Franc gets the chance to go wild again in Prague

Czech international Josef ‘Pepe’ Franc has been handed the chance to repeat his sensational semi-final charge when he rides as the Mitas Czech Republic FIM Speedway Grand Prix wild card in Prague on May 18.

Fast-starting Franc left some of the World Championship’s big guns trailing at the Marketa Stadium last year, as he picked up three heat wins to qualify for the semis. His successes included a convincing tapes-to-flag triumph over Jason Crump, Greg Hancock and Tomasz Gollob – three men with six world titles between them – in heat 15.

Franc was unsurprisingly drafted into the Czech national team for the Monster Energy FIM Speedway World Cup last July.  And the Mitas Czech SGP offers him a golden opportunity to stake his claim for a return to the side this summer, when his country competes in the Monster Energy SWC Final on July 20 at the Marketa Stadium.

Franc, who rides for Prague in the Czech league, dons the famous No.16 race jacket for his World Championship cameo appearance.

He is joined in the meeting by track reserves Vaclav Milik, who starts at No.17, and Zdenek Holub, who lines up at No.18. Both men are Czech Under-21 internationals and Milik appeared in last season’s seven-round FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship Final.

The referee for the event is Marek Wojaczek from Poland.