| Bradford Dukes | |||||||||
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| Club information | |||||||||
| Track address | Odsal Stadium Odsal Top Bradford West Yorkshire | ||||||||
| Country | England | ||||||||
| Founded | 1985 replaced Halifax Dukes | ||||||||
| Closed | 1997 | ||||||||
| Club facts | |||||||||
| Colours | Blue Red and White | ||||||||
| Track size | 357 metres (390 yd) | ||||||||
| Major team honours | |||||||||
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The Bradford Dukes were a British motorcycle speedway team which operated from the Odsal Stadium in Bradford from 1986 until their closure in 1997. [1] [2]
Speedway has long been associated with Odsal Stadium; there have been three eras of racing activity at the venue spanning the years 1945–1960, 1970–1975 and most recently 1985–1997. There was also a short-lived existence at the old Greenfield Stadium between 1961 and 1962. [1]
Speedway returned to Odsal in 1985 after a ten-year absence when it was selected by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme to host the 1985 Speedway World Championship. Bradford Council were quick to seize on the prestige of being associated with a World event and approved £1 million project to refurbish the Odsal Stadium. A 40,000 crowd attended at the final. [2]
In March 1986, Odsal opened its doors to British League action for the first time since the 1950s after the Halifax Dukes were offered a new home track. [3] The new 'Bradford Dukes' team would in later years include Gary Havelock, the multi-British Champion Simon Wigg, England number one Kelvin Tatum and Mark Loram. [4] However, the club suffered the loss of Kenny Carter who died in a shooting incident during their first season. [5]
Bradford speedway then enjoyed its greatest period of success winning eight trophies and a World Title until the club's closure in 1997 when despite winning the Elite League, the club folded for the third time. [6] The success included four Knockout Cup wins from 1991 to 1995, three of which were in consecutive years. [7]
In 2013 businessman Tony Mole successfully applied for planning permission to again use Odsal for speedway, with the possibility of racing returning in 2014 with the Bradford and Halifax Dukes. [8]
Gary Havelock became Speedway World Champion whilst a Bradford rider in 1992, winning the title at the Olympic Stadium in Wroclaw, Poland. [9]
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Odsal Stadium in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, is a multi-purpose stadium currently the home of Bradford Bulls Rugby League team and Yorstox Stock Cars who host regular monthly meetings of BriSCA F1 Stock Cars and BriSCA F2 Stock Cars. It has also been used by the Bradford Dukes speedway team, hosting the 1997 Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain, and as a temporary groundshare, the football team Bradford City temporarily following the Valley Parade fire. Odsal Stadium has also historically hosted baseball, American Football, basketball, kabbadi, show jumping, tennis, live music concerts, and international Rugby League matches over the years.
Christopher John Morton, MBE is a former motorcycle speedway rider from England. He rode bikes from a young age at the farm of Peter Collins' parents.
Kenneth Malcolm Carter , was a British world class motorcycle speedway rider. He was a World Pairs champion and British champion. On Wednesday, 21 May 1986, he shot dead his wife, Pam, and then killed himself, orphaning their two young children in the process.
Robert Gary Havelock is a British former speedway rider who was World Champion in 1992.
Kelvin Martin Tatum MBE is a former British international motorcycle speedway and grasstrack rider.
The Halifax Dukes were a speedway team which operated from 1949–1951 and again from 1965 until their closure in 1985 at The Shay Stadium in Halifax. The team were nicknamed the "Dukes" after the local Duke of Wellington's Regiment, whose training depot, Wellesley Barracks, was in Halifax, and used the Regiments elephant symbol on their race jacket.
Simon Antony Wigg was an English speedway, grasstrack and longtrack rider who won five World Long Track Championships and finished runner-up in the Speedway World Championship in 1989.
Simon James Cross is a former motorcycle speedway rider who spent most of his career with the Cradley Heathens.
Marvyn Cox is a former Speedway rider. Cox was twice a winner of the German Individual Championship in 1993 and 1995, when he raced under a German licence.
Martin Robert Dugard is a former English international motorcycle speedway rider, who spent much of his career with the Eastbourne Eagles and Oxford Cheetahs.
Jeremy Doncaster is a former international motorcycle speedway rider who won the World Team Cup in 1989, top scoring for Great Britain with 13 points. He also finished in third place in the 1989 World Final. Doncaster finished equal on 12 points with countryman Simon Wigg who defeated him in a run-off for second place.
The 1998 Elite League speedway season was the 64th season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom and the second year known as the Elite League, governed by the Speedway Control Board (SCB) in conjunction with the British Speedway Promoters' Association (BSPA).
The 1997 Elite League speedway season was the 63rd season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom. It was the first season of a new league known as the Elite League and was governed by the Speedway Control Board (SCB), in conjunction with the British Speedway Promoters' Association (BSPA).
Odsal Boomerangs were a motorcycle speedway team based at Odsal Stadium, Rooley Lane, Odsal, Bradford, West Yorkshire, from 1945 to 1950. The team became the Odsal Tudors during the 1950 season.
The Odsal Tudors or Bradford Tudors were a motorcycle speedway team based at Odsal Stadium in Bradford from 1950 to 1960.
The 1992 British League season was the 58th season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom and the 28th known as the British League.
The 1991 British League season was the 57th season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom and the 27th known as the British League.
The 1986 British League season was the 52nd season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom and the 22nd known as the British League.
The 1987 British League season was the 53rd season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom and the 23rd known as the British League.
The 1990 British League season was the 56th season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom and the 26th known as the British League.
