Description
In 1916, Gaston Chevrolet became a partner with his brothers in the Frontenac Motor Corporation. Driving a Frontenac race car, he competed in the 1919 Indianapolis 500, finishing in tenth place while his brother Louis finished seventh. The following year, Gaston Chevrolet broke the European dominance at the Indianapolis Speedway, winning the race in a redesigned Monroe-Frontenac. In the process, he became the first driver in the history of the 500-mile (800 km) race to go the distance without making a tire change. The youngest of the three Swiss racing Chevrolet brothers, Gaston followed Louis and Arthur as they emigrated to America at the turn of the 20th Century. After competing at Indianapolis for a second time (he finished 10th behind his brother Louis the previous year) in 1920, Gaston emerged successful – winning the prestigious event with an impressive average speed of 86.63 mph. Tragically, less than a year later, the dashing racer was killed in a crash at Beverly Hills speedway that also claimed the lives of fellow racer Eddie O’Donnell and his mechanic Lyall Jolls. In an ironic set of events, Gason would posthumously win the championship that year with points amassed from a successful season.
