Norwood Arena

1948-1972

By the time Norwood arrived on the racing scene, the Seekonk Speedway – located just outside of Providence, Rhode Island – was in its third season of operation.  Westboro Stadium began hosting midget races the previous season on its high-banked 1/4 mile layout oval near Worcester as well.

The Norwood Arena was located on the ‘Auto Mile’ in Norwood, Massachusetts.  A 1/4 mile paved oval, Johnny Bernardi was the inaugural winner in his #55 Davidson Offy on June 14, 1948.  The Bay State Midget Auto Racing Association  sanctioned the Monday night races and Bernardi  would go on to win the inaugural track title. 

As was often the case in post-World War II racing, Stock Cars were beginning to make inroads at New England ovals.  Norwood, of course, was no exception, and 1949 saw Ed Stone bring the New England Stock Car Racing Association to Norwood.

 The 1960 season was a significant season for the Norwood Arena as it obtained NASCAR sanctioning.  The following season the NASCAR Grand National division  (currently the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series) made its only Massachusetts visit to date.  The Yankee 500 saw Rex White take the pole, while Emanuel Zervakis won the race.  Local favorites in the field included Ed Flemke Sr., Ernie Gahan and Sammy Packard.

 

1969 saw the end of the Modified era at Norwood. Fred Schulz in DIck Armstrong’s car claimed the final track championship.  The last Modified race was won by Roland Lapierre, Sr. in the #134. The following season saw the Late Models and Pro Street divisions take over as the top two-classes.

 

Norwood Winners/Champions: Where Are They Now?

Norwood Arena’s NEAR Hall of Fame Inductees
Car Owners, Competitors, Winners

 

Dave Dion

John McCarthy

 

 

 

 

2007

Vic Bombaci

Harold “Red” Cummings

Johnny Kay

 Bill Randall

Joe Rosenfield

Bob Vitari

2006

Dick Armstrong

Smokey Boutwell

Joe Csiki

Reino Tulonen

 

 

2005

Bob Blair

Lenny Boehler

Sammy Packard

Bill Schindler

 

 

2004

Bob Judkins

Joe Sostilo

 

 

 

 

2003

Johnny Thomson

 

 

 

 

 

2002

Don MacTavish

Bobby Santos

 

 

 

 

2001

Mario “Fats” Caruso

Dave Humphrey

Ralph Moody

George Summers

 

 

2000

Leo Cleary

Fred DeSarro

Melvin “Red” Foote

Ralph “Hop” Harrington

 

 

1999

Rene Charland

Ed Flemke, Sr.

Ernie Gahan

Pete Hamilton

Bill Slater

Bugs Stevens

1998

 

 

 

 

 

 

1998

 

More information to be added as time permits … 

 

I have also included some statistics about the races held at Norwood Arena:


 All-Time NEMA Winners (28 Races)

Date

Race #

Winner

Car

07/03/1953

5

Bert Brooks

Smith 99

07/17/1953

6

Bert Brooks

Smith 99

05/31/1954

2

Bill Eldridge

Parmenter 55

06/27/1958

5

Al Pillion

 

07/04/1958

7

Bill Eldridge

 

07/18/1958

11

Dick Brown

 

07/25/1958

14

Bill Eldridge

 

08/01/1958

15

Johnny Kay

 

08/15/1958

17

Hank Williams

 

08/22/1958

18

Dick Brown

 

08/29/1958

/19

Chuck Arnold

 

09/05/1958

21

Dick Brown

 

04/28/1959

2

Bill Randall

 

05/02/1959

3

Bill Randall

 

05/09/1959

4

Everett Rogers

 

07/17/1959

9

Ray Burke

 

07/24/1959

10

Ray Burke

 

07/20/1960

9

Bert Brooks

 

09/14/1960

17

Jerry Russo

 

07/19/1961

6

Joe Csiki

 

05/25/1962

1

Tony Bonadies

 

06/23/1962

4

Tony Bonadies

 

07/06/1962

7

Tony Romit

 

07/17/1963

12

Joe Csiki

 

08/21/1963

15

Bill Eldridge

 

06/17/1966

8

Bill Stofer

 

07/15/1966

15

King Carpenter

 

05/31/1969

4

Len Thrall

 

1970 Late Model Winners

DATE

N

DIV

WINNER

MAKE

Car #

ST.

TIME

SPEED

LAPS

4/25/1970

 

LMS

George Savary

1957 Chevy

131

1

Restarted

N/A

30

5/2/1970

 

LMS

Les Rose

1957 Chevy

62

2

07:54.8

56.854

30

5/9/1970

 

LMS

RAIN

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

5/16/1970

 

LMS

Don Kibbe

1957 Chevy

14X

8

Restarted

N/A

30

5/23/1970

 

LMS

Bob Healey

1957 Chevy

11

1

Restarted

N/A

30

5/30/1970

 

LMS

Ron Larkin

1957 Chevy

10

5

Restarted

N/A

30

6/6/1970

 

LMS

RAIN

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

13-Jun

 

LMS

Les Rose

1957 Chevy

62

6

07:56.0

56.747

30

6/20/1970

 

LMS

Dave Lind

1963 Ford

41

4

08:13.9

54.678

30

6/27/1970

 

LMS

Paul Montecalvo

1957 Chevy

37

3

07:58.5

56.426

30

7/4/1970

 

LMS

Jerry Driscoll

1967 Plymouth

90

3

07:57.8

56.533

30

7/11/1970

DP

LMS

Len Baker

1963 Ford

55

4

Restarted

N/A

30

7/18/1970

 

LMS

Walt Scott

1957 Chevy

98

2

07:55.3

56.818

30

7/25/1970

 

LMS

Bob Healey

1958 Chevy

11

7

07:54.2

56.962

30

8/1/1970

 

LMS

Paul Rogers

1959 Chevy

27

2

07:53.8

56.998

30

8/8/1970

 

LMS

Armando Vieira

1960 Chevy

35

7

Restarted

N/A

30

8/15/1970

 

LMS

Jack Peterson

1962 Ford

22

2

Restarted

N/A

30

8/22/1970

 

LMS

Dave Goltz

1964 Chevy

26

3

Restarted

N/A

30

8/29/1970

 

LMS

Ken Kutney

1957 Chevy

27J

3

Restarted

N/A

30

9/5/1970

*

LMS

Armando Vieira

1958 Chevy

35

6

Restarted

N/A

30

9/12/1970

 

 LMS

Bob Healey

1959 Chevy

11

8

07:59.4

56.391

30

9/19/1970

 

 LMS

Bob Healey

1960 Chevy

11

11

Restarted

N/A

30

9/26/1970

**

 LMS

George Savary

1961 Chevy

131

9

Restarted

N/A

30

10/3/1970

***

 LMS

RAIN

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

10/10/1970

 

 LMS

RAIN

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Brand X

N/A

 

 1970 Pro Street Winners

DATE

N

DIV

WINNER

MAKE

Car #

ST.

TIME

SPEED

LAPS

4/25/1970

 

Street

Paul Roche

1957 Chevy

50

10

5.56.9

50.448

20

5/2/1970

 

Street

Paul Roche

1957 Chevy

50

11

Restarted

N/A

20

5/9/1970

 

Street

RAIN

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

5/16/1970

 

Street

Paul Cabral

1960 Ford

35

8

Restarted

N/A

20

5/23/1970

 

Street

Bob Armstrong

1956 Chevy

15

11

Restarted

N/A

20

5/30/1970

 

Street

Joe Kourafas

1956 Chevy

20J

3

Restarted

N/A

20

6/6/1970

 

Street

RAIN

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

13-Jun

 

Street

Bill Kourafas

 

19

4

5.51.2

51.253

20

6/20/1970

 

Street

Don Hunt

 

44

5

6.33.6

45.732

20

6/27/1970

 

Street

Frank Kuhlman

 

50

1

5.58.5

50.223

20

7/4/1970

 

Street

Ken Turner

 

15

4

5.56.7

50.477

20

7/11/1970

 

Street

Roy Chamberlain

 

11

13

5.50.8

51.399

20

7/18/1970

 

Street

Warren Dickerman

 

36

2

6.03.2

49.559

20

7/25/1970

 

Street

Joe Kourafas

 

20J

3

5.53.5

50.934

20

8/1/1970

 

Street

Don Hunt

 

44

10

6.36.7

45.386

20

8/8/1970

 

Street

Roy Chamberlain

 

11

10

6.04.2

49.423

20

8/15/1970

 

Street

Joe Kourafas

 

20J

11

6.24.8

46.68

20

8/22/1970

 

Street

Bob Armstrong

 

15

8

Restarted

N/A

20

8/29/1970

 

Street

Don Hunt

 

44

11

Restarted

N/A

20

9/5/1970

*

Street

Bill Kourafas

 

19

6

6.05.8

49.207

20

9/12/1970

 

Street

Al Crockett

 

94

3

Restarted

N/A

20

9/19/1970

 

Street

Roy Chamberlain

 

11

6

6.08.5

48.86

20

9/26/1970

**

Street

Paul Roche

 

5

7

N/A

N/A

20

10/3/1970

***

Street

RAIN

 

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

10/10/1970

 

Street

RAIN

 

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A