Hennen Rides Again

HENNEN RIDES AGAIN

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Pat Hennen continues to make spectacular progress in his recovery from the Isle of Man crash that left him in a coma for 11 weeks. Recently Hennen rode a motorcycle for the first time since the June, 1978 accident which occurred just after Hennen had set a new Isle of Man 500cc Senior lap record. "I couldn't believe it," said Hennen after his first solo on a Honda XL250. "That was really good. It was really important to me. I think that before long I'll ride down to the hospital and say `Take a look at this, doctor.'"

Earlier, Hennen received a lengthy standing ovation at the American Federation of Motorcyclists (AFM) awards banquet in Berkeley, California. An introduction of Hennen by AFM officials brought over 300 racers and friends to their feet in a resounding burst of applause. Hennen began his road racing career with the AFM. an amateur club. Hennen was the first American to win a 500cc World Championship Grand Prix, riding a Suzuki to victory in 1977. Until his 1978 Isle of Man crash, Hennen was the top contender for the 500cc Championship, according to Kenny Roberts, who went on to win the title after Hennen’s wreck.