speedwayfan

I am currently researching the final stages of a biography about former Offshore Powerboat World Champion BRUCE PENHALL. The book is 90% focused on his speedway career and is intended to appeal to a mainly speedway audience.

However, I would also like to include an update on his achievements since retiring from speedway. I have been lucky enough to have Bruce's complete assistance in the project, but I am searching for some more information on his powerboating career.

I'm afraid I know very little about the sport, other than the reading I have done on Bruce & Dennis Sigalos' exploits in the Ocean Spray 'Crave the Wave' scarab. I wonder if there is anyone who could possibly provide me with a summary of Bruce's achievements in the sport and/or any interesting stories or events from his racing.

I have the following details already:

After ten years off from racing, began powerboating career in 1993. Father had been interested in boat racing in the fifties. In ’93 Bruce owned a boat and would pull marathon water skiers in 150 mile races. Got involved in off-shore powerboating in ’93.

Immediate success, earning the American Power Boat Association Western Division Class 'A' Championship and finishing second during the APBA Class'A' World Championship in Ft. Meyers, Florida, In November of 1993.

Set a world Speed record for Class 'A' craft.

1994, set up new team, Ocean Spray Offshore Racing with long-time friend and former speedway rider, Dennis Sigalos. Owned the team. Bruce and Dennis’ fathers had raced boats together. Given very little chance in the sport by experienced commentators, but spent six months attracting a $1.5 million dollar sponsorship campaign.

First race, the Dana Point Challenge in Dana Point, California on 5th June 1994. Victorious in Class ‘D’ maiden voyage., beating reigning World Champions’ team in the process.

Went on to become World Champions, and stepped into the category of only six people to win separate world titles in two different sports. Won seven? world titles in total in the sport.

If anyone can offer me any more memories, stories, anecdotes, results, reports or absolutely anything remotely related then I would be hugely grateful. Either reply here or email me at [email protected]

T2x

Bruce was very competitive, sometimes argumentative, a great interview, and has a very cute smile....like Steve David......

All in all, he was a pretty good boat racer....for a motorcycle racer.

T2x

Madcow

Just what are you trying to say here?

LEOPAJM

Rich ... you for got to say that he should have been racing a Skater instead of wasting his time in a V bottom !?!?!?!?!/

puder

i new que ball had a certain swagger in his step.......

just kiddin rich!



there was a guy on here a few months back who was going to buy the crave the wave boat. Aparently they have since added steps to the boat and destroyed its handling charateristics. Unfortunatly i don;t know anythign about teh guy who used to race it.

LEOPAJM

BTW ... i have a good Bruce Penhall story ... long story short ... He was trying to take my wife to dinner in Key west ... while Dennis is doing an interview with a radio station at a table next to us .... I'm takin a leak and getting a drink at the bar ect.... I still have the T-shirt ... and the wife !?!?!?!?

Mike J

I worked a Team Scarab when Crave
the Wave was built
and have some good
stories and a few
photos I can send
to you.
I will contact you
from my Business
computer.
One good story is
that Bruce had a
British teacher in
his early days of
Offshore Racing by
the name of Nigel
Hook and raced with
Nigel in the "A"
Class and did very
well after he found
out he could not put
his left foot down
Mike J.

FREEZE FRAME VIDEO

give me a call jeff gerardi freeze frame video 631-226-5754 about video of bruce

speedwayfan

Thanks for all the responses so far. Don't understand all the boating stuff (skater? v-bottom?). Anyway, "great interview, cute smile"... at least I know we're definitely talking about the right guy!
I found the thread about the guy wanting to buy the crave the wave boat through a search engine. How I ended up here actually.
Mike J - will look forward to your email.

Anyone care to comment on the fact that Bruce & Dennis were not given any chance initially and eventually proved the critics wrong?

T2x

Uh...That idea I would file under story amplification to please a wider audience. Given the fact that everybody from over weight chemical company executives to international drug smugglers have succeeded at offshore racing...the odds on two well financed, top notch professional motorcycle racers succeeding were actually quite good from the outset. Sounds like a little dramatic license came into the picture.

T2x........... I saw the whole thing