United Racing Association 1945 Magnet

During WWII, auto racing shut down as rationing of everything from fuel and rubber to metals made it near impossible, plus, most drivers, crew, and spectators were all taking part in the war effort. As the war wound down and the boys started coming home, Los Angeles racing promoter Bill White approached the city about paving a quarter-mile track in the L.A. Coliseum and hosting midget races. The city loved the idea, and green flagged paving right over the athletic track. The result was a flat track with inside pits. White formed the United Racing Association (URA) for the midget racers, and they got back to racing in 1945. They ran two races the first year, averaging 36,000 people a night, and the next year they ran 15 events.