Rick France
{{Short description|British motorcycle speedway rider (1938–2024)}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox Speedway rider
| name = Rick France
| image =
| caption =
| nationality = British (English)
| birth_date = {{birth date|1938|7|12|df=y}}
| birth_place = Birmingham, England
| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|1|24|1938|7|12|df=y}}
| death_place =
| career1 = Coventry Bees
| years1 = 1960-1972
| career2 = Middlesbrough Bears
| years2 = 1961
| career3 = Leicester Hunters
| years3 = 1962
| career4 = Wolverhampton Wolves
| years4 = 1963
| career5 = Sheffield Tigers
| years5 = 1973
| career6 = Halifax Dukes
| years6 = 1974-1975
| indivyear1 = 1967
| indivhonour1 = Speedway World Championship finalist
| indivyear2 =
| indivhonour2 =
| teamyear1 = 1968
| teamhonour1 = British League Champion
| teamyear2 = 1967
| teamhonour2 = British League KO Cup Winner
| teamyear3 = 1963
| teamhonour3 = Provincial League Champion
| teamyear4 = 1966, 1969, 1970
| teamhonour4 = Midland Cup
| teamyear5 = 1973
| teamhonour5 = Northern Trophy
}}
Derek Edward Rick France (12 July 1938 – 24 January 2024) was an international motorcycle speedway rider from England.{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/worldfinal_f|title=WORLD INDIVIDUAL FINAL - RIDER INDEX|website=British Speedway|access-date=9 July 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf |title=ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022 |website=British Speedway |access-date=12 August 2023}}
Speedway career
France reached the final of the Speedway World Championship in the 1967 Individual Speedway World Championship.{{cite web |url=http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/worldchamps1936to94.pdf|title=World Speedway finals|website=Speedway Researcher|access-date=9 July 2021}}
France rode in the top tier of British Speedway from 1960 to 1975, riding primarily for Coventry Bees.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000769/19690412/519/0043 |title=Boost for Bees: France may be back for Lynn match |website=Coventry Evening Telegraph |date=12 April 1969 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=21 September 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/historyarchive|title=History Archive|website=British Speedway|access-date=9 July 2021}} He was capped by the England national speedway team once and Great Britain four times.{{cite web |url=https://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/1664/jim-lightfoot|title=Speedway riders, history and results|website=wwosbackup|access-date=9 July 2021}}
World final appearances
=Individual World Championship=
- 1967 – {{Flagicon|ENG}} London, Wembley Stadium – 12th – 5pts
Death
France died on 24 January 2024, at the age of 85.{{cite web |title=I'm really saddened to hear of the passing of Rick France this week aged 85. |url=https://www.facebook.com/groups/806157389439579/permalink/6971299479591975/?paipv=0&eav=AfaGge5jWFxykVnniSYRUfVu5q5T_PO7oPKqfDMDczEm2Fg8aVtx_uaGSgFmP4ZswHk&_rdr |website=Halifax & Bradford Dukes Speedway Page on Facebook |access-date=26 May 2024 |date=26 January 2024}}{{cite web |title=RIP Rick France |url=https://www.facebook.com/groups/6795533587240797?multi_permalinks=6895966793864142&hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen |website=World Speedway Riders Association WSRA Social on Facebook |access-date=26 May 2024 |date=30 January 2024}}{{cite web |title=Derek Edward France |url=https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/search-results |website=Probate Search |access-date=26 October 2024}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:France, Rick}}
Category:British speedway riders
Category:Leicester Hunters riders
Category:Middlesbrough Bears riders
Category:Sheffield Tigers riders