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.
The picketing at Westboro last night was by members of the Bay State Midget Racing Association as the drivers of this organization protested against being required to join the American Automobile Association. The seven tracks have signed under AAA sanction and refuse to allow non-AAA drivers to compete.
John Whitehouse, president of the Bay state group, said, “We’ll sit tight as long the owners do. They won’t get any cars into the AA from our organization. We’ll have our own six-track circuit ready by June 2.”
Normand McDonald, secretary of the track owners association, said the drivers wanted to come into the AAA as a group, instead of as individuals.
But Whitehouse said, “We won’t join AAA because they won’t sanction our Hudson, NH track.” He said they would refuse to “Desert” the Hudson track.
Only eight of AAA cars appeared at the Westboro track last night while a minimum of 24 cars was needed for the night’s card.
Sources: Providence Journal – Thursday, May 20, 1948 – Page 8.
