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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126957
Bruce Penhall, in his first appearance in European Speedway racing in several years, beat Peter Collins in all three races. Shawn Moran (leading) was the overall winner for the day at the Farewell Fiesta at England's Belle Vue Stadium. Collins persents Penhall with a brandy warmer after the American swept the match races from Cl)lIins at his farewell performance. . Penhall spoils Collins' farewell by John Hipkiss BELLE VUE, ENGLAND, MAR. 29 Peter Collins .finally said farewell to the speedway world when he presented his Farewell Fiesta at a packed Belle Vue Stadium, and it was a fitting finale to a (Above) Peter Collins (right) was joined by a few of his friends including Bruce Penhall, who competed in a match race (below) against Collins. career spanning 16 years. And the icing on the cake was the· return to a European speedway track by former World Champion Bruce .Penhall, who rode three match races against Collins in tribute to an ambassador and personal friend for many years. Penhall had flown over from Los Angeles specially for this one-off meeting. The two former World Champions lined up against each other three times and though Penhall won them all the five-year-Iayoff showed, with times about two seconds slower than the meeting races. But one must remember this was more of a demo ride for 6000 fans to say thanks and· goodbye to one of England's favorite speedway sons. After his one-off racing comebac\< Penhall said, "Yes, of course, I am tempted to come back.". Penhall, who won the World Championship titles in 1981 and 1982 and retired on the rostrum in Los Angeles after winning his second title, quic\ly added, "And that's why I Slay away from racing, although that's hard because a lot of my friends are here. If P.e. had been fit it would have been a different story. Neither of us are race fit, Peter is still recovering from a broken shoulder he received on New Year's day in Australia and I had a knee operation recently so we were both racing unfit. After the first race I was completely exhausted, and by the time we had finished the last race I was very, very tired. " Penhall appeared in the red, white and blue leathers he used to win the '82 title in LA, on the back was "Nelson" - the name of the character he played in the popular CHiPS TV series. He plans to return to England next year, in a testimonial meeting for Erik Gundersen, but with the provision of getting some practice in first. Collins' meeting was well supported by his American friends, the overall winner was Shawn Moran, brother Kelly was sixth and Lance King finished well up the score chart. Bobby Schwartz, who had flown in with Penhall specially for the event, came down with a stomach ailment which caused him to miss the meeting. . •