Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1920-11-26
Two Killed
In W estern
Auto Race
CASTOR Chevrolet and Mocha.
nician Lose Lives in $50.
" Mile Grind at Los Angeles;
- O'Donncll May Die.
Roscoe Sales Is Winner

Speedway. Los Angeles, Nov. 25.--
Castor Chevrolet. famous racing
driver, and Lyall Jolls, mechanician
for Eddie O'Donnell, were killed to-
day when Chevrolet's and O'Don-
nells machines crashed together on
the Los Angeles speedway at the
east end of the grandstand near the
sclose of the 250-milc race.
O'Donnell was so seriously injured
that it was at first rported .he was
killed. His skull was fractured and
both arms broken and little hope
was held that he could recover.
John Brenahan, Chevrolet's
mechanician, was seriously injured
ODonnells car struck the fence
on the east turn and bounded down
the incline. colliding with the car
driven by CASTOR Chevrolet. Both
cars turned over and piled up at the
foot OF the incline.
Pinned Beneath Cars.
The four men were pinned beneath
the cars. The injured were rushed
10 the city hospital.
he deaths were announced by
track officials. John Bresnahan was
mechan:cian for Chevolet and Lyle,
Jolls for O'Donnell.
Roscoe Sales, driving the distance
without stop, won the $50 mile
race OIL the Los Angeles speedway
today. Eddie Miller finished sec
ond and Eddie Hearns, third. Sales
led on every lap and in addition to
first prize OF $4,000, took the same
amount in lap prizes. Miller and
Hcarns won $4,000 and $4,000 re-
spcctively. Jimmy Murphy finished
fourth, taking $1,000 prizes.
Joe Thomas took fifth money,
$1,000. and Jim Crosby, sixth. $500,
both being tagged, before complet-
ing the 200 laps. =
Sails time was hours 25 min
utes, 20 seconds, an average of 1882
miles an hour.
Millcr's time was 2 hours, 2o min
utes and IA seconds, an average OF
1928 miles an hour.
Hearnc's time was 2 hours, min
utes and n seconds, average 1918
miles an hour.
Native Of Wisconsin.
Eddie O'Donnell, was 81 years old
and native of Whitewater, Wis.
He began his racing career as a
mechanician in 1912. In 1914, he
drove his first race at Kalamazoo,
Mich. winning second place in the
l00-milc contest.
= He also took second in the Corona,
Cal, road race the same year. In
1915, he started in ten races and fin
ished in nine of them, each time in
the money. Twice he won first
place, three times he won second,
twice he was third aud twice fifth.
At the Kansas City race, July q,
1917. O'Donnell had a ,smashup
which shattered one of his arms.
He has had it rebroken many times
since on the operating table in ef.
forts to have it set right. He did
not race again until last year. when
he drove in two racDs, both at
Sheepshead Bay. N. Y. He came in
fourth in the July Attn race and sec
ond in the September event.
In 1920 O'Donnell placed fifth in
the 25O-mile inaugural race on the
i Los Angeles speedway. February q,
and third at Uniontown, June ~.
In the Elgin road race on August 2s,
O'Donnell took fifth, and fourth in
the Uniontown race on Labor day.
Former Mechanic.
Castor Chevrolet, killed today OH
the Los Angeles speedway, was the
youn ges. Of three racing brothers.
He was q mechanic for two years
before he demonstrated that he was
driver of merit at the 500-mile Nc
mortal day race at Cincinnati where
he finished third.
In 1919 he raced Oh dirt tracks,
winning many OF the events and
placing in others.
On May 81, last, he won the 500
mile in indianapolis speedway race
in the best time in the history of that
unusual event. He averaged speed
OF SS.16 miles.
His last race before today was at
Uniontown, Pa. September 9, where
he took fifth place.