This Day in Norwood History-April 1, 1949-First Stock Car Marathon Slated At Norwood Arena

The Norwood Arena will add an exciting page to auto racing history April 18 and 19 when it inaugurates its 1949 season with a thrill-packed Stock Car Marathon —.the first event of its kind ever held.

The starter’s flag will whip down at noon, April 18, to send thirty or more drivers off on a 24-hour test of driver endurance and engine stamina which is sponsored by the New England Stock Car Racing Association and conducted under association auspices.

Hour after hour official scorers will tabulate the laps completed. Officials estimate that the drivers will exceed 1000 miles o£ driving on the quarter-mile oval in the noon-to-noon grind.

Competition will be keen day and night, and only necessary stops for fuel, oil, tire changes, and relief drivers will be made as the stock car racing teams strive to win scores of prizes to be awarded for lap honors at various stages of the Marathon.

New Ford Grand Prize

During the closing hours, however, racing fans will see the most daring car handling as drivers wheel in and out, shooting for the title of Stock-Car Marathon Champion and the grand prize, a 1949 Ford car.

While bumps, scrapes, skids, spills, and thrills can be expected, the million-dollar Norwood track, regarded as the safest and finest in the East, has doubled its regular safety precautions for the 1000-mile event.

Both a doctor and a registered nurse will be on duty to give emergency first aid should any be needed. Two ambulances will be ready to rush any injured driver to the hospital. In addition, firefighting and auto wreck equipment will be standing by.

The Marathon is expected to draw a capacity crowd of 16,000 to the million-dollar Arena, located just off U. S. Route 1 in Norwood. It will be free to the public from the start on Monday noon until Tuesday at 9 a.m. Then the single admission charge will entitle racing fans to see the double feature — the windup of the Marathon, plus the regular eight-race Stock Car program starting at 2 p.m.

In the event of rain, the Marathon will be postponed until Friday and Saturday, April 22 and 23, with an eight-race feature following on Saturday afternoon.

The public is invited to the track and the clubhouse in order to watch drivers and their crews as they tune their autos and try out the track on evenings and Saturdays and Sundays prior to the Marathon.