History Auto racing 1894-1942

Thank you kindly!

 

Most of the references I've seen from 1918 have Gaston Chevrolet racing in a Sunbeam. The Missouri State Fair advertised he was in a Chevrolet Special. On a number of occasions he competed in exhibitions against aviatrix Ruth Law (Huntington, Toronto, Ottawa, & Montreal).
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It looks like Gaston was running independently of his older brother, and this raises some interesting questions. Who was financing his operations? How do you get parts for a Sunbeam while standing in an Iowa corn field? And the biggest question, why wasn't he slugging it out in the trenches in France?

Following the 1920 disaster in Beverly Hills, the New York Times reported that Gaston had been in the Army. Go figure.

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5-28-18 Huntington, Indiana<O</O
6-02-18 Kalamazoo, MI <O</O
6-03-18 Detroit, MI (Khaki Sweepstakes)<O</O
6-29-18 Toronto, Canada (Exhibition Park)<O</O
7-06-18 Ottawa, Canada (Lansdowne Park)<O</O
7-14-18 Montreal, Canada (Delorimier Park)<O</O
7-22-18 Missouri State Fair<O</O

 

8-07-18 Mills County Fair, Iowa <O</O
8-19-18 Milwaukee, WI (State Fair)<O</O
8-21-18 Shelby County Fair, Harlan, Iowa<O</O
8-24-18 Toledo, OH (Ft. Miami Fairgrounds)<O</O
9-14-18 Kentucky State Fair<O</O
9-19-18 Waterloo, Iowa (Cedar Valley Fair)<O</O
10-7-18 Wichita, Kansas<O</O

 

Well, the financing probably came from Alex Sloan, major domo of IMCA racing. Parts for the Sunbeam? Everything was repaired back then, there wasn't much need for new parts, except for the usual upkeep like pistons and con-rods which could be manufactured by American companies. Remember how Miller got started by repairing Peugeots? Why wasn't Gaston in the trenches in France? Not sure, but I'd guess by this time he was an American citizen. Or did the Chevrolets keep their membership with the Civitas Helvetiae during their time in France?

Btw, thanks for the 1918 race dates. Where did you find them?

 

Here's a couple entries from my blog that mention Gaston Chevrolet in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. It's all buried in the results.

Even a poor quality photo (from a scan of a print out of the microfilmed newspaper of the day) of what is said to be Chevrolet racing Ruth Law.

http://befastpast.blogspot.com/2008/02/imca-1918-part-one.html

http://befastpast.blogspot.com/search/label/Montreal

 

Louis & Arthur became U.S. Citizens in 1915 (I have copies of their naturalization papers from the U.S. District Court in Michigan). I have had no luck finding documents on Gaston, except for ships manifest records when he first came to New York in 1902, and a trip he took to France with his mother in 1912.

Arthur Chevrolet registered for the Draft in September of 1918, and I do have a copy of his draft card. I've also found the draft cards of Walter Chrysler and Al Capone, but I have not yet seen the draft cards for either Louis or Gaston. In 1973 A large fire destroyed over 80% of the WWI miltary records.

All the evidence I've found suggests that the Bow Tie boys we racing throughout the war. Maybe they were lovers and not fighters. Vive le France!

Most of the information I've found has come from the internet, books, old newspaper articles, State Archives, the National Archives, and so forth.

I have enjoyed your blog, much obliged sir.

Here's another pic of Ruth Law & Gaston

 

ZigZagZ, Welcome to the HAMB! Thank you for the new information. Bob

 

Joe Tracy and friends, stop by and see our coverage on early racing, (1903) in the NYC area. from the Peter Helck Collection.

 

Stop by theoldmotor.com and watch a very interesting 1940 film of racing on Harper dry lake. There is some very interesting machinery to see in action.

 

There is another thread here on the HAMB with this footage and most of the cars have beed ID'd.

 

Thanks....I had not seen it before, it sure is a neat film.

 

In my collection, I have several photos from the AAA Imperial, California Pacific Coast Championship races on the mile track. They are between 1932-34. Some drivers/crewmen can be identified, but I need help with the others and hope the knowledge I have seen possessed on previous posts, will help me. Here is the first offering. Thanks in advance. Mickey Dale

 

Al Gordon, Morris Bros./Rajo #15, March 2, 1930.

Go on, this should be fun!

 

Why was I so sure I'd see you toute suite?...lol

Now we need Jim Thurman and a few others to join up.

fwiw: Here's a link to the Minutes of The 1933 Fair Board:
discussing making a trip to Los Angeles to visit Art Pillsbury and get a contract with The AAA Conest Board to hold races at the upcoming March 5th Fair.
http://www.californiamidwinterfair.com/CMS/Media/1933-Minutes.pdf

 

Thank you Michael and Carl! Here is the next one.

 

I'll give a try... Francis Quinn and his Dayton Thoroughbred Special.

 

Jim thanks for that info, I knew you must have had good reason to suspect a Miller. I've only had a chance to grab a quick glance at the wonderful stuff being posted here in the past week and know how hard it can be to find the time to post. I hope you and everyone else get a xmas break and time to relax. -Andy

 

MickeyD, Welcome to the HAMB! Great looking car, I think this is the same car that was later raced by Joe Gensa with a John Gerber engine called the "Orange Blossom Special" . If so it was sold because of a few original MILLER parts and is undergoing an extensive restoration back to its original MILLER INDY car days. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=236178&page=263

 

Yep, that's Quinn and his "Dayton Thorobred Special", also in March of 1930, but it's not the later Gemsa car (that one was, at the time, still owned by Clarence Tarbet and driven by Fred Frame). This is the former (Harry) Schmidt Special, which Quinn had driven before and then purchased, to replace the Fronty engine with a Miller Marine. The "Bald Eagle" looks a bit sad, perhaps because he finished "only" second in the main event that day, behind Ted Simpson and his (ex-Allen Guiberson) Simpson/Gallivan Special. Quinn was still waiting for his first feature win of the season, which would come the very next Sunday at Ascot. Al Gordon, by the way, won the 10-lap consolation event at Imperial/El Centro.

 

I knew I could count on you gentlemen! Thanks so much for the information. I have been researching racing on the old Imperial 1/2 track for a possible book and wanted to include mile info. All this information you're providing is most helpful. How about another?

 

Thanks for the information! Really enjoy the updates on car from various drivers/owners. This is great!

 

The thing I find most interesting about this picture is that the car is using hairpin control arms up front instead of the more common split wishbones. I find that interesting because on my "'30s era" replica I'm scratch building I am initially using hairpins until I could find and adapt some older split wishbones.

I also like the looks of a faired-in headrest but thought it wouldn't be "period correct"... until I found photographic evidence of headrests on this site as far back as 1934.

 

Those hairpins could be bought out of a Fronty-Ford catalog in 1927 for $24.00 and a steering wheel for $20.00.

 

Thanks, Michael. I always spell that wrong, am never thorough.

Here's a pic I have of Quinn and his THORObred Spl, later in the year at a night race at Legion Ascot.

 

Is this Ted Simpson with his Simpson Spl???

 

Corrrrrrrecto, Jeremy!

Da winna of the 1930 California Mid-Winter Fair auto races, Mr. Ted Simpson!

 

This car doesn't have a "headrest", as the following picture posted by Gilmore shows, it's a "flat back". Those headrests began appearing on some cars in the twenties already, but didn't become a universal feature until after WW2.

 

Thank you once again, gentlemen! I am so glad you have the knowledge to not only identify, but add extra information on these photos. How about another one!