Hometown:
Birthdate: May 29, 1980
Occupation: works at Penn Alloy
Years riding Speedway:
E-mail: jfranic@npiec.on.ca
Photo by:
Don Proctor (c)1999
donproctor@home.com
Taken at Paris Speedway Opening Night.
"I started riding motorcycle at the age 10, my fist bike was 80cc Honda four stroke.
Then at 11 years of age ,a 80cc Honda 2 stroke motocross.
I went riding with my friend, along with my dad all most every day.
At the age of 12, I started to go to motocross track to practice. "
"I began racing, and we went to races all that year. It gave me some good experience, and I learned a lot. At 13, I started to do jumps, small 10 footer to 30 footer, then doubles. By the end of season I was doing 50' doubles, and table tops. My first injury was broken collarbone, from over airing a tabletop, right at the beginning of the season. Well there goes 12 weeks! At 15 I had my first 125cc motocross, also my first 70 foot triple at the Eagles Nest track. That was great feeling! Well it happen again, my second injury, collar bone same side, just higher. There goes 12 more weeks! At 16, got a 250cc motocross. Now that is power."
Speedway motorcycle racing:
"At the age of 17, I said to my dad, "I want to race speedway bikes." That fall, I tried out a loaner bike from the Canadian Speedway Racing Association
at the Paris track and I was hooked. Now the new season started, and I had
some practice time in the first night of racing. Was very good in the four
heats. I won one, also made the main event. There I placed third. As bad
luck goes, the next race date, my bike blew up. The piston shattered on the
first race. Thanks to four different riders for the loan of their bikes...one
bike for each heat race. I made the final, getting second that night, just
a great feeling! I did some hot laps at a practice track. The Jawa speedway
bike ran great. I had very good day. I won 3 heats, 2nd in the other. This
put me in the main event. They had riders walk out for introductions, then
riders line up to the starting tapes. Tapes go up, race is on! I was on the
inside line, another rider right beside me. I got the drive and the adrenaline
flowing. At end of four laps I saw the checkered flag. I just won the Division
II National event at Paris! Speedway racing is what I really want to do.
Last race of the year at Paris, I had good riding, won three heats, placed
second in another. Made the main event, then won the main. Speedway racing
is fun, going sideways is great. Got to like that methanol burning bike."