Westboro Speedway
 Westboro Speedway, circa 1984 | |
| Location | Route 9, Westborough, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC−5 / −4 (DST) |
| Coordinates | 42°16′52″N 71°38′49″W / 42.281°N 71.647°W |
| Capacity | 7,500 (approx.)[1] |
| Opened | 1947 (77 years ago) |
| Closed | 1985 (39 years ago) |
| Construction cost | $100,000 |
| Oval | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 1/4 miles (0.4 km) |
Westboro Speedway, also known as Westboro Sports Stadium,[1] was a one-quarter mile (0.40 km) banked and paved oval race track located in Westborough, Massachusetts, that operated from 1947 through 1985. It featured various types of racing including super-modified and midget cars.[2]
History
[edit]The track was built by Allied Sports Association, a group of five former World War II soldiers, on land that had been part of a farm owned by the DeBoer family.[3] Construction cost was reported as $100,000 (equivalent to $1,364,531 in 2023).[4] The first race at the speedway was held on August 5, 1947.[1]
Notable drivers to race at the speedway included Joe Sostilio in the track's inaugural season,[5] and Geoff Bodine and Ron Bouchard in the mid-1970s.[6] In 1982, the track hosted two races on the NASCAR North Tour, one in June and one in September.[7] The final race held at the speedway was contested on September 14, 1985.[8]
In addition to its use as a race track, the facility was also a venue for musical performances. Boston-based Aerosmith played at the speedway on August 18, 1974,[9][10] and the Gregg Allman Band played at the speedway in 1983.[3]
After the track closed and was razed, a strip mall branded as Speedway Plaza was constructed on the site.[8][11]
Incidents
[edit]- On May 25, 1962, a spectator from Gardner, Massachusetts, was killed at the speedway when a race car went into the crowd.[12]
- On June 19, 1965, a driver from Schenectady, New York, was killed during a race at the track.[13]
- On August 28, 1965, a driver from South Grafton, Massachusetts, was killed during a race at the track.[14]
Sources
[edit]- Brown, Allan (2017). The History of America's Speedways: Past and Present. Slideways Publications. ISBN 978-0692835562.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Contreras, Cesareo (September 24, 2021). "'Filled to capacity:' Westboro Speedway race track thrilled MetroWest from 1947 to 1985". The MetroWest Daily News. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
- ^ "Westboro Racer". Fitchburg Sentinel. Fitchburg, Massachusetts. August 2, 1962. p. 11. Retrieved March 4, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Parker, Glenn R. (June 10, 2012). "Westboro Sports Stadium ~ Westboro Speedway 1947-1985". Patch. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
- ^ "Midget Autos Open $100,000 Stadium at Westboro July 22". The Boston Globe. July 11, 1947. p. 4. Retrieved March 4, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Joe Sostilio Again Victor at Westboro". The Boston Globe. October 8, 1947. p. 19. Retrieved March 5, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Adaskaveg, Mike (July 6, 1976). "Pit Stop (column)". The Journal. Meriden, Connecticut. p. 20. Retrieved March 4, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Westboro Speedway". racing-reference.info. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
- ^ a b Cadigan, Barry (January 26, 1986). "Mauling of the midgets". The Boston Globe. p. 104. Retrieved March 4, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Semon, Craig S. (August 17, 2019). "'Wings' over Westboro". Telegram & Gazette. Worcester, Massachusetts. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
- ^ "aerosmith (advertisement)". The Daily Sentinel and Leominster Enterprise. Fitchburg, Massachusetts. July 29, 1974. p. 21. Retrieved March 4, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Antelman, Dakota (January 22, 2022). "Renovation work continues at Westborough's Speedway Plaza". communityadvocate.com. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
- ^ "2 Killed In Road Accidents". The Boston Globe. May 27, 1962. p. 48. Retrieved March 4, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Race Driver Killed". Columbia Record. Columbia, South Carolina. AP. June 21, 1965. p. 2. Retrieved March 4, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Sixteen Killed in N.E.; Eleven the Highways". North Adams Transcript. North Adams, Massachusetts. AP. August 30, 1965. p. 5. Retrieved March 4, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
External links
[edit]- Touring Series & Major Events at The Third Turn