Gaston Chevrolet

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Gaston Chevrolet (October 26, 1892 – November 25, 1920) was a French-born American racecar champion driver and automobile manufacturer.

Born near Beaune, in the Côte-d'Or département of France where his Swiss parents had emigrated to a few years earlier, he was the younger brother of Louis (1878-1941, founder of the Chevrolet car company) and Arthur Chevrolet (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 brother in auto racing.

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 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 race to go the distance without making a tire change. Following his victory at Indianapolis, he competed in several more events, winning a 100-mile match race against Tommy Milton and Ralph Mulford. With winter, racing moved to the West Coast and at the Beverly Hills Speedway board track in Beverly Hills, California. Gaston Chevrolet was killed when his racecar crashed on lap 146.

Gaston Chevrolet is interred next to his brothers in the Roman Catholic Holy Cross and Saint Joseph Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana.

[edit] Indy 500 results

Year Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired
1919 41 16 100.400 6 10 200 0 Running
1920 4 6 91.550 8 1 200 14 Running
Totals 400 14
Starts 2
Poles 0
Front Row 0
Wins 1
Top 5 1
Top 10 2
Retired 0

[edit] Awards

Preceded by
Howdy Wilcox		 Indianapolis 500 Winner
1920		 Succeeded by
Tommy Milton
Indianapolis 500 Winners
Four-time winners
A. J. Foyt • Al Unser, Sr. • Rick Mears

Three-time winners
Meyer • Shaw • Rose • Rutherford • B. Unser

Two-time winners
Milton • Vukovich • Ward • Johncock • Fittipaldi • Luyendyk • Unser, Jr. • Castroneves

One win
Harroun • Dawson • Goux • Thomas • DePalma • Resta • Wilcox • Chevrolet • Murphy • Corum • Boyer • DePaolo • Lockhart • Souders • Keech • Arnold • Schneider • Frame • Cummings • Petillo • Roberts • Davis • Robson • Holland • Parsons • Wallard • Ruttman • Sweikert • Flaherty • Hanks • Bryan • Rathmann • Jones • Clark • Hill • Andretti • Donohue • Sneva • Sullivan • Rahal • Villeneuve • Lazier • Cheever • Brack • Montoya • de Ferran • Rice • Wheldon • Hornish
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