Westboro Speedway

Former race track in the U.S. state of Massachusetts

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 / 42.281; -71.647
Capacity| 7,500 (approx.)[1]
Opened| 1947 (78 years ago)
Closed| 1985 (40 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 $1,408,197 in 2024).[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]

1. ^ 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.
2. ^ "Westboro Racer". Fitchburg Sentinel. Fitchburg, Massachusetts. August 2, 1962. p. 11. Retrieved March 4, 2022 - via newspapers.com.
3. ^ a b Parker, Glenn R. (June 10, 2012). "Westboro Sports Stadium ~ Westboro Speedway 1947-1985". Patch. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
4. ^ "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.
5. ^ "Joe Sostilio Again Victor at Westboro". The Boston Globe. October 8, 1947. p. 19. Retrieved March 5, 2022 - via newspapers.com.
6. ^ Adaskaveg, Mike (July 6, 1976). "Pit Stop (column)". The Journal. Meriden, Connecticut. p. 20. Retrieved March 4, 2022 - via newspapers.com.
7. ^ "Westboro Speedway". racing-reference.info. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
8. ^ a b Cadigan, Barry (January 26, 1986). "Mauling of the midgets". The Boston Globe. p. 104. Retrieved March 4, 2022 - via newspapers.com.
9. ^ Semon, Craig S. (August 17, 2019). "'Wings' over Westboro". Telegram & Gazette. Worcester, Massachusetts. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
10. ^ "aerosmith (advertisement)". The Daily Sentinel and Leominster Enterprise. Fitchburg, Massachusetts. July 29, 1974. p. 21. Retrieved March 4, 2022 - via newspapers.com.
11. ^ Antelman, Dakota (January 22, 2022). "Renovation work continues at Westborough's Speedway Plaza". communityadvocate.com. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
12. ^ "2 Killed In Road Accidents". The Boston Globe. May 27, 1962. p. 48. Retrieved March 4, 2022 - via newspapers.com.
13. ^ "Race Driver Killed". Columbia Record. Columbia, South Carolina. AP. June 21, 1965. p. 2. Retrieved March 4, 2022 - via newspapers.com.
14. ^ "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