New entertainment for Cradley Heath proved a car wreck which didn't take off
Bish, bash, bosh - it was an inaugural event at Cradley Heath which provided "occasional thrills," according to our Star correspondent who witnessed that historic evening.
Considering we're talking stock car racing, that was faint praise indeed.
A disappointing crowd of fewer than 2,000 turned up at Cradley Heath Stadium on Saturday, December 18, 1954, for the first - and, as it turned out, penultimate - stock car meeting to the held in there.
Lack of advertising was put forward as an explanation for the poor attendance, but our correspondent thought that high admission prices of 4s (that's 20p) and 7s 6d (38p) were a more likely factor in keeping would-be spectators away.
Each of the three heats was supposed to contain 12 cars, but in none was there a full quota. It was not until the consolation race for cars not placed in the heats, and the grand final, when both races had 15 cars, that the spectacle lived up to its reputation.
Drivers racing under the floodlights included the likes of "Mad" Mason, "Wrecker" Meadway, and a woman competitor, Mrs Margaret Bott, of Cannock.
