Lonsdale Sports Arena

Two Providence riders were injured in spills during the weekly motorcycle races at the Lonsdale Sports Arena last night.

Walter Balchunas, 25, of 516 Broad Street, was the more seriously hurt, sustaining a back injury and a cut on the nose when he spilled on the ninth lap of the feature 12-lap race which was won by Woodsie Castonguay of Springfield.

Balchunas was being passed by Babe Tancrede of Woonsocket on a curve when he lost his balance and the two machines sideswiped.  After Balchunas had fallen, the other cycle ran over him, spilling Tancrede. 

The latter was unhurt, remounted and continued in the race.

The other injured rider was Berkeley Baron, 23, of 52 Lexington Avenue, whose cycle spilled on the second lap of the first qualifying heat.  Both were taken to the Memorial Hospital, but Baron was released late last night.  Balchunas is being held for medical observation.

First qualifying heat (six laps, 1 1/2 miles) – won by Joe Weatherly, Norfolk, VA; 2. Gill Whittaker, Cranston; 3. Bill Hancock, East Greenwich.  Time – 2:32:9.

Second qualifying heat (six laps) – won by Frank Kawolis, Millbury, MA; 2. Louis Digbello, Warehouse Point, CT; 3. John Butterfield, Newport News, VA. Time – 2:35:3.

Third qualifying heat (six laps) – won by Woodsie Castonguay, Springfield; 2. Walter Balchunas, Providence; 3. John Taylor, Litchfield, CT. Time – 2:42:3.

Fourth qualifying heat (six laps) – won by Bob Baer, Springfield; 2. Pete Peterson, Springfield; 3. Babe Tancrede, Woonsocket. Time: 2:28:1.

First semi-final (8 laps, 2 miles) – won by Castonguay, Springfield; 2. Balchunas, Providence; 3. Kawolis. Time – 3:22:4.

Second semi-final (8 laps) – won by Peterson, Springfield; 2. Tancrede, Woonsocket; 3. Hancock, East Greenwich. Time – 3:22:6.

Final (12 laps, 3 miles) – won by Castonguay, Springfield; 2. Peterson, Springfield; 3. Kawolis, Millbury. Time – 5:35.

Sources: Providence Journal – Tuesday, June 22, 1948

The American Motorycle Association will hold the second in its series of weekly motorcycle meets tonight at 8:30 at the Lonsdale Sports Arena on Route 122, between Pawtucket and Woonsocket, with many of the nation’s outstanding riders scheduled to compete.

 In addition to the usual crop of AMA riders, many cyclists from outside New England who participated in the annual Gypsy Tour championships at Laconia, NH, over the weekend will ride on the seven-event program.

 Alli Quattrochi of Providence and Ken DeCosta of Taunton, who were unable to ride last week because of preparations for the Laconia event, are also listed among tonight’s entries.

Sources: Providence Journal – Monday, June 21, 1948

Bud Tatro of the Bay State Association won the feature of the weekly midget auto racing program at the Lonsdale Speedway last night.  The field also included a large number of Triple A drivers.  A crowd of approximately 3100 witnessed the races

First heat – (10 laps, 3 1/2 miles) – won by Jim Florient, Cleveland; 2. Bud Tatro, Norwalk, 3. Bernie Kelley, Toledo, Ohio. Time – 2:46:07.

Second heat – won by Bill Spears, Cleveland; 2. Milt Henry, West Medway; 3. Howdy Glenn, Pittsburgh. Time: 2:43:72.

Third heat – won by Bob Harnar, Akron; 2. Frank Simmonetti, Watertown, Mass.; 3. Stan Wood, Nashua. Time: 2:48:21.

Fourth heat – won by Jack Kapot, Cleveland; 2. Red Cummings, Wenham; 3. Bill Tibbetts, Natick, Mass. Time: 2:48.

First semi-final – (15 laps, 5 miles) – won by Tatro, 2. Spears; 3. Kelley. (No time, race halted in 13th lap)

Second semi-final – won by Florient, 2. Simonette; 3. Kapot. (No time, race halted in 13th lap)

Class B race- (16 laps, 5 1/2 miles) – won by Harner; 2. Cummings; 3. Al Primer, Greenwich. Time: 4:33:87.

Feature race – 25 laps, 8 1/2 miles) – won by Tatro; 2. Florient; 3. Simonette. Time – 6:41:22.

Sources: Providence Journal – Thursday, June 17, 1948

Jim McBride of Dallas, Texas, is among the several new guest drivers scheduled to participate in the midget auto racing program tonight at the Lonsdale Sports Arena.  The first event will start at 8 p.m.

McBride, who drives a No. 5 Offenhauser, has just arrived from the Midwest.  Three other AAA drivers who participated in last week’s races, Jim Florient of Cleveland, Ohio, and Bob Harner of Akron, both of the Pollock racing team, and Bill Spears of Cleveland will be back.

In addition to the guest drivers the regular Bay State Midget Auto Racing Association drivers will be on hand. 

Sources: Providence Journal – Wednesday, June 16, 1948

Big car auto racing will be held Saturday night under light at the Lonsdale Sports Arena, it was announced last night by the Lonsdale management. The races originally were scheduled for last Sunday but were cancelled by rain.

It was also announced that motorcycle racing will be held at Lonsdale every Monday night starting next week on a new track built inside the surface used for midget auto racing.  The motorcycle races will be sponsored by the American Motorcycle Association.

The midget autos will make their season’s debut at Lonsdale next Wednesday.

Sources: Providence Journal – Thursday, June 3, 1948

Continue Fight with BSMRA; Lonsdale and Seekonk Tracks Affected

Westboro, Mass – May 19 – (AP) – Seven midget-auto race tracks announced today they were closing temporarily after the Westboro Stadium was picketed last night by New England drivers, who said the track operators wanted them to join the American Automobile Association.

The track operators said they would shut down until enough American Automobile Association entries are received for eight-race programs.

The move cancelled a race program at Lonsdale, RI tonight and other scheduled race meets at Groveland, Seekonk, West Peabody, and Manchester, NH later this week.  A new track at Norwood was to have opened May 31.

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Midget auto racing returns to the Lonsdale Sports Arena next Wednesday night when more than 35 cars of the AAA will participate in the opening night’s program.

The Lonsdale oval will operate this season under the auspices of the American Midget Track Owners Association, an affiliate of the AAA and will be a member of the New England “Big Seven,” which also includes the Fall River Speedway, Manchester, N.H., Motordrome; Norwood, Mass. Arena; Westboro, Mass. Stadium; Pines Speedway at Groveland, Mass. and the West Peabody Speedway.

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