A SPEEDWAY exhibition is coming to Bradford in 2015 - in what is a poignant and memorable year for the sport in the city.

The year 2015 will mark 30 and 25 years since world speedway finals were held at Bradford's Odsal Stadium.

It will also be the 40th anniversary of former Bradford rider Gary Peterson's death in a crash, and 15 years since Simon Wigg - a former Bradford Dukes racer - died from a brain tumour. Peterson died during a race in Wolverhampton.

Helping to mark - and commemorate - the landmarks will be a significant exhibition at Bradford Industrial Museum focused on the sport's history in the city.

The six-month exhibition will open on May 7 and run until November.

The man behind the exhibition is speedway supporter John Murphy, whose first trip to watch the sport was in 1972.

He said it will include various references to speedway in Bradford and Yorkshire, as well as a celebratory nod towards the 24 world finals held at Wembley Stadium.

Mr Murphy said: "I was proud to work with the people at Bradford Industrial Museum in 2012 to organise a display dedicated to the Bradford teams. The catalyst then was 20 years since Gary Havelock became the only Bradford rider to be world champion while representing the club.

"In October of this year the museum asked for another exhibition on speedway, this time with a wider sweep of the sport beyond Bradford. I was reluctant to take the project on once more as an item was lost from 2012, which I couldn't replace for the owner - I was devastated and loathe to be responsible again, as items need to be loaned because my personal memorabilia is limited to visual things such as pictures and DVD or video.

"I also work full-time, on the buses, and with four children too, time is always at a premium. But, I believe the space offered in the museum is prime and, with Greg Hancock becoming world champion again in 2014, I have taken on the challenge once more.

"And why Greg Hancock? He won the last race at Odsal, on October 11, 1997. He clinched his third world championship, in Poland, on October 11, 2014."

Mr Murphy said it had also been decided to include Kenny Carter memorabilia in the exhibition. Carter, a star with the Bradford Dukes speedway team and reigning British speedway champion, was only 25, when he shot dead his wife Pam, also 25, and then killed himself at their luxury home in Bradshaw, near Queensbury, in May 1986, believing she was having an affair.

"I have a good pal who has a lot of Kenny Carter material and the museum have agreed this can be included," said Mr Murphy.

"I did tell them this may prove controversial to some but I am inclined, along the George Best approach of 'above all, please remember me for my football', to include it.

" There will also be a tribute to Polish superstar, Tomasz Gollob, who looks to be retiring in 2014.

"Other topics will be on show, accompanied by audio and film which hopefully will make for an interesting, and nostalgic visit for visitors."