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SPEEDWAY Greg Hancock Testimonial Meeting: Coventry Stadium By Scott Rousseau Photos by John Hipkiss COVENTRY, ENGLAND, APR. 19 t was cold, overcast and somewhat rainy, but the stars still came out at Coventry Stadium and Greg Hancock lived another of his personal dreams. For this was the day that Hancock, the reigning World Speedway Champion, staged his lO-year testimonial meeting, a race awarded in his honor by the British Speedway Promoters Association for a decade of service with the same British League speedway club, the Cradely Heath Heathens. That's the short version, but there is much more to it. In reality, Hancock becomes the race promoter for this one meeting. He rents the stadium, devises the race program, plans and pays for all of the extracurricular activities - everything from sideshows for the fans to hospitality for his scores of sponsors and VIPs. All the logistics are his to sort out, and at the end of the day, he must hope that he has done well to attract as large a crowd as possible, because just as the expenses are his, so are the profits. His was a unique position to be in, when you consider the following facts: (1) Hancock is only the second American ever to be in the position of holding the .World title and his testimonial in the same year; (2) His status as a Cradely Heath Heathen on loan to the Coventry Bees speedway team - due to the fact tha t the Cradely club is on hold for lack (Above) Greg Hancock (holding American flag) celebrated his tenure as a British League speedway rider by throwing a . little party at Coventry Stadium and inviting a few friends. Hancock, the reigning World Speedway Champion, has been riding for the Cradely Heath Heathens for 10 years. (Left) The big one: Hancock (center) got the jump in tile fiverider final but drifted wide, allowing Jason Crump (to his right) and Craig Boyce (to his left) the chance to pass and go for the 12 Australian finish. Hancock wound up third. of a venue - gives him the chance to be appreciated by both clubs' fans; (3) Hancock is one of the most popular and successful American riders in speedway racing history. And Hancock took full advantage of his position by staging a "family reunion" of epic porportions. No less than seven World Individual Speedway Champions were seen cruising the stadium grounds. And aside from the absence of teammate and former World Champion Billy Hamill, former World Champion and fellow American Sam Ermolenko and the legendary Moran brothers from the States, Hancock managed to book a show that included speedway's American heroes of yesteryear as part of a three-ring circus that could likely go down as one of the most significant speedway races in history. In addition to the regular program, which pitted top British League against World Individual Grand Prix-caliber talent from around the world in a format that saw the best five into the main event, Hancock put together a team testmatch series, incorporating former top names from America's World Championship speedway heyday of the '80s as they squared off with some of England's finest from the same era. Easily recognizable American names such as twotime World Best Pairs Champion Bobby Schwartz, John Cook, Rick Miller and Lance King were on hand to do battle against an England side that included former greats Chris Morton, Simon Cross, Malcolm Simmons and Phil Collins. And to top it all off, Hancock delivered, as perhaps only he could, two rid-