Bobby Schwartz -

usaspeedway

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Registered: 03/28/12
Posts: 111

Posted 04/04/12	Reply with quote #1

An American Speedway Legend Robert Benjamin Schwartz is known as Boogaloo but I prefer his other nickname Captain America. It seems more fitting for a rider with the impeccable credentials Bobby has earned over the years. A two time US National Champion and three time Gold Medal Winner are just the start of his accolades that span almost five decades. So how did a career as one of the best American Speedway riders of all time start? Well we can blame none other than `Sliding" Sonny Nutter for kindling that flame. Sunny saw potential in the skinny surfer kid with the long blonde hair. Bobby was 17 and his father Cadillac Jack brought him his first speedway bike for $600. It was 1974 and Schwartz started racing. No juniors, it was a 500cc JAWA from the get go. Bobby ran the circuit and soon started winning on the small tight California tracks. Bobby Schwartz soon became one of America's brightest young stars but knew he needed to get over to England if he wanted to further his Speedway career. After winning the 1979 American Final he joined the British team Cradley Heath with fellow American Bruce Penhall. Bobby performed well in his debut year and progressed from novice British league reserve to an out and out heat-leader who was regularly competing with and beating the very best. There followed a fantastic partnership with his friend Penhall. They won the 1981 World Pairs title together and Bobby repeated this with a different partner, Dennis Sigalos in 1982. Bobby also won the World Team Cup with the USA in 1982 - was US Team Captain from 1983 to 1987 - 2-time US National Champion 1986 & 1989 - 4-time Fair Derby Champion 1978, 1990, 1993, 1994 - 2-time California State Champion 1988 & 1991 - 3-time Brighton Pairs Champion with Shawn McConnell in 2000, 2001, 2002 - 1990 Cirello 16 Lap Classic Champion and the 1998 Jack Milne Cup Win are just a few of his other world wide accomplishments. In 1987 Boogaloo returned to the US and stayed. He won 54 Scratch mains that year on the American circuit and is winning to this day. 2011 saw him win the Scratch Main here at Industry and the final race for the USA team win at Auburn. I love hanging out in Bobby's garage. The place is a mini museum that has awards, race memorabilia, bikes and more. Riders and the Speedway faithful are always dropping by to hear Bobby tell stories about the way-back days and tell jokes. I shot the last video of Kelly Moran before he passed there with Bobby. The place is a special part of Speedway as is he. < At 55 years of age Bobby is still one of the boys and loves this sport. He competes regularly and when the Wednesday night season at Industry Racing starts May 30th Boogaloo will again be there supporting the sport and doing what he loves. Captain America we salute you. Howie
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