Adi Funk Explained

Adi Funk
Nationality:Austrian
Birth Date:1 July 1951
Birth Place:Klosterneuburg, Austria
Death Place:Felixdorf, Austria
Career1:Austria
Years2:1975
Career2:Blau Gelbe Stars
Career3:Great Britain
Years4:1976
Career4:King's Lynn Stars
Years5:1977
Career5:Leicester Lions
Indivyear1:1975, 1980, 1981, 1982
Indivhonour1:Austrian Champion

Adolf "Adi" Funk (1 July 1951 – 27 January 2010) was an Austrian motorcycle speedway rider who won the Austrian Championship four times. He earned 25 caps for the Austria national speedway team.[1]

Biography

Born in Klosterneuburg, Funk rose to prominence in the early 1970s, and by 1974 had the highest average in Austrian speedway.[2] He finished in fourth place in the Austrian Championship in 1974 and won it for the first time the following year, also winning the Austrian Pairs Championship (with Alex Taudtmann).

In 1976 he rode in Britain for King's Lynn Stars[3] but struggled to score well, averaging only 2.8 over the season and was released.[4] The following year he rode for Leicester Lions, and while his average improved, it was still below three points per match. He went on to win the Austrian Championship for three successive seasons between 1980 and 1982.

Funk also represented Austria several times.[5]

Funk died in January 2010. A memorial meeting in his honour was held in Mureck the following year.[6]

World final appearances

World Pairs Championship

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ultimate rider index, 1929-2022 . British Speedway . 27 August 2024.
  2. Oakes, Peter & Mauger, Ivan (1976) Who's Who of World Speedway, Studio Publications,, p. 141
  3. News: Austrian may be mystery rider . Lynn Advertiser . 20 February 1976 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription . 27 August 2024.
  4. News: Reading ready to topple champions . Reading Evening Post . 2 April 1977 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 26 August 2024.
  5. Jones, Alan (2010) Speedway in Leicester: The Lions Roar, Automedia, p. 165
  6. "Generalprobe in Mureck", Kleine Zeitung, 29 April 2011, retrieved 2012-03-17