Interesting T2x - If Bruce goes into a category of only a handful of people to win world titles in 2 separate sports though, he must have done ok. Seven world titles in offshore I understand.
Only well-financed due to some darn hard work attracting sponsorship too. Spent 18 months building that up. How many world titles are off each year in the sport. I presume its not like speedway where there is only one world champion each year?

Remember Bruce was
Also a ACTOR and we
know how easy it is
for a Actor to win a Worlds Championship.
:D
OH and lets not forget Nigel Hooks
current driver
Crieg Archer from
New Zealand who was
one of the men who
did most the work on
The Boat Crave the
Wave.
Mike J.

World Champs???

When they raced, APBA (APBA-Offshore.com) probably had about 10 classes and SBI (www.superboat.com) had the same.....so each year there were 20 Offshore Racing World Champions. But, only two in Super V or whatever they called the class they raced in back then.

I can tell you where the crave the wave boat is? If you're interested.

Addiction

How many chapters of the book are devoted to Ponch?

I had a Ponch CHiPs toy motorcycle when I was a kid. I woudl take band aids and stick the Ponch figure naked on the front of the motorcycle and launch it off a ramp repeatedly into the wall. Ponch really liked it rough!

I found Ponch a few years back in an old chest in the house. He had dogbite marks all over and had a hand chewed off. Still was wearing his helmet, though.

What'd Bruce think about Ol' Ponch?

I liked Bruce, cause I was one of 2 kids in school that knew what a 500cc alky burning no-brake Jawa was all about.

A friend of mine has a full-on restored ready to go speedway CZ. We only rode it a few times during the resto, and they flat FLY.

I'll buy a copy of the book when it's out.

m

Re: BRUCE PENHALL INFO - Ocean Spray 'Crave the Wave'
 

T2x - You weren't one of these, were you? (Detractor, I mean...)

Re: Re: BRUCE PENHALL INFO - Ocean Spray 'Crave the Wave'
 

No, I wasn't...... However there was a west coast guy....a former A class racer whose name escapes me at the moment...... that did a lot more of Bruce's early races. By the time I saw Bruce at a National event the Ocean Spray Scarab was already quite competitive.

I repeat, given the obvious talent of Dennis and Bruce, their rise to prominence was not surprising. The concept that they somehow "defied the odds" is a little far fetched.

I did give Bruce a gentle razzing at one of the APBA annual awards banquets that I co-hosted with the very lovely Mr. David....after Crave The Wave won its LAST championship...Bruce chose the occasion to blast a number of other competitors, the officials, and at least one engine builder....while accepting the award...... My retort after he finished.....in jest...was something like "For those of you who are somewhat baffled by his comments, Bruce finally got to use the acceptance speech he wrote in case he ever got that Emmy."

In summary, Bruce is a talented, attractive, competitive guy....with a heck of a resume'.

T2x

OK, so as I'm new here and unfamiliar, may I ask T2x - what is your name?

I am a little surprised to hear that Bruce 'blasted' some fellow competitors etc, as I have always found him to be very graceful in victory and defeat.

A trait of his speedway career was that he would never make excuses - while others blamed the bike, the track, the weather or whatever; if Bruce messed up he'd be gutted with himself and he'd admit the mistakes. He would praise his opponents too, but did have a roaring ongoing battle with an English guy called Kenny Carter. They had some tussles over the years which got pretty hairy.

Another powerboat question from a novice then- how much of a victory is down to machinery and how much down to the man. Also as I understand they were separate responsibilities for 'driving' and throttle, who is the key guy there. Is it like sidecar rider and passenger or is it pretty equal?

As I recall, Bruce was upset that his engines had been made illegal, for the following season by certain rules changes...and he felt his engine builder had been out maneuvered politically by another racer/engine builder.... He was not gentle in his comments towards a lot of people that evening... He wasn't "making excuses"...since he was accepting a championship....rather he was blowing off steam....in a way that could have been better handled.

In those days the throttleman was generally a bit more vital than the driver....an irrelevant point in the case of Dennis and Bruce.

My name is Rich Luhrs.......what's yours?

T2x

Thanks for the info, its very interesting. I understand that Bruce has turned down an offer to return to offshore since leaving, but that Dennis is maybe involved again.

Before I found this site I had emailed a couple of others who I thought may be able to help my quest, but was surprised to find that some seemingly related sites had never heard of BP.

Is the sport divided into several factions, or is it just unlikely that many people will have heard of him? I imagine if I picked any speedway web site and asked about Bruce that every one would have at least heard of him, even though he won more championships on the water than on the shale.

Cheers. Steve Johnson.