have a problem with someone expressing themselves by popping wheelies?...Are you GAY?

[@ianfaultless3240]

David Lee Are you homophobic?

[@SteveMagr]

Penhall has said since the incident he should not have done wheelies behind the other Americans. That really antagonised the crowd. His big mistake.

[@SuzyQ334]

ian, I think you're over-thinking a very basic sport. Truth is, Bruce Penhall blew every other rider off the pitch that day. He was just doing his job. He wasn't taking the mick out of anyone.

[@deanwilliams4365]

Hay i was there as well, while i do not agree completely with your comment, as i would say, given the bunch i was there with ( a team) that the crowd had a fairly good knowledge of how the points were stacking. and the individual riders skills and talent. the booing was because he had tossed the race. a race he should have clearly won easily. but there are the british thinking of how much money did he get paid to do this. how much did the bookies rip the punters off for this? and many bookies got a slap after this race. while it is understandable for the soviets to do this since they are sneaky bastards to start with, but it was a shock to see americans bring team tactics into an individual sport. it killed the sport, thank you america! as for the wheelies, that just confirmed him as a wanker

[@stevefellows5022]

has no one ever watched formula 1 if penhall is a cheat what is lewis Hamilton !!!!

[@rob1921]

Bruce a cheat??? Get real, its embarassing to see an english crowd booing one of the riddrs that give british speedway all that entertainment,we need another bruce nowadays

[@SuzyQ334]

Robert ... we need speedway full stop! Having a speedway/KZbin moment on a Sunday night in Sydney, Oz, I just watched a really depressing clip about Coventry Bees abandoned stadium. Thing is, Wimbledon stadium, home of my old team, is apparently now a housing estate.

[@martynhepworthArchiveSpeedway]

Bruce Penhall the Cheat 'question mark question mark'

[@rob1921]

Susannah Hayward totally agree, i was an hackney speedway fan/ second half rider..sadly long gone and zero chance of returning..

[@fiveowaf454]

I don't think it's embarrassing they were booing, Penhall made a decision which he was entitled to do, but at the same time his actions had a consequence that made him unpopular with the crowd, that's sport and people wouldn't watch it if there wasn't a lot of emotion invested in the whole thing.

[@LakesideHammer]

Absolutely epic !

[@martynhepworthArchiveSpeedway]

I was there Adam and I Booooo'd at the top of my Voice. You were only 5 at the time. Did you Boo or cheer when you watched It?

[@johnthomson3772]

That was pathetic wouldn't happen today

[@ericwilcox5925]

Just plain fun to watch! I'll stay out of the politics, I ride but not like the pro's.

[@kevinbrookes4870]

Super Stadium and track White City. Never got to go there myself unfortunately I First saw White City in an episode of the Sweeney. What became of it? Don't tell me a shopping complex, or housing estate.

[@martynhepworthArchiveSpeedway]

Think it became the BBC Broadcasting Centre.

[@peterlantz9874]

Whold love to see anything with Sören Sjösten

[@byronwatson9723]

Right on

[@othgmark1]

Bruce did his job.

[@jackgess3364]

Speedway great sport invented by Australia dominated by Europe. Yet another great producer we made nothing out of . Bruce Penal did nothing wrong

[@sailorman8668]

'Dominated by Europe'? At one stage, the sport was dominated by New Zealand riders.

[@fiveowaf454]

It cannot be cheating, IMO, if you do it completely openly, so everyone can see it happening and the referees do not conclude you were doing something wrong. I can understand it being unpopular and it could even be classed as unsportsmanlike, but if it was allowed to happen, therefore falling within the rules, then it can't be cheating. On the flip side there is a case for the rule covering a rider not bona fide effort to have been invoked, but again that's the decision of those paid to make such a judgment, not the rider's responsibility.

[@G31mR]

I agree. and even if he had been disqualified for not making a bonafide effort, the result would have been the same. Good for you, Bruce.

[@Youhaverights6]

Hell yeah

[@jenbill]

I read the title had to see what it was about, give me a break not even close to cheating team sportsmanship is all had it been a Brit no doubt standing ovation and knighthood would of been done Ahahahahahaah!

[@oneofmany1087]

Something's are meant to be ! Have a Cupper and enjoy .

[@derrickzenner9300]

What do the helmet cover's do

[@paulhebblethwaite7168]

Blow off regularly!!

[@dongantt7824]

Pinhall,you’ve been naughty have you? You naughty Americans just look at you.

[@SuzyQ334]

Pinhall? Really?

[@fireblademan494]

At least he was good enough to admit it. Team tactics are worse today with big money and constructors titles.

[@walkersmith947]

Why is he cheating it just show penhall is not selfish put country and team before himself.

[@kevinbrookes4870]

Penhall should've been punished for that. Points deducted perhaps. Then he may not have been in the final at all.

[@PredragCrnkovic]

Referee in grey suit surely spent a lot on dry cleaning.

[@joracer1]

Pointing out dumb rules by taking advantage of them is the ultimate protest. If the dumb rule makers are going to give advantage to slower riders then why not shove it back in their face....

[@bloodrose685]

Im alittle late to the party.. I Surely would NOT say he is a cheat.. Had he purposely wrecked an opponent or jumped a start, etc. That would be cheating. Bruce purposefully tanked the race to help his team mates. And lost money, lost the race (Which is hard for true competitors and especially top competitors.) . So he made a sacrifice for his team.. You can see by the interview, he clearly wasnt happy with having to do so. Lost money, lost stature, added loss to his permanent record which will be his legacy..

[@richardleary9085]

It

[@TrevorHeath]

Well to me that incident and how the British "fans" treated Penhall contributed to him quitting after Los Angeles. Who lost then?

[@martynhepworthArchiveSpeedway]

Penhall lost out as his 'Movie career' flopped big time.

[@peteranddorothybowles5428]

Can anyone imagine K C in Chips?

[@robtatum5277]

Wouldnt call it cheating but isnt there a rule in speedway that you have to show you are at least trying to race ? All this and the world champs to come and no controversy there then !!!!!!!!???????

[@placidrenegade]

King Kenny forever

[@duconce]

Roberts, you bet

[@timmarshallsay]

You have 4 US riders in the same heat, all with a chance to qualify - why was anyone surprised? Not cheating.

[@DavidLee-no9uc]

putting all the U S riders in the same heat is sure a good way to weed out the Americans huh? :(

[@bradleyupdyke9492]

Penhall had already advanced why would he take out other American riders or risk tearing up his equipment... I would have had fun or as we say over here put on a show with some show boating...

[@deanwilliams4365]

But its not a team sport, so team playing is cheating. as a result of these tactics and because the governing committee did not ban and or suspend such riders the sport disappeared within 5 years

[@deanwilliams4365]

riders were no PUT in the heat, they gained there place in the heat based on there previous race results/ points. by advancing lower point holding US riders with a results not honestly gained by skill and ability, advanced them into the next heat thus displacing other riders with earned points. so yes cheating

[@deanwilliams4365]

because if he had won that heat he would have won the title on points alone. by giving points to other US riders he displaced two UK riders and possibly a NZ rider from the final heat. the final would have been US, UK,UK UK. as a result of his actions the final was US, US, US, UK.

[@lomasck]

He did not Cheat

[@sandwichman100]

only in speedway do you get a guy in a cheap blue suit on the start grid lol

[@markmark5269]

Not fucking rocket science, simple to understand FFS. Oh wait, it was an English crowd, carry on....

WHAT A SAD YOUNG MAN TURNING HIS BACK ON ENGLISH CROUD WHAT DID HE EXPECT

[@mandynixon2258]

the demise of speedway in UK finished and over cheats and money prevail, supporters lose

[@jaywilliams3874]

Of course its cheating, riding from the tapes as if he has never ridden before. First time I have ever seen that.

[@stephannickson3164]

bruce, unlucky pawn of the controllers

[@joracer1]

No cheating, Brits and their stupid rules, that point system sucked, change it.... qualify for speed, take top 16, 4 races take winner of each then 1 race the winner of that race is the winner no BS.

[@Henshawmusic]

"I did it for the sake of speedway" BELLEND!

[@jacksonirving4594]

How very dare you.

[@scooter183]

It was an individual final,, Bruce should have pull out all the stops,, fuk the country,, it was individual, if it was best pairs, then you look after your teammates

[@YOUTUBEFELON]

Penhall was always a "Foul and dangerous rider".. (quote is from the ref after the Kenny Carter 'incident' at the1982 world final), I was EXPECTING to see this.... I think that this WAS a flouting of the rules... BUT the ref 'on the day' had the chance to 'pull' Penhall.. but he let it go. Stop whinging....... BTW R.I.P. Kenny Carter... (reborn as Tai Woffinden..?)

[@nervo6321]

Penhall foul and dangerous rider !!!! As if Carter wasn't!!!!!

[@jamesdean2558]

Bruce penhall was allways a class act ...he made a tough decision ...and it wasnt selfish by no means ..he is one of a kind and deserves all the respect the country can give ...

[@trackjunky3338]

its a catch 22 , he made a choice good on him

[@deanwilliams4365]

no catch 22, just a pocketful of money, killed the sport !! and thats sad

[@davidpayne4315]

Must be how he got CHIPS

[@markbutler6539]

Playing the game !

[@DavidLee-no9uc]

No Cheating on Bruce's behalf!.. Seam's more like the Lymies are a little "Butthurt" that the Yankie's are Kicking Ass!...Greg Hancock must have gave them Heart Attacks! lol

[@mandynixon2258]

speedway was bent well before this

[@SuzyQ334]

Speedway was never bent. The organisers weren't smart enough to "bend it". It was just a sport that thousands of people loved and when our teams lost, they lost. This brilliant sport died a death because the organisers didn't know how to keep it alive ... IMHO. x

[@martynhepworthArchiveSpeedway]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHPFppKBe8xkfM0

[@digdougedy]

Lets get this straight. He sacrificed a win so that two English riders could take first and second. A truly great English patriot.

[@scottmassage2658]

At the end of the day, like him or hate him, what can be said is that a top class rider called Bruce Penhall was NOT a good example or spokesman for the sport of Speedway.

[@ianmangham4570]

Cheating my BOLLOCKS

[@primoverdone]

BOOGALOO.....

[@alanheath7056]

Took all the brown land now so kids have Nothing today except walk the streets especially in City. The council sell ,sell, but didn't think of the Generation`s to come

[@jacksonirving4594]

Dave jessup probably one of the best riders and most unluckiest never too have won the World final.. Not a bad golfer either mind.

[@nervo6321]

Great rider but never professional enough.....did everything on the cheap.....

[@SuzyQ334]

I was a Wimbledon Dons fan back in the day ... and a rookie journalist. I interviewed Dave and Roger Johns for a story on speedway. Lovely blokes, both of them. x

[@SuzyQ334]

I think Dave Jessup was a really nice bloke. I was a Wimbledon Dons fans and DJ was a very ordinary rider. He was never going to win the World Final. Glad to hear he's good at golf.

[@antonyhobbs1144]

Penhall was hated in England

[@4793bigdaddy]

Loosing on porpoise is just loosing. Not cheating. Change the rules.

[@deanwilliams4365]

it is cheating until the rules are changed

[@SuzyQ334]

"Loosing on porpoise". Really? Doesn't your phone have a spell-checker?

[@shifttube1283]

we dont even have this shit in america

[@martynhepworthArchiveSpeedway]

Yes you do.....

[@jasonjessup8078]

Yes we do, that's why we have 2 American world speedway champions Greg Hancock and Bruce Penhall

[@deconteesawyer5758]

CLICKBAIT title. Thumbs down, That is cheating !

[@martynhepworthArchiveSpeedway]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 how can twenty minutes of Classic Speedway be Clickbait. Hilarious.

[@deconteesawyer5758]

@@martynhepworthArchiveSpeedway Seems your little series of cartoon drawings reflect your education on what a Title entails.

[@martynhepworthArchiveSpeedway]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 obviously a Penhall fan 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@deconteesawyer5758]

@@martynhepworthArchiveSpeedway Time for your nap, and a change of nappies.

[@martynhepworthArchiveSpeedway]

@@deconteesawyer5758 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 everyone falls asleep reading your immature comments, I'll have that nap now 🤣💇🤣💇🤣💇

[@lllucky13]

cheating yank

[@fivecitydirttracker4776]

Lmao.......right....cheater......"fuck no team player!"

[@stephannickson3164]

this sport has always been bent like all others including british footie

[@anonfrank546]

this is boring as nascar

[@kevinjuden1239]

Like to see you try it.

[@hammered0184]

Try Russian Roulette.