Greg Hancock
Encyclopedia
Gregory Alan "Greg" Hancock (born June 3, 1970 in Whittier
, California
, USA
) is an American
motorcycle speedway
rider.
He is a current Speedway World Champion
and a multiple World Team champion
with USA, with whom he is currently captain. At the end of the 2011 season, Hancock is the only rider to have appeared in every Grand Prix round since its creation in 1995
.
He rode for the Swedish team Rospiggarna for 15 years, but since 2010 he has ridden for Piraterna from Motala
, Sweden.
. It was during this time that Greg agreed a deal to ride for Cradley Heath
the following year – the same team that his mentor Bruce Penhall
used to ride for. Greg was an instant success for Cradley in the British League
. He also won gold medals for the USA in the 1992 World Pairs
and World Team Cup
. However due to injury and problems with the American Motorcyclist Association
, Greg was not able to contest in the Individual World Championship
until 1993. That year he went through to the World Final in Germany where he finished last place. In 1994, Greg again qualified for the last ever 'one off' World Final. He went into his last race needing a victory to become world champion but he finished third in the race and fourth overall on the night.
(GP). He won the final round, the British GP
at the Hackney Wick Stadium
. The following year he joined with fellow American and Cradley teammate Billy Hamill
to form Team Exide. With this new found sponsorship, the two young Californian's began to dominate world Speedway. In 1996 Hamill won the World Title and Hancock finished with the bronze medal in third place. In 1997 Greg moved from Cradley Heath (due to the clubs closure) to the Coventry Bees
. He won the first GP of the year in Prague and continued the season in the same form. He won the World Title (with Hamill finishing second for a Team Exide one two) and won the Premier League Riders Championship
.
In 1998 to Grand Prix format changed to a more cut throat elimination system. Greg did not fair so well and finished the year in sixth place but won win the World Team Cup
with Hamill and Sam Ermolenko
. The next year was even worse for Greg and he finished in 11th place in the Grand Prix. 2000 Saw Greg win his first Grand Prix since his title winning season and he finished a in fifth place and in 2001 he finished in 13th place. In 2002 Hancock won the last Grand Prix round in Australia
and finished 6th overall. He went one better in 2003 finishing in 5th place after again winning the final round, this time in Haamar, Norway. The following Season Greg was back amongst the medals, finishing the season in third place. That year he won the British GP at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. In 2005 Greg slipped back to fifth in the world unable to win a GP. A 36 year old Greg finished the Grand Prix series in second place in 2006 and remained unbeaten in that years World Cup
but the USA did not qualify for the final as the rest of the team struggled. In 2007 Greg Finished in sixth place. Although he failed to win a GP, he finished in second place on three occasions. In 2008 Greg finished fourth overall in the Grand Prix series. He was on the podium four times, winning the Polish Grand Prix
in Bydgoszcz.
Hancock finished the 2009 Speedway Grand Prix
season in fourth position and achieved two podium places as runner up at the Danish Grand Prix
and winner of the Latvian Grand Prix
. He became the USA Speedway National Champion
for the eight time in 2009 and was subsequently named as the Racing Athlete of the Year by the American Motorcyclist Association
(AMA).
Greg finished 1st place in the 2011 Czech, British and Nordic Grand Prix. He secured the 2011 World Championship during the Croatian Grand Prix on September 24th, reclaiming the title after a record 14 years at the age of 41 years and 113 days.
Whittier, California
Whittier is a city in Los Angeles County, California about southeast of Los Angeles. The city had a population of 85,331 at the 2010 census, up from 83,680 as of the 2000 census, and encompasses 14.7 square miles . Like nearby Montebello, the city constitutes part of the Gateway Cities...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
rider.
He is a current Speedway World Champion
Speedway World Championship
The World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world. Today, it is organised as a series of Speedway Grand Prix events, where points are awarded according to performance in the event and tallied up at the end of each...
and a multiple World Team champion
Speedway World Team Cup
The Speedway World Team Cup was an annual speedway event held each year in different countries. The competition started in 1960 and was replaced with the Speedway World Cup in 2001.-Format:From 1960 until 1985 each team consisted of four riders and a reserve...
with USA, with whom he is currently captain. At the end of the 2011 season, Hancock is the only rider to have appeared in every Grand Prix round since its creation in 1995
1995 Speedway Grand Prix
The 1995 Speedway Grand Prix season was the first season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion. Grand Prix series was won by Hans Nielsen; it was his fourth World Champion title.- Event format :...
.
He rode for the Swedish team Rospiggarna for 15 years, but since 2010 he has ridden for Piraterna from Motala
Motala
Motala is a locality and the seat of Motala Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden with 29,798 inhabitants in 2005. It is the third largest city of Östergötland, following Linköping and Norrköping...
, Sweden.
Early career
Greg first came to the United Kingdom at the end of the 1988 speedway season to ride exhibition races with fellow 18 year old Californian Billy HamillBilly Hamill
William Gordon Hamill is an American international motorcycle speedway rider. He is a former Speedway World Champion, winning the title in 1996.-Early career:...
. It was during this time that Greg agreed a deal to ride for Cradley Heath
Cradley Heath Heathens
Cradley Heath Heathens are a defunct motorcycle speedway team from Dudley, England.-History:Cradley Heath speedway team was formed in 1947 and first raced at Dudley Wood Stadium on 21 June 1947 after a number of away appearances prior to the opening of the newly built stadium...
the following year – the same team that his mentor Bruce Penhall
Bruce Penhall
Bruce Lee Penhall is a retired American motorcycle speedway racer who also starred in television and in film. He was the World Speedway Champion in 1981 and 1982 and rode for the successful Cradley Heath Heathens speedway team in the United Kingdom...
used to ride for. Greg was an instant success for Cradley in the British League
Speedway British League
The British League was the top division of Speedway in the United Kingdom from 1965 until 1995 when it became known as the Premier League. Prior to 1965 the division had been known as the National League....
. He also won gold medals for the USA in the 1992 World Pairs
Speedway World Pairs Championship
The Speedway World Pairs Championship was an annual speedway event held each year in different countries. The first competition was held in 1968 and the final competition was held in 1993. From 1994 it was merged with the World Team Cup.- Rules :...
and World Team Cup
Speedway World Team Cup
The Speedway World Team Cup was an annual speedway event held each year in different countries. The competition started in 1960 and was replaced with the Speedway World Cup in 2001.-Format:From 1960 until 1985 each team consisted of four riders and a reserve...
. However due to injury and problems with the American Motorcyclist Association
American Motorcyclist Association
The American Motorcyclist Association is an American not-for-profit organization of more than 300,000 motorcyclists that organizes numerous motorcycling activities and campaigns for motorcyclists' legal rights...
, Greg was not able to contest in the Individual World Championship
Speedway World Championship
The World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world. Today, it is organised as a series of Speedway Grand Prix events, where points are awarded according to performance in the event and tallied up at the end of each...
until 1993. That year he went through to the World Final in Germany where he finished last place. In 1994, Greg again qualified for the last ever 'one off' World Final. He went into his last race needing a victory to become world champion but he finished third in the race and fourth overall on the night.
Grand Prix Years
In 1995 Greg finished in 4th place in the first year of the Grand PrixSpeedway Grand Prix
Speedway Grand Prix are a series of stand-alone speedway events over the course of a season used to determine the Speedway World Champion. As of 2008, all of the events take place in Europe.- Event format :...
(GP). He won the final round, the British GP
Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain
The Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain is a speedway event that is a part of the Speedway Grand Prix Series.-Winners:-See also:...
at the Hackney Wick Stadium
Hackney Wick Stadium
Hackney Wick Stadium, Waterden Road, in the London Borough of Hackney, was opened in 1932 and was mainly used for greyhound racing and speedway.In 1994, a £12M stand and restaurant was built and the stadium was renamed the London Stadium, Hackney...
. The following year he joined with fellow American and Cradley teammate Billy Hamill
Billy Hamill
William Gordon Hamill is an American international motorcycle speedway rider. He is a former Speedway World Champion, winning the title in 1996.-Early career:...
to form Team Exide. With this new found sponsorship, the two young Californian's began to dominate world Speedway. In 1996 Hamill won the World Title and Hancock finished with the bronze medal in third place. In 1997 Greg moved from Cradley Heath (due to the clubs closure) to the Coventry Bees
Coventry Bees
The Coventry Bees are a motorcycle speedway team based at Brandon near Coventry, England. A Coventry team was first formed in 1928 and competed in the Southern League and then the National League in the pre-war era at Brandon stadium. There were also meetings at a stadium in Lythalls Lane...
. He won the first GP of the year in Prague and continued the season in the same form. He won the World Title (with Hamill finishing second for a Team Exide one two) and won the Premier League Riders Championship
Speedway Elite League Riders Championship
The Elite League Riders Championship is a contest between the top riders with the highest average points total from each club competing in the Speedway Elite League in the UK. The championship was inaugurated in 1960 when it was known as the Provincial League Riders Championship...
.
In 1998 to Grand Prix format changed to a more cut throat elimination system. Greg did not fair so well and finished the year in sixth place but won win the World Team Cup
Speedway World Team Cup
The Speedway World Team Cup was an annual speedway event held each year in different countries. The competition started in 1960 and was replaced with the Speedway World Cup in 2001.-Format:From 1960 until 1985 each team consisted of four riders and a reserve...
with Hamill and Sam Ermolenko
Sam Ermolenko
Guy Allen 'Sudden Sam' Ermolenko is a former Speedway rider. In 1993 he won the Speedway World Championship in Pocking, Germany. He is the older brother of Charles 'Dukie' Ermolenko who also rode in the UK....
. The next year was even worse for Greg and he finished in 11th place in the Grand Prix. 2000 Saw Greg win his first Grand Prix since his title winning season and he finished a in fifth place and in 2001 he finished in 13th place. In 2002 Hancock won the last Grand Prix round in Australia
Speedway Grand Prix of Australia
The Speedway Grand Prix of Australia was a speedway event that was a part of the Speedway Grand Prix Series.-Winners:-See also:...
and finished 6th overall. He went one better in 2003 finishing in 5th place after again winning the final round, this time in Haamar, Norway. The following Season Greg was back amongst the medals, finishing the season in third place. That year he won the British GP at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. In 2005 Greg slipped back to fifth in the world unable to win a GP. A 36 year old Greg finished the Grand Prix series in second place in 2006 and remained unbeaten in that years World Cup
Speedway World Cup
The Speedway World Cup is an annual speedway event held each year in different countries. The first edition of the competition in the current format was in 2001 and it replaced the old World Team Cup competition.-Format:...
but the USA did not qualify for the final as the rest of the team struggled. In 2007 Greg Finished in sixth place. Although he failed to win a GP, he finished in second place on three occasions. In 2008 Greg finished fourth overall in the Grand Prix series. He was on the podium four times, winning the Polish Grand Prix
2008 Speedway Grand Prix of Poland
- Heat after heat :# Nicholls, Jaguś, Andersen, Iversen# Crump, Harris, Buczkowski, Dryml, Lindgren # N.Pedersen, Hancock, Adams, Kasprzak# Gollob, Jonsson, B.Pedersen, Holta# Gollob, Andersen, Crump, Kasprzak # N.Pedersen, Harris, Jonsson, Jaguś...
in Bydgoszcz.
Hancock finished the 2009 Speedway Grand Prix
2009 Speedway Grand Prix
The 2009 Speedway Grand Prix season will be the 15th season of the Speedway Grand Prix era, and will decide the 64th Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme Speedway World Championship...
season in fourth position and achieved two podium places as runner up at the Danish Grand Prix
2009 Speedway Grand Prix of Denmark
The 2009 FIM Speedway World Championship Grand Prix of Denmark was the fourth race of the 2009 Speedway Grand Prix season. It took take place on 13 June 2009 in the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, Denmark....
and winner of the Latvian Grand Prix
2009 Speedway Grand Prix of Latvia
The 2009 FIM Speedway World Championship Grand Prix of Latvia was the sixth race of the 2009 Speedway Grand Prix season. It took place on 1 August in the Latvijas Spidveja Centrs in Daugavpils, Latvia....
. He became the USA Speedway National Champion
AMA National Speedway Championship
The AMA National Speedway Championship is an annual speedway championship to decide the American Motorcyclist Association USA national speedway champion.- Roll of honour :...
for the eight time in 2009 and was subsequently named as the Racing Athlete of the Year by the American Motorcyclist Association
American Motorcyclist Association
The American Motorcyclist Association is an American not-for-profit organization of more than 300,000 motorcyclists that organizes numerous motorcycling activities and campaigns for motorcyclists' legal rights...
(AMA).
Greg finished 1st place in the 2011 Czech, British and Nordic Grand Prix. He secured the 2011 World Championship during the Croatian Grand Prix on September 24th, reclaiming the title after a record 14 years at the age of 41 years and 113 days.
Personal
Greg lives in Costa Mesa, California. During the European speedway season he is based in Hallstavik,Sweden with his wife Jennie and 2 sons Wilbur & Bill.World Final Appearances
- 19931993 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1993 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*August 29, 1993 Pocking, Rottalstadion...
-
PockingPockingPocking is a town in the district of Passau, in Lower Bavaria, Germany. It is situated about 30 km south-west of Passau, close to the Austrian border.-History:...
, Rottalstadion - 16th - 2pts - 19941994 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1994 Individual Speedway World Championship.-Scandinavian Series:Riders from Scandinavia, i.e. Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland competed. The top 8 in Swedish Semi Finals advanced to the Swedish Final. The top 5 in the Swedish Final advanced to the Scandinavian Final. The Danish Final was...
-
VojensVojensVojens Municipality , was a municipality in the former South Jutland County on the Jutland peninsula in south Denmark. The municipality, which existed from 1970 to 2006, covered an area of 298 km², and had a total population of 16,792...
, Speedway Center - 4th - 11pts
Speedway Grand Prix results
| Year | Position | Points | Best Finish | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 1995 Speedway Grand Prix The 1995 Speedway Grand Prix season was the first season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion. Grand Prix series was won by Hans Nielsen; it was his fourth World Champion title.- Event format :... |
4th | 82 | Winner | Won in Britain |
| 1996 1996 Speedway Grand Prix The 1996 Speedway Grand Prix season was the second season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion. Grand Prix series was won by Billy Hamill; it was his first and only World Champion title.- Event format :... |
3rd | 88 | 3rd | Worst finish was 7th |
| 1997 1997 Speedway Grand Prix The 1997 Speedway Grand Prix season was the third season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :During 1997 the initial SGP scoring system was used for the final time... |
1st | 118 | Winner (twice) | Won in Poland and Czech Republic |
| 1998 1998 Speedway Grand Prix The 1998 Speedway Grand Prix season was the fourth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :The system used was a new one for the 4th SGP season with 24 riders, divided into two classes... |
6th | 69 | 4th | |
| 1999 1999 Speedway Grand Prix The 1999 Speedway Grand Prix season was the fifth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :The system first used in 1998 continued to be adopted with 24 riders, divided into two classes... |
9th | 62 | 2nd | |
| 2000 2000 Speedway Grand Prix The 2000 Speedway Grand Prix season was the sixth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :The system first used in 1998 continued to be adopted with 24 riders, divided into two classes... |
5th | 76 | Winner | Won in Denmark |
| 2001 2001 Speedway Grand Prix The 2001 Speedway Grand Prix season was the seventh season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and is used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :The system first used in 1998 continued to be adopted with 24 riders, divided into two classes... |
13th | 43 | 8th (twice) | |
| 2002 2002 Speedway Grand Prix The 2002 Speedway Grand Prix season is the eighth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and is used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :The system first used in 1998 continued to be adopted with 24 riders, divided into two classes... |
6th | 122 | Winner | Won in Australia |
| 2003 2003 Speedway Grand Prix The 2003 Speedway Grand Prix season is the ninth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and is used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :The system first used in 1998 continued to be adopted with 24 riders, divided into two classes... |
5th | 121 | Winner | Won in Norway |
| 2004 2004 Speedway Grand Prix The 2004 Speedway Grand Prix season is the tenth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and is used to determine the Speedway World Champion.-Event format:The system first used in 1998 continued to be adopted with 24 riders, divided into two classes... |
3rd | 137 | Winner | Won in Britain |
| 2005 2005 Speedway Grand Prix The 2005 Speedway Grand Prix season is the 11th season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and is used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :... |
5th | 100 | 2nd | |
| 2006 2006 Speedway Grand Prix The 2006 Speedway Grand Prix season is the twelfth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and is used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :... |
2nd | 144 | Winner | Won in Latvia |
| 2007 2007 Speedway Grand Prix The 2007 Speedway Grand Prix season was the thirteenth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion... |
6th | 106 | 2nd (x3) | |
| 2008 2008 Speedway Grand Prix The 2008 Speedway Grand Prix season was the fourteenth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era used to determine the Speedway World Champion. It was the second under the promotion of IMG.- Event format :... |
4th | 144 | Winner | Won in Poland |
| 2009 2009 Speedway Grand Prix The 2009 Speedway Grand Prix season will be the 15th season of the Speedway Grand Prix era, and will decide the 64th Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme Speedway World Championship... |
4th | 121 | Winner | Won in Latvia |
| 2010 2010 Speedway Grand Prix The 2010 Speedway Grand Prix season was the 16th season of the Speedway Grand Prix era, and decided the 65th FIM Speedway World Championship. It was the tenth series under the promotion of Benfield Sports International, an IMG company... |
5th | 107 | Winner | Won in Croatia |
| 2011 2011 Speedway Grand Prix The 2011 Speedway Grand Prix season was the 17th season of the Speedway Grand Prix era, and decided the 66th FIM Speedway World Championship. It was the eleventh series under the promotion of Benfield Sports International, an IMG company... |
1st | 165 | Winner | Won Czech, British, Nordic and Polish. |