1909 Buick Model 16 Roadster

Before there was any such thing as the Chevrolet Motor Company, Swiss born immigrant Louis Chevrolet was an engineer and race driver of note. One of his employers was David Dunbar Buick, for whom Louis drove for in 1909. Buick was among those pioneers who used racing both as a means for testing his products as well as to attempt to prove their worth before the general public. Buick entered several stripped-down passenger cars in the inaugural three days of automobile racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on August 19-21, 1909 and it is believed this four-cylinder, 298 cubic-inch Model 16B is the very car number 34 which carried Chevrolet to a four-lap, 10 mile victory on the opening day. His average was 64.1 mph. The Buick would win 161 national and international races and set 11 speed records before its retirement prior to May, 1911.