Frontenac Motor Corporation
Encyclopedia
Frontenac Motor Corporation was the joint venture of Louis
and Gaston Chevrolet
. Louis returned to the Indy 500 racing circuit after leaving Chevrolet
in 1915. His first year on the circuit, he drove a Cornelian
, but the following year, 1916, he was behind the wheel of a car of his own design.
The company was named Frontenac after the 17th century governor of France's North American colonies. The Frontenac racecars were seen on the racetrack running strong in 1916 and 1917. Racing was suspended for a few years during World War I
, and then the Frontenac was back up and running again until 1921, when the Chevrolet Brothers retired from racing.
Louis Chevrolet
Louis-Joseph Chevrolet was a Swiss-born American race car driver of French descent, co-founder of the Chevrolet Motor Car Company in 1911 and later, the Frontenac Motor Corporation in 1916 which made racing parts for Ford's Model T.-Early life:Born in 1878 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, a center of...
and Gaston Chevrolet
Gaston Chevrolet
Gaston Chevrolet was a French-born American racecar champion driver and automobile manufacturer.-Early life:...
. Louis returned to the Indy 500 racing circuit after leaving Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
in 1915. His first year on the circuit, he drove a Cornelian
Cornelian automobile
The Cornelian was a 1914 American automobile built expressly for racing. It had chain drive and was the smallest such configuration to be raced at the Indianapolis Speedway.-Manufacture:...
, but the following year, 1916, he was behind the wheel of a car of his own design.
The company was named Frontenac after the 17th century governor of France's North American colonies. The Frontenac racecars were seen on the racetrack running strong in 1916 and 1917. Racing was suspended for a few years during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and then the Frontenac was back up and running again until 1921, when the Chevrolet Brothers retired from racing.