Freddie Spencer: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Revision as of 10:40, 17 March 2006

Spencer autograph

Freddie "Fast Freddie" Spencer (born December 20, 1961 in Shreveport, Louisiana) is an American former World Champion motorcycle racer. Spencer is regarded as one of the greatest motorcycle racers of the early 1980's. He was a racing prodigy and began racing at the age of 4, competing in dirt track events near his hometown of Shreveport.

After winning the 1978 250cc National Road Racing Championship, American Honda signed him to ride for their Superbike team. By 1982, he had been promoted to Honda's Grand Prix team. In 1983, he won his first 500cc Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Championship, becoming the youngest person to win the coveted crown. The 1983 season would go down as one of the most dramatic title chases in the history of Grand Prix motorcycle racing during which Honda's Spencer and Yamaha's Kenny Roberts fought back and forth for the points lead, each of them taking 6 victories apiece. The season culminated at the penultimate round in Sweden when the two riders collided on the last lap. Roberts ran off the track leaving Spencer to sprint to the finish line and victory. Roberts won the last race but, Spencer finished in second, securing his first world title by a scant two points.

1985 proved to be a banner year for Spencer. He began the season by winning the season opening Daytona 250cc and Superbike races as well as the prestigious Daytona 200, the only rider to win all three divisions in a single year. He also competed in both the 250cc and 500cc World Championships, eventually winning both titles and becoming the only rider in history to win both titles in the same year. His spectacular career was cut short by wrist injuries that, some speculate were brought on by the physical strain of competing in two championships during the 1985 season. After his brilliant 1985 season, he was never to win another Grand Prix race.

Spencer raced for several different marques during his racing career, winning his first National Championship race aboard a Kawasaki but, he is most closely associated with Honda and his partnership with super tuner, Erv Kanemoto. Spencer won all three of his world titles on Hondas with Kanemoto turning the wrenches. He had a short stint with the Agostini Yamaha team and ended his career on a Ducati in the U.S. National Championship.

Spencer now lives in Las Vegas, Nevada where he operates a very succesful motorcycle riding school for advanced riders.

Results

World champion:

250cc, 1985
500cc, 1983 and 1985

Initial text

Frederick Burdette Spencer

External links

Super Bike Planet

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 After winning the 1978 250cc National Road Racing Championship, American Honda signed him to ride for their Superbike team. By 1982, he had been promoted to Honda's Grand Prix team. In 1983, he won his first 500cc [[Grand Prix motorcycle racing]] World Championship, becoming the youngest person to win the coveted crown. The 1983 season would go down as one of the most dramatic title chases in the history of [[Grand Prix motorcycle racing]] during which Honda's Spencer and Yamaha's [[Kenny Roberts]] fought back and forth for the points lead, each of them taking 6 victories apiece. The season culminated at the penultimate round in Sweden when the two riders collided on the last lap. Roberts ran off the track leaving Spencer to sprint to the finish line and victory.  Roberts won the last race but, Spencer finished in second, securing his first world title by a scant two points.
-proved to be a banner year for Spencer. He began the season by winning the season opening Daytona 250cc and Superbike races as well as the prestigious [[Daytona 200]], the only rider to win all three divisions in a single year. He also competed in both the 250cc and 500cc World Championships, eventually winning both titles and becoming the only rider in history to win both titles in the same year.  His spectacular career was cut short by wrist injuries that, some speculate were brought on by the physical strain of competing in two championships during the 1985 season. After 1985, he never won another Grand Prix race.
+proved to be a banner year for Spencer. He began the season by winning the season opening Daytona 250cc and Superbike races as well as the prestigious [[Daytona 200]], the only rider to win all three divisions in a single year. He also competed in both the 250cc and 500cc World Championships, eventually winning both titles and becoming the only rider in history to win both titles in the same year.  His spectacular career was cut short by wrist injuries that, some speculate were brought on by the physical strain of competing in two championships during the 1985 season. After his brilliant 1985 season, he was never to win another Grand Prix race.
 Spencer raced for several different marques during his racing career, winning his first National Championship race aboard a [[Kawasaki]] but, he is most closely associated with Honda and his partnership with super tuner, Erv Kanemoto. Spencer won all three of his world titles on Hondas with Kanemoto turning the wrenches. He had a short stint with the Agostini [[Yamaha]] team and ended his career on a [[Ducati]] in the U.S. National Championship.