Mystery Foto #71 Solved: A Bust of Louis Chevrolet at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
This weekend's Mystery Foto was a real bust!
Answers to the Mystery Foto questions:
-Identify the Vanderbilt Cup Race driver
Louis Chevrolet. The most famous "name" in the Vanderbilt Cup Races, participating in more races than any other driver (1905, 1908, 1909, and 1910).
-Where is the bust located? Hint: This photo was taken on June 6, 2014.
The bust is part of the Louis Chevrolet Memorial sculpture located outside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum in Speedway, Indiana.
Congrats to Greg O., Steve Lucas, Wayne Carroll Petersen, Dr. Mark and Art Kleiner who correctly identified Louis Chevrolet. Kudos to Greg O., Steve Lucas, Dr. Mark and Art Kleiner who knew the Indy location.
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
As described by the Smithsonian Art Inventories Catalog: "The work commemorates the accomplishments of Louis Chevrolet and included a bust of Louis, set before an exedra wall with four bronze relief panels depicting four of Chevrolet's major accomplishments."
The inscription reads: "ADOLPH WOLTER 1968 (Bronze plaque on back of base:) Erected Under Auspices Of/Speedway Old Timers/Chevrolet Memorial Committee/William B. Ansted, Jr., Chairman/A. W. Herrington, Honorary Chairman/Frank Bain Chairman Ex-Officio/Charles R. Keogh Treasurer/Fred Wellman, Secretary/Al Bloemaker Karl Kizer/Clarence Cagle F. E. Moscovics/Herman Deupree Lee Oldfield/Ray Harroun Louis Schwitzer/E. V. Rickenbacker/MCMLXXI (Base front:) "Never/Give/Up"/Louis Chevrolet/1878/1941
Chevrolet's 1923 Barber-Warnock Fronty Ford at the Speedway with Henry Ford at the wheel and Louis standing alongside, flanked by Barney Oldfield and Harvey Firestone.
Chevrolet's first winning car at Indianapolis, driven to victory in 1920 by brother Gaston, with four Speedway pioneers in the background -- Carl G. Fisher, James A. Allison, L. H. Trotter, and T. E. (Pop) Myers.
Chevrolet's second Indianapolis winner, driven by Tommy Milton in 1921, with Capt. E. V. Rickenbacker, Col. A. W. Herrington, Louis Schwitzer and C. W. Van Ranst.
Louis Chevrolet and W. C. Durant, founder of General Motors, with the first Chevrolet passenger car in 1911.
Comments
The bust is Louis Chevrolet in front the museum at Indy.
Howard- Give me a break, will ya ha?
That looks like Louis Chevrolet watching all the racing fans as they enter the Speedway Museum at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
I would say Louis Chevrolet
Joe Tracy. Bust located in Bethpage on the Ground Breaking Ceremony site (June 6, 1908)
Louis Chevrolet Memorial at the entrance to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum. Chevrolet participated in more Vanderbilt Cup Races than any other driver (1905, 1908, 1909 &1910;) as noted on Howard’s blog. Also started at Indy in 1915, 1916, 1919 & 1920. 1920 was his best finish (3rd).
Looks like Louis Chevrolet. Don’t know where it might be.
Eddie Rickenbacker
Louis chevrolet at the Indy museum
I brought home a photo of this bust to Adolf Wolter’s grandaughter, Elizabeth Wolter in 2008. At the time she was living in CT.