# Josef Franc

Josef Franc (born 18 January 1979) is a Czech former international motorcycle racer who competed in Grasstrack, Longtrack and motorcycle speedway. He earned 8 international caps for the Czech Republic national speedway team

## Career

In 2001, Franc joined Berwick Bandits along with fellow Czechs Michal Makovský and Adrian Rymel.
He has appeared as a wildcard in the 2003 Speedway Grand Prix of Czech Republic and as a track reserve in the 2007 Czech Republic Speedway Grand Prix, scoring three points from two rides and has represented the Czech Republic national speedway team at senior level.
Franc was the Czech Republic Under-21 Champion in 1999 and was the Czech Republic national champion in 2017 and 2018.
In 2019, he was part of the Czech team, along with Hynek Štichauer and Martin Málek, that won the bronze medal at the 2019 Team Long Track World Championship.
In 2022, he was part of the Czech team, again with Málek and Štichauer, that won the silver medal at the 2022 Team Long Track World Championship.

## Speedway Grand Prix results

* 2003, Prague SGP, 0 Points.
* 2007, Prague SGP, 3 Points.
* 2012, Prague SGP, 9 Points.

## Career details
### World Championships

* Individual World Championship and Speedway Grand Prix
** 2003 - 45th place (1 pt in one event)
** 2007 - 28th place (3 pts in one event)
* Team World Championship (Speedway World Team Cup and Speedway World Cup)
** 2003 - 6th place (started in Event 1 only)
** 2004 - 6th place
** 2006 - 8th place
** 2007 - 2nd place in Qualifying round 2
* Individual U-21 World Championship
** 1999 - Vojens - did not start as track reserve
** 2000 - Gorzów Wlkp. - 6th place (8 pts)

### European Championships

* Individual European Championship
** 2002 - Rybnik - 14th place (5 pts)
** 2003 - Slaný - did not start as track reserve
** 2007 - 13th place in Qualifying Round 3
** 2008 - Lendava - 6th place (10 pts)
* Individual U-19 European Championship
** 1998 - Krško - 8th place (8 pts)
* European Club Champions' Cup
** 2004 - Ljubljana - 4th place (10 pts)

## World Longtrack Championship

Grand-Prix Years
* 1999 1 app (23rd) 4pts
* 2010 1 app (18th) 19pts
* 2011 6 app (13th) 51pts
* 2012 6 app (Third) 126pts
* 2013 6 app (4th) 91pts
* 2014 4 app (10th) 32pts
* 2015 4 app (5th) 53pts
* 2016 5 app (7th) 55pts
* 2017 5 app (Third) 86pts
Best Grand-Prix Results
* Eenrum Second 2017
* Forssa Second 2012
* Groningen First 2012
* Marmande Second 2012
* Morizès First 2012, Second 2017
* Rzeszów Third 2013
Team Championship
* 2010 Morizès (6th) 9/25pts (Rode with Zdeněk Schneiderwind, Richard Wolff, Pavel Ondrasik).
* 2011 Scheeßel (4th) 21/36pts (Rode with Aleš Dryml Jr., Richard Wolff, Pavel Ondrasik).
* 2012 St. Macaire (5th) 16/30 (Rode with Aleš Dryml Jr., Richard Wolff, Michael Hádek).
* 2013 Folkestone (7th) 11/23pts (Rode with Richard Wolff, Karel Kadlec).
* 2014 Forssa (6th) 13/23pts (Rode with Richard Wolff, Jan Klatovský).
* 2015 Mühldorf (6th) 18/30pts (Rode with Richard Wolff, Michal Dudek, Michal Škurla).
* 2016 Mariánské Lázně (Third) 18/42pts (Rode with Hynek Stichauer, Martin Málek).
* 2017 Roden (4th) 28/43pts (Rode with Hynek Stichauer, Martin Málek).
* 2018 Morizès (5th) 20/32pts (rode with Martin Malák, Michal Škurla).

## European Grasstrack Championship

Finalist
* 1999 Werlte (16th) 1pt
* 2011 Thorpe St Peter (17th) 4pts
* 2012 Eenrum (Reserve N/S)
* 2013 Bielefeld (9th) 13pts
* 2014 Saint-Macaire (4th) 13pts
* 2015 Staphorst (20th) 0pts
* 2016 Folkestone (4th) 12pts
* 2017 Hertingen (7th) 10pts
* 2018 Tayac (Second) 15pts

## Czech Longtrack Championship

* 2003 Mariánské Lázně 12th
* 2010 Mariánské Lázně, Second
* 2011 Mariánské Lázně, Second
* 2012 Mariánské Lázně, Second
* 2013 Mariánské Lázně, First
* 2014 Mariánské Lázně, First
* 2015 Mariánské Lázně, First
* 2017 Mariánské Lázně, First
* 2018 Mariánské Lázně, First