Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1920-11-26
AUTO RACING CHAMPION IS KILLED
In SMASH ON Los ANGELES TRACK
CASTOR Chevrolet Victim
Of Speedway Accident,
One Mechanic Is Dead
and Eddie O'Donnell,
Another Driver, May
Not Survive.


rolet was killed Thursday near the end
of the 2J0mile automobile race at the
Los Angeles speedway when it developed
at the end of the race he had won the
national automobile racing championship
for 1920 on point basis, Roscoe
Sarles. winner of Thursdays race, be-
ing far behind.
Chevrolet died in a crash which cost
the life of Lyall Jolls. mechanician for
Eddie O'Donnell and O'Donnell was so
seriously injured, it was announced he
had little chance for recovery. John
Bresnahan, Chevrolet's mechanician, es
capped with slight injuries.
The accident occurred while Chevro
let. O'Donnell and Joe Thomas were
laps they were behind the leaders at
the $50 lap point. The three cars were
punched on the east turn.
Piles Up on Wreckags.
According to persons grouped about
the turn, Chevrolet turned to pass
Thomas, who was on the inside of the
bowl, and his car struck that of O'Don-
nell. who was on the outside O'Don-
nelPs car turned and plunged down the
incline and Chevroietss apparently out
of control. shot to the top of ne track.
yurr 0ur zoo feet Of fence, then rolled
down the incline on top of the wreckage
beneath which O'Donnell and Jolls were
pinned. All four men were taken to a
hospital. 0Donnell was unconscious
his skull fractured and both arms broken
Attendants brought information to the
judges stand that he was dead The of
ficials announced that both Chevrolet and
0Donnell had been killed and it was
more than an hour before the news
spread that 0'Donnell was still living.
SarIes Leads All Way.
Sarles led every lap but one. rolling
over the 200 laps on the mile and
quarter track without stop in : hours,
% minutes. and 30 seconds, an average
speed of 1882 miles an hour. Edward
Miller finished second in > hours, 81
minutes, and II seconds. an average of
1928 miles IN hour Eddie Hearne
was third his time being . hours. 27
minutes, and 81 $40 seconds. for an
average speed of 101.S miles an hour.
Jimmy Murphy finished fourth in ,
hours 81 minutes. AS seconds: aver
age $50 miles an hour Thomas was
placed fifth and Jim Crosby sixth. both
being tagged before finishing. Al
Melcher, Tommy Milton and John Thiele
were forced out by engine trouble.
Wins $4,000 Purse
Sarles. N addition to taking first
money of $4,000 won 100 lap prizes
Of $50 each offered by Los Angeles
merchants to the man first across the
line on each circuit Murphy won the
second lap prize. The other prizes
We're: Miller, $6,000; Hearnes, $4,000;
Murphy, $1,000; Thomas, $1,000; and
Crosby, $500.
Chevrolet's point total for the season
in the championship competition was
! ,o30, all acquired previously to Thurs
days race. Milton, who did not finish
Thursday had $50, with other compe-
titors as follows: Murphy $50; Ralph
De Palma COS; Sarles $40; Thomas 351;
milford 800; Hearnes 345; Ira Vail 40,
O'Donncll 10.
Nfulford and Vail were not entered in
the race. DePalma was entered but did
not start.
Youngest of Three.
CASTOR Chevrolet was the youngest of
the three racing brothers. He was me
chanc for two years before he demon
strated that he was a driver of merit at
the 500 mile Memorial day race at Gin
cinnati, where he finished third.
After that, Chevrolet drove as an
outlaw" with several other prominent
drivers, but was reinstated in the ranks
of the American Automobile Associa-
ton pilots, in 1919 he raced on many
dirt tracks, winning many of the events
and placing in many others.
On May 81, last, he won the 500 miles
Indianapolis speedway race in the best
time of that annual event He averaged
n speed of SS.1G miles an hour.
His last race before today was at
Pa, on September 8, where
he took fifth place.
Jolls Detroit Man.
Jols was 26 years old and native of
Illinois. His real name was Headen, but
when he entered the racing world, he
decided to make professional use of the !
surname Of his stepfather. He had been
4 mechanician for three years. His fam
ly reside in Detroit. He was engaged |
10 be married to Mrs. May A. Esch of |
St Paul who saw the accident, but did !
not know that at the time, it took the
ife of her fiancee. She was Frustrated |
Thursday night