Fred Duesenberg @ Uniontown Speedway

The incomparable Fred Duesenberg in front of a line up of race cars at Uniontown Speedway in December 2, 1916. The track was a 1.125-mile board track constructed six years after the first wood plank auto racing venue, Playa Del Rey. It was in operation until 1922. This meant that it was active during the World War I era when the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which held its last pre-war event, the Harvest Classic, in September 1916, and did not return until the 1919 Indianapolis 500.
 
During its years of operation Uniontown held as many as three "Big Car" races each year. Top-name drivers competed - Jimmy MurphyTommy MiltonRoscoe SarlesLouis ChevroletRalph MulfordGaston Chevrolet and Joe Boyer- scoring victories. 
 
This race was a particularly bloody affair with a driver and riding mechanic killed during practice (Frank Bush and Charlie Heist) on November 27. On race day the popular and talented English driver Hughie Hughes lost his life in an odd mishap. Having wrecked his car but escaping without injury he had stopped at the edge of the judge's box in front of the main grandstand to visit with his car owner. Another driver, Frank Galvin, lost control and slammed into the press box, striking Hughes to kill him instantly. Galvin also suffered fatal injuries as well and so did his riding mechanic Gaston Weigle. Two other men also died in the carnage which included several other injuries sending people to the hospital with broken limbs.

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