Greg Hancock

Infobox Speedway rider
ridername= Greg Hancock


nationality = flagicon|USA USA
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1970|6|03
cityofbirth = Whittier
countryofbirth = USA
website = [http://www.greghancock.com Official website]
britishleague =
polishleague = Częstochowa
swedishleague = Rospiggarna
career = Cradley Heath Heathens
Getingarna (SWE)
Leszno (POL)
Rospiggarna (SWE)
Gniezno (POL)
Coventry Bees
Wroclaw (POL)
Oxford Cheetahs
Gdansk (POL)
Reading Bulldogs
Częstochowa

years = 1989-1996
1992-1994
1992-1994
1995-
1996-1997
1997-2001
1998-2004
2003-2005
2005
2006-2007
2006-
indivhonour = World Champion
American Champion

British Grand Prix Champion
Czech Grand Prix Champion
Polish Grand Prix Champion
Danish Grand Prix Champion
Australian Grand Prix Champion
Norwegian Grand Prix Champion
Latvian Grand Prix Champion
Elite League Riders Champion
indivyear = 1997
1995, 1998, 2003, 2004,
2005, 2006
1995, 2004
1997
1997
2000
2002
2003
2006
1997
teamhonour = World Pairs Champion
World Team Cup Winner
Swedish Elitserien Champion
British League KO Cup Winner
Craven Shield Winner
Elite League Fours Winner
Czech League Champion
Danish League Champion
Polish Div Two Champion
teamyear = 1992
1992, 1993, 1998
1996, 1997, 2001, 2002
1989
1997, 2000, 2005
1995
2000
1995
1998

Gregory Alan "Greg" Hancock (born June 3, 1970 in Whittier, California, USA) [Oakes, P.(2005). "British Speedway Who's Who". ISBN 0-948882-30-1] is an American motorcycle speedway rider. He is a former Speedway World Champion and a multiple World Team Champion with USA, with whom he is currently captain. Greg Hancock is the only rider to have appeared in every Grand Prix round since its creation in 1995.

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 Hamill. 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 & 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.

Grand Prix Years

In 1995 Greg finished in 4th place in the first year of the Grand Prix (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 GP format changed to a more cut throat elimination system. Greg didn't 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 a 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. He didn't win a GP but finished in 2nd place on three occasions.

Greg Hancock is the only rider to have appeared in every Grand Prix round since its creation in 1995.

Personal

Greg lives in Costa Mesa, California. During the European speedway season he is based in Sweden with his wife Jennie, 2 sons Wilbur & Bill and his dog Leo.

World Final Appearances

* 1993 - Flag|GER Pocking - 16th - 2pts
* 1994 - Flag|DEN Vojens - 4th - 11pts [Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). "A History of the World Speedway Championship". Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-2402-5]

Speedway Grand Prix results

SGP Career|2007|P|POS=6th |PTS=106 |No=2 |event=SGP Career|2008|P|POS= |PTS= |No=6 |event=

External links

* [http://www.greghancock.com Greg Hancock web site]
* [http://www.readingspeedway.com/ Reading Racers]
* [http://www.ckmwlokniarz.pl/viewpage.php?page_id=2 Włókniarz Częstochowa]
* [http://www.rospiggarna.nu Rospiggarna]

References