VOL. 51 ISSUE 50 DECEMBER 16, 2014 P209
bike has changed quite a bit from
that period, but over the last 30 or
40 years the bike hasn't changed
that much.
But that's part of the sport's
charm, isn't it?
It is. People look at it like it's
a little bit prehistoric, but there's
something interesting about that
prehistoric side. It's a 500cc mo-
torcycle, but it goes from zero to
60 in two seconds. There's some-
thing about taking your motorcy-
cle at 75 or 80 miles an hour and
throwing it sideways into a pretty
sharp corner. You can't beat that.
I think everyone should try it.
Describe Speedway in South-
ern California during the 1980s
glory era.
That glory era went on when I
was a kid. I grew up in it. I'm so
happy I did. I watched Bruce Pen-
hall from the time he was 17 years
old. I watched him and all the guys
race at places like Costa Mesa, Ir-
windale, Ascot, Long Beach and
San Bernardino. For me, those
were the glory days. They went
right up through the mid-1980s.
When Bruce Penhall retired, you
saw a drop. Bruce set the world
on fire in a very short period. He
was pretty spectacular. For me,
that was the period. It all sticks in
my head like it was yesterday.
How bad ass would it be to
see a Speedway GP here in
California one day?
I'm waiting for it! I'm with you!
It would be bad ass and I hope
that they do it before I can't put
my foot on the ground to go side-
ways again. CN
Hancock was also the first World
Speedway Champion to win the
title after having to sit out a round
with a broken hand.
