LONG TRACK: Josef Franc on top in Groningen

His best performance in Long Track and the end of Joonas Kylmakorpi's reign…Czech rider, aged 33, win the finale while overtaking easily Aki-Peka Mustonen. German rider Martin Smolinski made a very good start but Theo Pijper and Joonas Kylmakorpi passed him before finished line.A very rough track, speedway riders Josef Franc, Theo Pijper, Cameron Woodward, Joonas Kylmakorpi and Martin Smolinski were at ease on this track. 5 of 5 in the finale !Josef Franc and Theo pijper made only few start practices, due to English duties on Friday morning, they arrived at the track during the afternoon. A good thing for those riders who finished on top 3 !Very good surprise for Cameron Woodward. Australian riders reach to the final after an engine failure in semi final. A happy rider 8th in the provisional standings. Disappointment for Joonas Kylmakorpi, the reigning World Champion, current leader, reach the final with 24 points on 25 possible. After a bad start he finished in fourth position in the final. He is still holding the first position in the provisional standings, 14 points ahead of Theo Pijper and 22 on 3rd rider Jörg Tebbe. Next meeting in Marmande on Friday. The 3 last finales of this 2012 FIM  Long Track World Championship are on shorter and more technical tracks, which could seriously change the game ....To be continued ! GRONINGEN 1. Josef Franc 24 – 2. Akki-Pekka Mustonen 23 – 3. Theo Pijper 24 – 4. Joonas Kylmakorpi 26 – 5. Martin Smolinski 20 – 6. Cameron Woodward 15 – 7. Matthias Kroger 15 – 8.Stephan Katt 14 - 9. Jorg Tebbe 13 - 10. Andrew Appleton 10 - 11. Stéphane Trésarrieu 9 – 12. Bernd Diener 7 - 13. Jannick de Jong 6 – 14. Glen Philipps 5 – 15. Mark Stiekema 5 – 16. Jerome Lespinasse 4 - 17. Theo di Palma 3 – 18. Gabriel Dubernard 1 2012 FIM LONG TRACK WORD CHAMPIONSHIPPROVISIONAL STANDINGS :1. Joonas Kylmakorpi 83 – 2. Theo Pijer 69 – 3. Jorg Tebbe 61 – 4. Josef Franc 58 – 5. Martin Smolinski 54 –6. Stephan Katt 47 – 7. Mathias Kröger 44 – 8. Cameron Woodwar 40 – 9. Aki-Pekka Mustonen 36 – 10. Jannick de Jong 35 – 11. Andrew Appleton 33 – 12. Bernd Diener 31 – 13. Glen Philipps 28 –14. Stephane Trésarrieu 15 -  15. Jerome Lespinasse 9 – 16. Theo Di palma 8 – 17.David Howe 8 –18. Mark Stiekema 5 – 19. Rene Lehtinen 5 – 20. Willy Tjessem 3 –  21. Gabriel Dubernard 1 – 22. Aarni Heikkilä 0 – 23. Simo Pulli 0 - 24. Kenneth Borgenhaugh 0 - 25. Inge Bjerk 0 – 26. Jeffrey Woortman 0 – 27. Sjoerd Rozenberg 0.Words: Lydia RobinPhotos: speedway.org  -  Bert Swarts, Moto Media Center Nederland

Source: http://www.fim-live.com/en/media/news/news-detail/article/1341759749-long-track-josef-franc-on-top-in-groningen/

Stefano Bianco Fabio Biliotti Wilf Billington Hartmut Bischoff Gastone Biscia