Bobby Schwartz

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American speedway rider

title: "Bobby Schwartz" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1956-births", "living-people", "sportspeople-from-santa-barbara,-california", "american-speedway-riders", "cradley-heathens-riders", "king's-lynn-stars-riders", "american-expatriate-speedway-riders-in-england", "reading-racers-riders", "eastbourne-eagles-riders", "wolverhampton-wolves-riders", "speedway-world-pairs-champions"] description: "American speedway rider" topic_path: "science/astronomy" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Schwartz" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American speedway rider ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox Speedway rider"]

Field	Value
image	[[File:Bobby Schwartz USA speedway rider.png
name	Bobby Schwartz
birth_date
birth_place	Santa Barbara, California, U.S.
years1	1979
career1	Cradley Heathens
years2	1980–1983
career2	Reading Racers
years3	1984 & 1992
career3	Eastbourne Eagles
years4	1985
career4	Wolverhampton Wolves
years5	1986
career5	King's Lynn Stars
indivyear1	1986, 1989
indivhonour1	North American Champion
indivyear2	1979, 1982
indivhonour2	Blue Riband
indivyear3	1979
indivhonour3	Daily Mirror Golden Hammer
indivyear4	1980
indivhonour4	Geoff Curtis Memorial Trophy
indivyear5	1985
indivhonour5	Littlechild Trophy
teamyear1	1980
teamhonour1	British League Champion
teamyear2	1979
teamhonour2	KO Cup winner
teamyear3	1981, 1982
teamhonour3	World Pairs Champion
teamyear4	1982
teamhonour4	Speedway World Team Cup Winner
::

Robert Benjamin Schwartz (born August 10, 1956) is an American professional motorcycle speedway rider. He became World Pairs Champion with Bruce Penhall in 1981 and Dennis Sigalos in 1982. He earned 74 caps for the United States national speedway team.

Career

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/No.11-_"Boogaloo"Bobby_Schwartz(9535869540).jpg" caption="Schwartz in action"] ::

Born in Santa Barbara, California, Schwartz was introduced to speedway by the boss of his local bike shop, ex-rider Sonny Nutter. His father bought him a Jawa motorcycle for his 17th birthday and he was soon progressing around the Irwindale Raceway in California.

It took a few years before he was persuaded to come to England though, despite many approaches. He came with a sparkling reputation as one of America's brightest young stars, and that was enhanced by the recommendation by none other than Bruce Penhall. He finally came to ride in England for Cradley Heath Heathens during the 1979 British League season.

After reaching the 1979 Intercontinental final at the White City Stadium, Schwartz progressed from novice British league reserve to an out and out heatleader who was regularly competing with and beating the very best. It was all no surprise though, after he scored 11 points from 4 rides in his Dudley Wood debut meeting. There followed a successful partnership with his friend, Penhall, as the two knew each other's track style almost as well as they knew their own. He helped Cradley win the British League Knockout Cup in his first season with them.

He left Cradley to join Reading Racers for the 1980 British League season, a season in which Reading won the league title. After riding for Wolverhampton Wolves in 1985 he refused to take a pay cut for the 1986 season and left to join King's Lynn Stars.

Schwartz, together with Penhall on the 1981 World pairs title and Schwartz repeated this with a different partner, Dennis Sigalos in 1982. He also won the World team Cup with the US team in 1982. He was US team captain from 1983 to 1987 and US National Champion in 1986 and 1989.

Bobby 'Boogaloo' Schwartz continues to ride in the US to this day. He has regularly competed on the tiny Californian circuits.

World Final appearances

World Pairs Championship

1981 - POL Chorzów, Silesian Stadium (with Bruce Penhall) – Winner – 23pts (9)
1982 - AUS Sydney, Liverpool City Raceway (with Dennis Sigalos) – Winner – 30pts (12)
1983 - SWE Gothenburg, Ullevi (with Dennis Sigalos) – 4th – 18pts (8)
1984 - ITA Lonigo, Santa Marina Stadium (with Shawn Moran) – 4th – 19pts (11)
1985 - POL Rybnik, Rybnik Municipal Stadium (with Shawn Moran) – 3rd – 22pts (11)

World Team Cup

1980 - POL Wrocław, Olympic Stadium (with Bruce Penhall / Scott Autrey / Dennis Sigalos / Ron Preston) – 2nd – 29pts (3)
1982 - ENG London, White City (with Bruce Penhall / Kelly Moran / Shawn Moran / Scott Autrey) – Winner – 37pts (9)
1983 - DEN Vojens, Speedway Center (with Dennis Sigalos / Lance King / Kelly Moran) – 3rd – 27pts (6)
1984 - POL Leszno, Alfred Smoczyk Stadium (with Shawn Moran / Kelly Moran / Lance King / John Cook) – 3rd – 20pts (2)
1985 - USA Long Beach, Veterans Memorial Stadium (with Shawn Moran / John Cook / Lance King / Sam Ermolenko) – 2nd – 35pts (11)
1986 - SWE Gothenburg, Ullevi, DEN Vojens, Speedway Center, ENG Bradford, Odsal Stadium (with Shawn Moran / Sam Ermolenko / Lance King / Rick Miller) - 2nd - 76pts (5)

References

Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). ''A History of the World Speedway Championship''. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. {{ISBN. 0-7524-2402-5
Montague, Trevor. (2004). "The A-Z of Sport". Little, Brown.
"Ultimate rider index, 1929-2022".
(8 January 1979). "Dave may be Heathens odd man out".
(22 March 1980). "Schwartz signs for Reading".
(26 February 1986). "There'll be no comeback for Monmore ace Bobby".
(15 February 1986). "Bobby dazzler may be on his bike home".

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