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u.s. National Speedway Championship
Penhall keeps on going
By Ken Kellogg
Photos by Dennis Greene end Kellogg
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COSTA MESA, CA. OCT. 10
Bruce Penhall capped off a banner year when,
before a packed house at the Orange County
Fairgrounds. he captured the 1981 U.S.
8 Speedway Championship.
The win was a popular win,
and cenainly not unexpected.
But it was still amazing that
Penhall was able to pull it off.
He had been hospitalized the previous
two days due to a severe cue of
influenza. and was only released f()l1r
houn before the race. Penhall's condi-
tion was 10 weakened that he required
oxygen after every heat.
The night provided all the thinp
you could uk for. The popular hero
(PenhaU) took it all. the IUper talent
(Mike Bast) placed second and then
the big story was a big upset as John
Sandona fmiahed third. In qualifing it
was a IUrprile that Sandona made the
