Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1920-11-26
FAMOUS DRIVERS CAP
CLIMAX OF ESQ MILES
auto RUN With DEATH
" Associated Press.

~ Associated Press.
Los ANGELES, Calf, Nbv. 25.--
CASTOR Chevrolet and Eddie O'Donnell.
famous racing drivers. were both killed
today when their machines crashed 10.
gether on the Los Angeles speedway at
the east end of the grandstand and
near the end az the 25O mile race.
Their mechanicians were badly In.
jured
O'Donnell's car struck the fence on
the east turn and bounded down the
incline. colliding with the car driven
by CASTOR Chevrolet Both cars turn.
I'd over and piled up at the foot 81 the
incline. The four men were pinned
beneath the cars. All were rushed TO
the field hospital
Eddie O'Donnell. was ~ years old
and a native II Whitewater. Wis lie
began his racing career as "A mechanic.
ian In 1919. In 1914 he drove his first
race at Kalamazoo. Michigan. winning
second place In 100 mile contest.
Whole Family Racers
Castor Chevrolet. who also was kill.
ed In the race. was the youngest Of
three racing brothers. tie was a me.
chanic for two years before he demon.
strated that he was driver of merit
az the 600 mile Memorial day race at
Cincinnati. where he finished third.
After that Chevrolet drove as an
OUTLAW" with several other proml.
nen, drivers hut was later reinstated In
the ranks of the American Automobile
Association pilots. In 1919 he raced ON
many dirt tracks. winning sevrcal
events and placing In others.
ON May 81 last. he won the eco mile
Indianapolis speedway race In the best
time In the history Of that annual
event. He averaged a speed of Ss.i6
miles an hour.
His last race before today was AT
uniontown. Pa, September ., where
he took fifth place.
O'Donnell In 1914. took second place
In the Corona. California, road race, In
1915 he started In ten races and placed
Ia nine Of them.
smashup In Kansas City
~ NAuEiF Wy Na1N 1hiN
1917, o'Donnell had n smashGp which
shattered one of his arms.
He had u re.hroken several times In
efforts TO have II set right. lie did not
race again until last year when he
drove In two races. both nj Sheepshead
Ray. New York. lie came in fourth
In the July Fourth race and second In
the September event.
o'Donnell placed fifth In the $50 mile
race on the Los Angeles
spedeway February rs last and third
at Uniontown. June 10 last. In the
A,lgin road race on August ~ oDonnlel
took n NTH. and a fourth In the Union.
town race on Labor day.
Wins By Points.
II developed at the end Of the race
that Chevrolet had won the NatioTs,
automobile raclrg championship foS
1920 on a point basis Roscoc Sarlcs,
winner ~ today's race. being far behind.
John Brcsnahan. Chevrolot's mechani.
clan. escaped with slight injuries.
The accident occurred while Chevr".
let. O'Donnell and Joe Thomas were
fighting to make up the half dozen
laps they We're behind the leader on
the i5O lap turn. The thrc cars were
tunched on the east turn.
According 10 persons grouped about
the turn. Chcvrc+st turned 10 pass
Thomas. who was on the inside Of thc
bowl. and his car struck that 81 o'Don'
nell. who was on the outside. o'Don'
nell's car tdrned and plunged down the
incline and Chevrolet's apparently cut of
control shot to tho top of the track
tore out 20 feet of fence. then rolled
down the incline on top of the wreckagc
beneath which O'Donneil and jolls were
pinned.
Al four men were removed 20 a hos
pital. o'Donnell was unconscious. his
skull fractured and both arms broken
m dattcndants brought information q
the Judges stand that he was dead Thc
officials announced that both Chcvro
let and o'Donnell had been killed ani
IL was more than an hour before the
news spread that o'Donncll was still
living.