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