Gaston Chevrolet (4 October 1892 – 25 November 1920) was a French racecar driver and automobile manufacturer.
Early life
Born near
Beaune
Beaune () is the wine capital of Burgundy in the Côte d'Or department in eastern France. It is located between Lyon and Dijon. Beaune is one of the key wine centers in France, and the center of Burgundy wine production and business. The annua ...
, in the
Côte-d'Or
Côte-d'Or (; literally, "Golden Slope") is a département in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of Northeastern France. In 2019, it had a population of 534,124.[Swiss
Swiss may refer to:
* the adjectival form of Switzerland
* Swiss people
Places
* Swiss, Missouri
* Swiss, North Carolina
*Swiss, West Virginia
* Swiss, Wisconsin
Other uses
*Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports
*Swiss Internation ...]
parents had emigrated to a few years earlier, he was the younger brother of
Louis Louis may refer to:
* Louis (coin)
* Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name
* Louis (surname)
* Louis (singer), Serbian singer
* HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy
See also
Derived or associated terms
* Lewis ( ...
(1878–1941, founder of the
Chevrolet
Chevrolet ( ), colloquially referred to as Chevy and formally the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Company, is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM). Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941) and ous ...
car company) and
Arthur Chevrolet
Arthur Chevrolet, (April 25, 1884 – April 16, 1946) was a Swiss racecar driver and automobile manufacturer.
Biography
Born in Bonfol, Canton of Jura, Switzerland, Arthur was the middle brother of Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941), founder of th ...
(1884–1946). After brother Louis emigrated to the United States and earned enough money, he sent for Gaston and Arthur to join him. Once there, Gaston worked as an automotive mechanic and joined his brothers in auto racing.
In 1916, the year after older brother Louis left the Chevrolet car company, Gaston Chevrolet became a partner with Louis and Arthur in the new
Frontenac Motor Corporation
Frontenac Motor Corporation was a joint venture of Louis Chevrolet, Indy 500 winner Joseph Boyer Jr., Indianapolis car dealer William Small, and Zenith Carburetor president Victor Heftler. Per articles of Incorporation on file in the Michigan Sta ...
.
Indianapolis 500
Driving a Frontenac race car, Chevrolet competed in the 1919
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly called the Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indi ...
, finishing in tenth place while brother Louis finished seventh.
Chevrolet broke the dominance of
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
an built cars in the
1920 Indianapolis 500, winning the race in a redesigned Monroe-Frontenac. In the process, he became the first driver in the history of the race to go the distance without making a tire change. Gaston was unable to defend his win because of his death later that year. Chevrolet was the last Frenchman to win the Indianapolis 500 until
Simon Pagenaud
Simon Pagenaud (born 18 May 1984) is a French professional racing driver. He is contracted to drive the No. 60 Honda for Meyer Shank Racing in the IndyCar Series. After a successful career in sports car racing that saw him taking the top class ...
won the
2019 Indianapolis 500, 99 years after the 1920 race.
1920 National Championship and death
Following his May 31, 1920 victory at Indianapolis, Chevrolet raced in several more events. He won a match race against top racers
Tommy Milton
Thomas Milton (November 14, 1893 – July 10, 1962) was an American race car driver best known as the first two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500. He was notable for having only one functional eye, a disability that would have disqualified him ...
(driving a Chevrolet race car)
and
Ralph Mulford
Ralph Kirkman Mulford (December 28, 1884 – October 23, 1973) was an American racecar driver who participated in the 1911 Indianapolis 500. In 1911 he won the Vanderbilt Cup in Savannah, Georgia.
Biography
He was born on December 28, 1884, ...
.
With the coming of winter in late 1920, racing moved to the
West Coast West Coast or west coast may refer to:
Geography Australia
* Western Australia
*Regions of South Australia#Weather forecasting, West Coast of South Australia
* West Coast, Tasmania
**West Coast Range, mountain range in the region
Canada
* Britis ...
. While competing in the last race of the season on the
board track at the
Beverly Hills Speedway
The Beverly Hills Speedway (also called the Los Angeles Speedway) was a wooden board track for automobile racing in Beverly Hills, California. It was built in 1919 on of land that includes the site of today's Beverly Wilshire Hotel, just outs ...
, Chevrolet was killed when his Frontenac crashed on lap 146 of the 200 lap race.
He connected with
Eddie O'Donnell
Edward "Eddie" O'Donnell (April 30, 1887 – November 26, 1920) was an American racecar driver. He died of injuries sustained in a crash during a AAA-sanctioned national championship race.
Career
O'Donnell started his career as a riding mecha ...
’s car and both cars tumbled down the embankment. Chevrolet died instantly along with O’Donnell’s riding mechanic while O’Donnell died the next day from a skull fracture. Despite the crash, Chevrolet had accumulated enough points during the race and through the season to win the 1920 title of "Speed King of the Year" (the
AAA National Champion).
Chevrolet is considered by accredited historians and contemporary accounts as the
1920 National Champion despite later
revisionist publications retrospectively listing
Tommy Milton
Thomas Milton (November 14, 1893 – July 10, 1962) was an American race car driver best known as the first two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500. He was notable for having only one functional eye, a disability that would have disqualified him ...
as such.
[Motor Age. 27 October 1927, Pgs. 17 & 20]
Chevrolet is interred next to his brother Louis in the
Holy Cross and Saint Joseph Cemetery
Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects ( ...
in
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...
.
Indy 500 results
Awards
*He was inducted in the
Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA) is hall of fame that honors motorsports competitors and contributors from the United States from all disciplines, with categories for Open Wheel, Stock Cars, Powerboats, Drag Racing, Motorcycles, ...
in 2002.
[Gaston Chevrolet]
at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA) is hall of fame that honors motorsports competitors and contributors from the United States from all disciplines, with categories for Open Wheel, Stock Cars, Powerboats, Drag Racing, Motorcycles, ...
References
External links
*
Gaston Chevroletat ChevroletBrothers.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chevrolet, Gaston
1892 births
1920 deaths
French people of Swiss descent
Champ Car champions
Indianapolis 500 drivers
Indianapolis 500 winners
International Motorsports Hall of Fame inductees
People from Beaune
Racing drivers who died while racing
Sports deaths in California
AAA Championship Car drivers
Burials at Holy Cross and Saint Joseph Cemetery
Automotive businesspeople
French emigrants to the United States
French racing drivers
American people of Swiss descent
Sportspeople from Côte-d'Or