

His record has since been surpassed by Marc Marques in 2013. In 1983, Spencer won his first 500cc World Championship at the age of 21, becoming the youngest person to win the title, a distinction previously held by Mike Hailwood. Grand Prix world championships īy 1982, he had been promoted full-time to Honda's Grand Prix team, who by then had given up on the NR500 and developed the NS500 three cylinder, two-stroke. In 1981, he split his time between the AMA Superbike series, and the European Grand Prix circuit, helping Honda develop the exotic, oval-cylindered NR500 four-stroke Grand Prix bike. Spencer went on to finish third in the 1980 Superbike championships and second to Eddie Lawson in 1981. versus Britain Transatlantic Trophy match races when he won two legs at Brands Hatch, defeating World Champions Kenny Roberts and Barry Sheene in the process.

Spencer gained international prominence at the 1980 U.S. He gave Honda their first-ever super bike victory when he won the Road America round of the 1980 AMA Superbike Championship. National Novice Class Road Racing Championship for first year professionals, Spencer was contracted to ride for the American Honda racing team in the AMA Superbike Championship. He was a racing prodigy who began racing at the age of four, competing in dirt track events near his hometown of Shreveport. Spencer was born in Shreveport, Louisiana.
