Could be a B1K challenge for Honda

[Jay]

Kawi is putting on a serious challenge to Honda for this year's Baja 1000 Robbie Bell, Steve Hengeveld, Desrty Abbot and the Penhalls will be tough to beat.

Two time world speedway champ and AMA Hall of Fame’r Bruce Penhall has been etching a solid mark in Baja’s SCORE series, and over the course of his racing partnership with Joe Black, has earned championships and a bunch of podiums in Mexico. Older son Ryan Penhall has paid some heavy dues along the way, including a head on collision under a race truck in 2008. They’ve been going for it against JCR in class 22 for 2 years and are going into the 2009 BAJA 1000 with loaded cannon.

Today, Bruce Penhall said he signed a one-race deal with KAWASAKI to race their KLX450r with the 1x plate of Robbie Bell in the upcoming B1000. Joining the former champ and the Penhall brothers , Ryan and Connor, will be Steve Hengeveld and most likely Destroy Abbott. Bob Bell from Precision Concepts will be building the bike. It all makes sense now. We talked to Bruce not long after the Ryan pulled up to the house with the 1x race bike in the back of the truck.

“We just picked up the bike today, the deal just happened yesterday”, says Penhall, who just announced his team lineup for this November. “I’ve been working on this for a while and my boys used to be on contract with Team Green.”

Penhall was particularly pleased with arrangements.
“Kawi dug deep. They didn’t hem haw a bit. My deal is what I consider to be a very good one in this economy. Four years ago it wouldn’t have looked like the best deal out there, but what they’ve offered us is fantastic considering the circumstances”
The bikes are coming directly from the manufacturer with works components from Team Green and final blueprint from Precision Concepts.
“Bob is building the bike and PC is really stepping up with all the testing. Reid and Jason from Team Green have been a big part of this and they‘ve even got the PR dept. behind the thing.”

The team is as fierce a challenge to Johnny Campbell Racing as they’ve yet to face despite the fact that neither of the Penhalls are in contention for the series points. Robbie Bell and the more experienced Steve Hengeveld both raced with and against each other while on contract under Bruce Ogilvie’s American Honda Racing. Ryan Penhall won a championship in class 20. If Destry Abbott comes on board (which is all but done at press time), you have a real threat to Norman, Weigand and Udall.

"I’m going into this with a solid team. I think I run a real tight ship and a professional team. I don’t have any shortcuts and I want the riders to be comfortable.”

Penhall explained that of these riders have their own preferences as to everything from handlebars, to tires to energy drinks and described the way they’re coming together as a team.

“I’m not into pre-madonnas. I want to make everyone happy, but I expect the same in return.”
Some of these riders have contracts coming up and this huge effort by Penhall to create a winning team gives each rider the same opportunity to leverage a success when they sit down to work out deals for 2010. Penhall is doing everything he needs to gear up against the Hondas of JCR and he’s getting the support of the manufacturer. Penhall was also happy about SCORE’s impulsive move to start enforcing deviation and speeding violations.

“It’s awesome. It couldn’t be better, should’ve happened years ago. First, from a father’s standpoint, when you’re pre-running, you drop the kids off in Ojos and wait for em in Valley T. You know exactly how long it takes to pre-run. But you can add 3-4 hours onto that when the guys are looking for the best lines. As a father, you can’t help but wonder where they are.”

Penhall was firm about the new requirements to stay on course.
“But this time you’re gonna run the arrows. Everyone stick to the arrow. It’s a great thing. We go down there to win. We need to win the right way. This gives more of an even playing field.”

Penhall further explained another benefit of the strict rules enforcement. “Some other teams have been down there with machetes and we’ve have to go out and find those lines.” Obviously that’s a time consuming and disadvantageous position to be in.

Whether or not Destry Abbott gets added to the roster is just a technicality. And while Abbott doesn’t have a name in SCORE yet, he did win the Tecate Hare Scrambles in 2006. “It’s not a money thing for Des, who is a real Gem of a guy. It’s whether or not our deal had KAWASAKI’s blessing.”And things are starting to look that way.

Standby for more coverage as we follow this team along with class 22 contenders JCR, Ramirez and Corfman into the next granddaddy of em all, the BAJA 1000.

Here’s a brief look into Bruce Penhall’s rise to fame as an 80’s pop-culture icon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CuzyTntj3A

[QH]

Competition is good! Kawi used to dominate baja when they had Larry Roeseler and Danny Hamel riding the big KX for them.

[Kbach]

I think they've got a legitimate chance to win, but the deal breaker will be the pits. I don't think they can beat the Honda/JCR guys in the pits....both location, speed, strategy, support, etc.

We'll see.....It should be a good year with some close racing.

[Jay]

Even with the SHITTY coverage and tracking this year, I think I've managed to eek of the following information...

1X crossed the line first, with 12X 30 seconds behind. Corrected for time, it looks like Honda won but it's pretty impressive that Kawi took the checkered flag first.

[QH]

Bruce Penhall, what a life

regardless of all of daddy's money, dude was world class on a speedway bike.

[Jay]

How about this guy... "Pistol" Pete offers a ride of your life for $10,000... The guy buys in only to have Pete DNF 180 miles in.

http://www.race-dezert.com/forum/showthread.php?t=71286

[SoCal]

Originally Posted by Jay

How about this guy... "Pistol" Pete offers a ride of your life for $10,000... The guy buys in only to have Pete DNF 180 miles in.

http://www.race-dezert.com/forum/showthread.php?t=71286

Pistol Pete is a FUCKING TOOL!!!!

[jws]

Originally Posted by SoCal

Pistol Pete is a FUCKING TOOL!!!!

Why???

[SoCal]

Originally Posted by jws

Why???

Long story but he is a whining little bitch.