Wilfred A. Bourque (March 30, 1879 – August 19, 1909), better known as William Bourque or Billy Bourque, was a
racecar driver
Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition.
Auto racing has existed since the invention of the automobile. Races of various sorts were organis ...
, born in
W. Farnham, Québec, Canada. At the time of his racing career, he lived in
West Springfield, Massachusetts
West Springfield is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 28,835 at the 2020 United States Census. The city is also known as "West Si ...
.
Racing career
Bourque is known to have started at least 35 automobile races, during the years 1907–1909. He drove primarily for the team operated by
-based auto maker,
Knox. Most of his known race starts were hill climbs. He did, however, earn 2nd place in each of two road course events, the 1908 Garden City Sweepstakes Race (187.68 miles, held in
Long Island, New York
Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18th ...
), and the 1909
Cobe Trophy Race
The Cobe Trophy Race was an automobile race held in Indiana, in 1909 and 1910. The trophy was named for, and donated by, Ira M. Cobe, president of the Chicago Automobile Club. As one of the first long-distance races in the area, it was billed as ...
(395.59 miles, held at the
Crown Point Road Race Circuit The Crown Point Road Race Circuit was an automobile race course located in northwest Indiana, and operated only during the summer of 1909. It was made up of public highways, with a lap distance of . The majority of the course was on rural highways, ...
). On August 19, 1909, Bourque won the third automobile race held at the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is an automobile racing circuit located in Speedway, Indiana, an enclave suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500 and the Verizon 200, and and formerly the home of the United State ...
(a five-mile race). Later that day, driving car number 3, he was killed in an accident during the feature
Prest-O-Lite Trophy Race The Prest-O-Lite Trophy Race was an automobile race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in each of the two years prior to the first Indianapolis 500. The trophy was sponsored by the Prest-O-Lite Company, a manufacturer of automotive lighting s ...
. Witnesses said Bourque's fatal crash occurred when he looked back after being notified by his riding mechanic,
Harry Holcomb
Harry may refer to:
TV shows
* ''Harry'' (American TV series), a 1987 American comedy series starring Alan Arkin
* ''Harry'' (British TV series), a 1993 BBC drama that ran for two seasons
* ''Harry'' (talk show), a 2016 American daytime talk show ...
, that another car was approaching on lap 58. While glancing back, the car swerved, hit a rut, and flipped over. Bourque sustained a fractured skull and punctured lung, and later died in the hospital, making him the first driver to be killed at Indianapolis.
Holcomb was also fatally injured in the crash.
Sources
* Scott, D. Bruce; ''INDY: Racing Before the 500''; Indiana Reflections; 2005;
* Galpin, Darren; ''A Record of Motorsport Racing Before World War I.''
References
1879 births
1909 deaths
People from West Springfield, Massachusetts
Racing drivers from Massachusetts
Racing drivers from Quebec
AAA Championship Car drivers
Racing drivers who died while racing
Sports deaths in Indiana
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