Exhibition celebrates 100 years of Manx Grand Prix racing

The display tells the stories of nine local Manx Grand Prix riders

An exhibition celebrating 100 years of the Manx Grand Prix has gone on display in the south of the island.

The collection tells the stories of nine local riders, including Barry Wood and Nathan Harrison, at the Rushen Heritage Centre in in Port Erin.

It also features the Suzuki ridden to victory by Richard Fitzsimmons in the 1983 Lightweight Classic race.

First run in 1923 as the Manx Amateur Road Races, the event was renamed the Manx Grand Prix in 1930.

A team medal, caps awarded to riders who finished second and third on the podium, and historic programmes are also on show along with other race memorabilia.

The Centenary of the Manx Grand Prix exhibition, which also highlights the race careers of Derek Kelly, Brian Kneale, Gary Carswell and Tommy Clucas, details when each rider took part, where they ranked in the race standings, and their course highlights.

Crashes involving some of the competitors on the 37.75-mile (60km) Mountain Course, which sees races held on closed public roads, are also documented.

Rushen Heritage Trust has put on the exhibition to mark the centenary of the event

Rushen Heritage Trust director Ali Graham, who put the exhibition together, said the group "wanted to focus on the MGP to mark its centenary" after a previous display put on during last year's TT had "proved popular with visitors and locals alike".

Research for the project "showed just how many great riders the Isle of Man has produced over the years, so we certainly have more than enough content for future exhibitions to tell more MGP stories", she said.

The trust had been loaned personal memorabilia to enhance the display, including the the "superb centrepiece" of the motorcycle, which was now owned by Bob Simmons, she added.

The exhibition is open between 10:00 and 16:00 BST, from Tuesdays to Saturdays until 16 September.

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