PETERBOROUGH Panthers will race towards their 40th Anniversary - with a new image.The club today unveil a dramatic new-look logo that will be on the 2010 race-suits and all club merchandise.

PETERBOROUGH Panthers will race towards their 40th Anniversary - with a new image.

The club today unveil a dramatic new-look logo that will be on the 2010 race-suits and all club merchandise.

And there's also a special 40th Anniversary emblem which combines the new badge and a celebratory retro theme.

The make-over sees the demise of the controversial predominantly black mirrored Panther's head which has been the club's image for the last four seasons.

It has been replaced by a single, snarling Panther's head on a rich red background, incorporating both the nickname and the words Peterborough Speedway which has never previously featured.

The fresh image is the work of top international agency Hemisphere Creative, whose client list includes the world-famous Cunard Line, exclusive French jewellers Cartier, and adventure travel company Exodus.

Their arrival coincides with planning for a star-studded 40th Anniversary meeting, the Panthers having staged their first East of England Showground meeting on June 12, 1970.

Hemisphere Creative, who have offices in Los Angeles and London, have been working closely with the Panthers' owners and management team on a re-branding that will also see the launch of a major marketing campaign and a state-of-the-art web site.

It's the second stage of owner Rick Frost's plan to establish the Panthers as one of the world's top clubs - on and off the track.

Last year's underachieving side has already been ripped apart and during the winter six new riders have arrived.

Several other signings are also in the pipeline as the Panthers look to build both for the present and the future.

Newcomers Troy Batchelor, Lewis Bridger, Krzysztof Buczkowski and Adam Roynon will all feature in the Elite League line-up while teenagers Taylor Poole - son of club legend Mick - and Dakota North have both been loaned out to Premier League clubs.

Frost, who saved the club from going under in August 2008, is prepared to invest heavily in all areas to turned the club around. He said: “We spent last year looking thoroughly at the business.

“We have already made a number of changes and now we are entering the second phase of our business plan to turn Peterborough into a thriving concern on and off the track.

“We have brought in the marketing experts and want to marry the club's great tradition with a forward-looking approach to winning new supporters.

“Hemisphere Creative are an international recognised company who are working with world-class brands but the one thing we were adamant about was we wouldn't be ditching the Panthers name.

“Other clubs have tried that but we didn't think it appropriate and neither did Hemisphere Creative which was good news all round.”

To view logo www.peterboroughspeedway.net