This Day in Norwood History-June 11, 1948-Grand Opening of Norwood Arena

Famed Pollack Duo Among Attractions For Track Opening

Country’s Top Drivers Will See Action At Arena Debut Monday

Some of the most outstanding midget auto racing drivers in the country, including the famous Pollack team from Ohio, will see action at the belated unveiling of the new Norwood -Arena on Route 1 next Monday night.

ln addition to the top drivers of the local circuit, next Monday’s first-nighters will have the opportunity of witnessing in the Pollack team the racing opponent from the mid-West—Bob Harmen and Jim Florien— in their Eastern debut. Both will be driving Offcnhausers.

Harmon, who turned from a hillbilly radio show to automobile racing ten years ago, has long been one o£ the big names in the mid-West circuit He won the 100-mile classic at the Cambridge, Ohio Stadium last year, and wound up last season as high point man in the Ohio-Michigan loop. He climaxed a banner year by laying claim to the Ohio flat track title. He’s married and has four children.

The second member of the team, Jim Florien, has been racing only since 1946, but he has packed a lifetime of thrills in those two years. Only three weeks ago, at Sportsmen’s Park, he was being waved in file winner when his throttle stuck and his car went hurtling through the air, tearing down four sections of fence before they picked up Florien suffering from arm injuries and burns. He was back racing in three nights.

In the Bainbridge race, Florien was in second place when his motor blew up. Jim is also married and has one child.

Another mld-West name driver who will be in Norwood for the curtain-raiser will be Bill Spears of Ohio, who was Michigan big car champ in 1941. Spears drives a special job which is the only race car with rubber suspension. He has never before ridden a hot-top track and he’s looking forward to see what his car will do on the Norwood strip.

At least 40 cars are expected to be in the pits for the Grand Opening of the half-million-dollar Arena. The evening’s eight-race card will bring out such local favorites as Joe Sostilio of Natick, Bobby Blair of Dedham, Wild Bill Randall of Wakefield, Dick Shuebruk of Scituate, and Bud Tatro of South Norwalk, Conn.

Several of the drivers who will be in the competition next Monday have already brought their cars to the track for test runs, and have termed the Norwood strip “the safest and fastest in the country ”

Postponed from last Monday night because of rain, the delayed opener is expected to see a full house. There are seats for 16,000 fans, and ample facilities for supervised parking, not to mention the $150,000 clubhouse with its cocktail lounge and 75-foot bar.

For the Grand Opening, the management has invited as special guests a number of local and state dignitaries who will witness the inaugural program from the special reviewing stand on the front of the clubhouse.

(All articles were originally published in the Norwood Messenger unless otherwise noted)