Speedways Greatest Races Bruce Penhall v Ole Olsen 1981

Superb racing from the 1981 Wembley World Final........2 classic heats from Bruce Penhall against Ole Olsen and Tommy Knudsen......It dosen't get much better than this!

[@cwnapier67]

Simply the best racing of any kind at anytime. I watched this on TV back in England and being half American I was pulling for Bruce Penhall. Absolutely loved his style and never give up racing. Amazing in the second race when he was hanging off the handle bars getting drive off the final corner just amazing and 100,000 fans.

[@BarryPrice1959]

Yes I was in the crowd that night and the atmosphere was amazing......Penhall was just tremendous, always one of my favourite riders........he sure put it together on a great night for the American.

[@SuzyQ334]

I'm an old Londoner and my team was the Wimbledon Dons. But we all loved the Yanks and Bruce was one of the most talented (and the nicest) riders - together with the Moran brothers and Dennis Sigalos. TBH, British speedway was in deep s**t until the Americans showed up.

[@ono147]

Half American,, do you pronounce his name "Pen-hall" or "Penull". Cheers

[@hansbruhl9871]

​@@ono147Pen - hall😊

[@markme4]

​@@SuzyQ334Wow we Americans always thought speedway in Europe was very popular back in the 70s. I watched Penhall start his career here in California, I was disappointed when he left but I'm glad he did, thank you for accepting the Americans over there

[@przemysawjanowski6181]

Poetry of speedway racing and poetry of speedway commentary

[@modacare4546]

Bruce was the greatest speedway racer in the world. I raced with him in the late 70s in California. What a classy guy and and an incredible person.

[@dennisbergen7657]

Great stuff! Can't get enough ♥️

[@geoffredrup9616]

Absolute classics. Speedway was still big in the UK then with Wembley hosting some great finals, a number of which I was lucky enough to attend.

[@jacksonirving4594]

I was there. Brilliant atmosphere.

[@BarryPrice1959]

Hi Jackson.....yes so was I and it was a tremendous night of Speedway

[@martyncheung7982]

Bruce Penhall just gave a fantastic interview in the talk speedway podcast on Spotify fascinating listen

[@brentritchie6199]

Great video of 2 oF the best heat finishes in the history of the old one off finals. Penhall really wanted that title

[@AceGibson1959]

Hard, clean racing. Shaking hands at the end of the race. Classy move.

[@VimyScout]

I used to go watch Belle Vue Aces when I was a kid. I remember Ole actually had a bike shop on Hyde Rd for years.

[@SuzyQ334]

I think the fabulous Collins brothers were Belle Vue boys as well. I

[@mrbillhicks]

Huge crowds at Wembley for Speedway back in the day... First place I ever saw Speedway racing live and the bug never left me...

[@nealspilsbury8639]

Ole and Bruce 2 of greatest riders ever

[@SuzyQ334]

Yep.

[@dinastanford7779]

My uncle used watch speedway in the 1950's. He lost a tooth to a chunk of gravel.

[@strosiemead4242]

Great speedway, super commentary.

[@markwoodiwiss9762]

The best speedway race ever and incredibly fair from Ole Olsen to leave him racing room on the run in to the line ...

[@SuzyQ334]

Oh, behave Mark. Even Ole couldn't beat Penhall. In his day, he was the champ.

[@vatasynek]

best best best best best best best best of the best. best atmosphere, best riders, bikes looking oldschool good, great. Dave Lenning top commentary, best best best! And action from Bruce, fantastic!!!!!!

[@BarryPrice1959]

I was at Wembley that night and it was fantastic........Penhall was 'Class' and the racing was top draw.........great to look back at one of the 'Golden' era's of speedway..........Regards Barry

[@vatasynek]

Everytime I want to see some top racing, which makes me mad, I have to play someting like this. This is above then anything. The atmosphere and everything is really unbelievable. Bruce was top class, shame he finished his carrier so early, but. Speedway won't be the same than it was there. Awesome!!!!

[@chathamabs2011]

Dad took me to Poole back in 1980? to see Eng v USA. When all the riders went round on the trailer before the racing I was star struck😂. Bruce was such a hero to me as a 10 year old , disappointing when he quit but at least he went out at the top. Great rider, then came the Danes 👌

[@tkmikkelsen1]

It is unfortunate that we never got peak Nielsen and Gundersen versus Penhall. While both Nielsen and Gundersen was in the 81 final they where not the polished riders they where 3 years later. Though Gundersen was only a blown engine away from a run-off for the title versus Penhall in 81, but then again so was Carter.

[@SuzyQ334]

EBM - so true. I'm an old Wimbledon Dons fan and IMHO Bruce Penhall was one of the most talented, nicest - and most articulate - of the US riders. Cradley fans were so lucky to get him.

[@carlallison7818]

Absolutely fantastic video.Thank you 🙂 it was around this time that my childhood team hull Vikings got thrown off their home by their rugby league landlords!!!

[@SuzyQ334]

B*****d rugby league landlords. Like I couldn't give a stuff about sport, any sport, but speedway was one of the best sports ever

[@GARYPARKER-x8i]

Speedway at its very best those were the days

[@richardgordon2855]

fair play penhall wanted that world speedway trophy nobody was going to beat him, apart from another cradley rider, I'm being blast again but you can't blame me, cradley had set the British league alight.

[@jswaggart01]

I have never seen this alternate footage with Dave Lanning commentary… I would love to see more if you have it.

[@milles02]

Fantastic racing, thanks for the memories!

[@BarryPrice1959]

+milles02 Thanks Milles....yes great racing indeed from Wembley in 1981.....Penhall was tremendous.....cheers Barry

[@chunder27]

You are right Barrie, total legends all three of them, thanks for uploading this, my word this was going on at WEMBLEY, can you imagine that!

[@BarryPrice1959]

+chunder27 Thanks Chunder......Penhall was a class act thats for sure.........I was there at Wembley in 1981 it was amazing..........it was the biggest ever crowd at Wembley for any event...........103,000.............a night to remember.........Cheers Barry

[@kingstumble]

I was there. What a night!

[@BarryPrice1959]

So was I.....great night of speedway amazing crowd......Cheers Barry

[@seppopylkko3465]

Kyllä, myös minä olin katsomassa MM-finaalia. Hieno kisa ja katsomo täynnä speedwayfaneja. Tiukkoja taistelueriä, joissa Bruce Penhall näytti parasta osaamistaan.

[@newtrackrecord]

Speedway is a wonderful and beautiful sport when it is like this. Sadly races like these are the exception rather than the rule, and that is its main problem.

[@g.g.6362]

Terrific racing and memories....

[@tankjohnson5857]

YO SISTERS MEMORIES mmmm GO BACK 2 MEXICO

[@karlosthevulturemischeski5583]

What a awesome rider,one of the best !

[@Poona69a]

Awesome racing. Cheers for the upload mate

[@drrjim]

1:37 both wheelie

[@dennymcfastlane8530]

Those wheelies are synchronized. Great racing--Thank You.

[@dewbiewa]

Ah yes..Northern California Fast Friday nights as a kid. 81-85

[@acegibson9533]

Bruce Penhall just refuses to lose.

[@BarryPrice1959]

Yes he was a great racer with super skills on a speedway machine......one of my favourite's of all time was Bruce.......Cheers Barry

[@SuzyQ334]

Bruce never lost a race - he didn't refuse; he just outraced his competitors.

[@andrewbishop7441]

Two things Wembley can't take away from cradley heath last world championship winner and track record heathens till we die

[@andrewbishop7441]

When the world championship was brilliant

[@jessebelanger9753]

They look like Knights of the Round Table, on their steel horses.

[@egonmuller6180]

It was clear to me after a round. There is nothing to get here for me. Both rode over the limit. I thought it wasn't going well. But that was a world speedway demo.

[@BarryPrice1959]

Thank You for your comment Egon.......as a spectator at Wembley that night it was a Fantastic occasion and some memorable racing. As World Finals go the 1981 event was the biggest and the best........Regards Barry

[@jacksonirving4594]

And then the GM came along. 🤣

[@AmIonArock]

"Speedway "Is it called something else in America? Football = Soccer. Do they have the same sport here. I would like to watch. This is my favorite race style. It involves: Strategy and the balls to pull it off.

[@scottmason517]

It's also called speedway in America as far as i know. I think it only takes place in California tho. I know Costa Mesa Speedway is one of the main places. American tracks are nearly half the size of European and Australian tracks.

[@bretmuldner]

Back then the racing was so much more respectful NOT like today, Penhall and company (other competitors)where and conveyed a atmosphere of respect and professionalism all while still having fun and being cut throat in order to win with out being dirty riders! The bikes were also "just" PURE bad ass, no gimmicks or fluff the motors where time tested and beast! TODAY speedway is still the most purest form of "motorcycle"racing and I just hope that the sanctioning body will wake up and keep politics completely out of motor sports......Olsen and Knudsen was so fast and and helped make racing fun to watch.

[@mangelpaaideer]

So true.

[@MagicTalkingTaco]

Blah blah blah! You're so full of shit.

[@EyeSeeProjection]

People remember the great racing that night but my mind always points to Dave Jessup missing out because of a 50p jubilee clip.

[@FlavioFerretto]

Io ero a Wembley quella sera

[@dougrogers835]

The only time being 5 ft 7 in life is a good thing.

[@arturamatuni5801]

✌️👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@trackside77]

Very sad to think that Wembley today has no place for Speedway. Personally, I do not like the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff as the venue for the British Grand Prix? The most logical place is the Olympic Stadium. With a 9 lane wide athletics track it would be ideal. I wrote to both the British Speedway Control Board, and the FIM about 6 years ago. To date I have not received a reply. Proof that the sport is being run by people that simply do not care. No wonder Speedway is a dying sport in the UK.

[@marko1316]

The Millennium stadium as a venue for speedway is over rated, over hyoed and over marketed. My parents were speedway mad and I was brought up watching Hackney Hawks and then Kestrels. As an eight year old I was at this world FInal, sat behind Olle Nygren and I will never forget the atmosphere. My dad was ecstatic throughout with this meeting and Ioved Bruce Penhall - now I see why!

[@robtatum5277]

Sorry cant agree The principality stadium is amazing & makes for a fantastic day out

[@bebmeister656]

A Cardiff GP is no Wembley World Final, that's for sure. As the Poles have three GPs each season, it remains a mystery to me why we cannot have a GP in London as well as Cardiff.

[@TimothyBall-mv3lp]

9-12-2024. Oh fudge, use more lights. Hard to see much of this race.

[@alanbegg]

What was the attendance? It looks massive.

[@BarryPrice1959]

It was the biggest attendance at the old Wembley stadium.......over 100,000 people......regards Barry

[@michaelsharpin3369]

@@BarryPrice1959 I was there

[@rob51e]

90 thousand.

[@stephenprice5883]

Sure it was 92 ,000 Erik gundersen broke the track record and forever holds it.