Chevrolet's Wrecked Buick Bug - 1910

This photograph was originally published in the Indianapolis News on June 30, 1910. The poor quality image captures a very interesting moment in Indianapolis Motor Speedway history when Louis Chevrolet took a tumble in his Buick "Bug" racer that he helped design. Part of its construction included a crude type of roll bar in the form of a thick steel band that shaped the cockpit.
 
Chevrolet wrecked his Buick at the head of the front stretch on June 29. The story of the accident is nothing short of amazing, as Chevrolet had the presence of mind to duck into the "basement" of his cockpit and was spared serious injury as the steel bands did their work. The man standing at the center of the photo looks like Louis Chevrolet, but it is actually his brother Arthur, who also worked for Buick. High quality images of this photo do exist and have been published elsewhere.
 
The practice session was in preparation for the July 1910 race meet at the Speedway. Buick enjoyed great success at the meet with Bob Burman and Chevrolet winning several races and setting records - until they were disqualified later in the month. Officials ruled they were not stock cars, as required by race rules. The cars, called Marquette-Buicks were not produced in sufficient numbers to be judged a commercial product.