An Original 1952 Exhibition Park, Toronto, Stock Car Racing Program Brochure - Part Of Tunu's Collection
In the spring of 1952 the Canadian National Exhibition, in Toronto, opened a brand-new 1/3 mile oval known as the CNE Stadium, which promoted organized stock car racing events from 1952 to 1966, including sanctioned NASCAR events & Richard Petty's first ever NASCAR race in 1958. Richard Petty running well until he wrecked after getting bumped by his father, Lee Petty.
The original track was 1/3 mile long surfaced with cinder and had flat corners; there was no banking. The Exhibition Stock Car Racing Association was the group that ran the races which ran on Tuesday and Friday nights. Harley Morden was the Race Director. The drivers were all members of the Canadian Stock Car Racing Club. The grandstand were covered so they were able to run the races rain or shine.
Admission cost for fans in that first season was $1.00 for adults and 50 cents for children. Purses were paid as a percentage of the paid attendance.
The opening night of racing was April 22, 1952. It was wet and cold, but almost 8000 fans still showed up. The show must go on.
In the early years of CNE Stock Car Racing the program featured eight races including three heat races, a novice race, a consolation race, two semi-finals and the main event; feature race. Tom Forbes of Islington won the first feature the opening event at the new CNE Speedway on April 22 1952.
On July 1st 1952 the promotors had to turn fans away when the attendance reached its peak, when over Nineteen thousand six hundred fans packed the grandstands to watch Norm Brioux take the win. Norm won $900, the largest payout in the 1952 season for winning a feature race.
The Midgets; a smaller sprint car-indy style race car using a four cylinder engine, with a very high horsepower to weight ratio, put on a performance on July 5, 1952 with Vern Herriman winning the 25 lap feature race.
The night also featured a three-lap race between Norm Brioux and Ted Hogan who were trying Midgets for the first time.
On July 31 1952, Ed Otto, a promoter based out of Buffalo brought the NASCAR Late Models (similar to NASCAR Xfinity Series As of 2023 - not the NASCAR Cup Series/Grand National Division) to the CNE.
The NASCAR Late Model race had many of the stars from the Grand National Series eager to race north of the border. The race was 300 laps (100 miles) and was open to late model cars from 1949-52.
A NASCAR Grand National Division Star, Lee Petty won the race by three laps over Ray Duhig in second and Pappy Hough in third.
The Canadians Norm Brioux, Lloyd Shaw and Ralph Spencer finished tenth through twelth respectively. Len Hurley was another other Canadian who qualified for the race.
Norm Brioux would have finished even higher but he spent 10 minutes in the pits with spark plug problems.
Racing shut down after the NASCAR event in order to make room for the annual Canadian National Exhibition.
By the time racing returned on September 12, the track had been paved at a cost of over $13,000.
The new paved surface dramatically increased lap speeds, by about 2 seconds, which lead to more serious accidents during the race. Drivers were turning laps 1 or 2 seconds per lap quicker than before. This made for an exciting race for the fans and a lot of repairs for the mechanics. It was obvious the wood barrier around the track would not be enough as cars became faster by the week.
On September 20 1952 The Midgets would return for their second event of the '52 season having Roy Graham leading the way to the 28 lap feature, winning the race.
On October 13 1952, Ted Race won the 70 lap feature race; the final race of the season. The Total attendance for the 1952 season was close to 400,000.
Norm Brioux was the first winner of the Molson Trophy as Canadian National Exhibition Points Champion.
Tunu's Collection: An Official 1952 Exhibition Park Stock Car Racing Program - View Now
1952 EXHIBITION PARK STOCK CAR RACING PROGRAM - VIEW NOW
1950's Exhibition Park Stock Car Racing Footage by Yesterday's Speedways
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