Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126492
o
00
~
.....
CN
CN
1-0
Q;
..c
o
...
t.J
o
lClockwise from top left) Bruce Penhall stayed in front all night for five perfect rides 8I1d the title. HeevIIy favored AI8n ChristiIIn tried twd but hed to ..me
for second. Dubb Ferrell gets a hand while giving Penhalla bath. Ferrell and Brad Oxley test each other's nerves.
Penhall sweeps
U.S. Speedway Nationals
By Ken Kellogg and Debbie Kellogg
COSTA MESA, CA, OCT. 11
This was it - American speedway's biggest race
of the year, the U.S. Championship, the grand
fmale. The stage was set. The top 16 riders had
done everything possible to prepare themselves
and their equipment. Promoter
Harry Oxley had the rest of the
stage to prepare. The track was
.
. .
In perfect condltt.on and. the
10
stands were a sellout, g1VlOg the riders
the largest purse ever, a reported
$20,000. Even all the programs were
sold out.
Rolling out for the first event were
Bruce Penhall, Scott Autrey, Mike
Faria and Bobby McLain, a little late
getting out due to a nervous stomach.
Penhall was first off the line and was
never even c ha lIenged, just a sa m pie of
what he would do for the entire evening.
Bruce was outstanding. Virtually
untouchable, he rode mostly on the
outside, but when the occasion arose,
he rode inside with ease. Autrey,
McLain and Faria followed him in.
The favored rider coming into the
race. the guy who basically dominated
American speedway and won the State
Championship was, of course, Alan
"Crazy" Christian. He started just as
everyone figured he would and won
event number three followed by Mike
Muntean, Steve Columbo and Brad
Oxley.
Event five was Dubb Ferrell's second
race. He took his first heat by about
fiv.e bike lengths and did it again in
thIS one. So far, a perfect score. Ferrell
got a great start beating out Lance
King who was gaining, but there just
weren't enough laps for Lance to reo
cover from his bad start. Third was
Columbo and McLain took fourth.
Event six was the race that probably
decided the National Champion. The
crowd never sat down during this one.
The match·up was Christian, Penhall,
Dave DeTemple and Denny Pyeatt.
The gate went up and Penhall took the
lead going into turn one with Christian
right behind, DeTemple third by less
than a tire and Pyeatt outside. Penhall
took command going into the straighr.
away with Christian pushing hard,
unable to catch him. Bruce won every
race at the gate and this was no exceprion. At the checkered, it was Penhall
by two bike lengths in front of Christian,
Pyeatt and DeTemple.
The next race marched Dave Sims,
Keith Chrisco. Eddie Ingels and Scott
Autrey. This may well have been Dave's
best race of the night. Chrisco gar the
gate and was still in the lead going into
turn one. Then out of nowhere, Sims
went underneath him and shot out like
a rocket. Sims went on to lengthen his
lead, winning by about six bike lengths.
Chrisco took second, Ingels third and
Autrey went down and was given fourth.
Three riders had perfect scores going
into race 10 - Ferrell, Sims and Pen·
ball, Oxley had only two points, but,
as always, was a threat.
Penhall got the gate with a great
start. In turn one, Ferrell, Oxley and
Sims were aLI tire to tire with Ferrell
actually in fourtb. Dubb worked his
way around Oxley and Sims, but once
Penhall's in front, carching him is im·
possible.
Race II basically told the story for
Dave DeTemple. He was having a bad
night, went down in this event and
ended up with no points, but he'll be
back next year.
Cbristian was first off tbe line in
race 17 witb Sims right behind, Jeff
Tomlin and McLain collided causing
a restart. On the restart, bad luck
struck Christian. He went down in a
tire match and was out with zero
points. McLain led until rhe last lap
wilen Ile fell letting Tomlin and Sims by.
If Penhalliost race 18, he still would
have won the title by one point. But
most people weren't aware of this in·
c1uding Bruce. That didn't matter as
he was unbeatable in this beat, beat·
ing Steve Columbo. Eddie Ingels and
Shawn McConnelL When the race was
over Penhall jumped off bis bike
before it had stopped and went down
with it. He jumped right up and began
waving his inde)< finger signifying
number one to the farlS. The srands
were shaking with cheers. It took
about five minutes to calm things
down enough just to finish the last two
races.
The final race of rbe evening
couldn't let anything calm happen.
Ferrell won the hear and by doing so,
put himself into a tie with Christian
for second. Therefore, a runoff to
decided second was added.
Botb riders rolled up to, then back
off the tapes trying to psych each other
out. The gate went up and Ferrell was
actually out first, but with the
precision he had ridden with all year,
Christian went undernearh and took
the lead, never to be caught again.
Alan "Crazy" Christian, tbe favorite
going in, took second and Ferrell
earned third, which was really good
since tbis year Dubb said he was trying
to make a comeback! He did indeed
comeback.
After all was settled· down in the
stands, Bruce Penhall walked out to be
crowned as the new National Cham·
pion. He was especially happy to have
this win after his loss in the World
Finals.
•
Results
1. IIruce _11151; 2. Alon Christian 1111; 3. Dubb
Ferrell 1111; 4. Scon Autrey 1101; 5. Dave Sims (101; 6.
Dennv ~n 191; 7. Mike Forie C8l; Dave DeTemple
(7); 9. Jeff Tomlin till; 10. Il