František Juhan

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František Juhan
Born4 May 1914 (1914-05-04)
Prague, Austria-Hungary
Died15 November 1992(1992-11-15) (aged 78)
NationalityCzech
Individual honours
1938Golden Helmet of Pardubice
Franta, Julie and Jaroslav Juhan

František (Franta) Juhan (4 May 1914 – 15 November 1992) was a Czechoslovak motorcycle racer in speedway, road racing and trials.[1][2][3]

Career[edit]

Franta Juhan with Gold helmet from Pardubice in 1938

He has won the Golden Helmet of Pardubice in 1938 and was a member of the 1937 medal-winning Czechoslovakian Six Days Trials Team.

He was the brother of the famous Porsche racer and Pan America champion Jaroslav Juhan. Jaroslav won for Porsche also raced a Ferrari Testarossa 250TR in 1958 at Le Mans.[4]

In Jaraslov's book "Life Without Brakes The man who brought Porsche to the Carrera" by Jan Králík and published Grada Publishing there is a section on Franta.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1waIq7Ko8LE&list=PLsNlN6Y46p_rZBTowLTLIbIyHURQov1Aa

Juhan raced most of the historic brands of the era including Jawa, Vincent, Gilera, Moto Guzzi and MV Agusta.

He immigrated to Vancouver (British Columbia, Canada), where he became a businessman. He founded the award-winning Honda Centre in 1965. His son Frankie Juhan continued to run the shop after his father passed away and both Franta and Frankie were inducted into the Greater Vancouver Motorsports Pioneers Society in 2018.[5]

Franta Juhan raced in the Isle of Man TT in 1935 and 1938. In 1938 he raced a Velocette.

In 1948, he won the Grand Prix of Europe in Bern (Switzerland), riding a Velocette KTT 350 in which he set a new lap record.

Farant Juhan wins 1938 European Grand Prix for Vellocette
Franta Juhan 1948 Grand Prix of Europe Bern Switzerland

The Juhan family were all winners Franta Juhan and his son Frankie Juhan in Motorcycles and Jaroslav Juhan on four wheels with Ferrari and Porsche, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBVlR_nryqQ&list=PLsNlN6Y46p_oFlFRsE_m_SOxFtrNXyMcj&index=55

References[edit]

  1. ^ Procházka, Hubert: Jawa 250/350 Pérák, Grada Publishing a.s., 2009 (ISBN 9788024723228), pp. 117-118 (in Czech)
  2. ^ "Czech riders on Isle of Man TT :: ROADRACING".
  3. ^ http://racingmemo.free.fr/M%20COURSES%20INTER/MOTO%20SUISSE.htm [bare URL]
  4. ^ "Jaroslav Juhan | la Carrera Panamericana - Czech republic Rally Team - Mexico 2014".
  5. ^ "Honda Centre - New & Used Motorcycles, ATVs, UTVs, Power Equipment, Outboards, Service, and Parts in Burnaby, BC, near Vancouver and Surrey".