Chester Leroy Gardner (16 March 1898 in
Grant City, Missouri
Grant City is a city in, and the county seat of, Worth County, Missouri, United States. The population was 859 at the 2010 census.
History
Grant City was laid out in 1864. The community has the name of General Ulysses S. Grant, afterward 18th Pre ...
– 3 September 1938 in
Flemington, New Jersey
Flemington is a borough in and the county seat of Hunterdon County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.[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 organi ...]
, named by promoters as "The Grand Old Man of Auto Racing."
[He was also known as the "King of the Money Makers" because in the 1930s he was one of only several drivers that made good money at racing. ]
He was killed in an accident during a time trial at the
Flemington Fair Speedway when he swerved to avoid a child that had run onto the racetrack. He was survived by his wife, Fannie M. Gardner, and three brothers, Dean Orville Gardner, Ray Alva Gardner, and Paul Theodore Gardner.
Career
Chet started racing in 1922 in Colorado. In 1933 he won the Midwest AAA Sprint Car Championship. He was named "Southern Dirt Racing King" twice.
Between 1928 and 1938, Chet made 25 starts in the AAA series, where his best result was 3rd.
From 1930 to 1938 he competed in the Indianapolis 500 (see below for stats).
Indianapolis 500 Career Summary
Ref.:
[
]
References
External links
"King of the Money Drivers" ''Popular Mechanics'', April 1936, pp. 554-556
1898 births
1938 deaths
AAA Championship Car drivers
Indianapolis 500 drivers
People from Grant City, Missouri
Racing drivers from Missouri
Racing drivers who died while racing
Sports deaths in New Jersey
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