Jules Goux
Jules Goux (born April 6, 1885 in Valentigney , † March 6, 1965 in Mirmande ) was a French automobile pioneer and racing driver .
Career
Inspired by media coverage of the Gordon Bennett Cup , the young Jules Goux came to motorsport at the beginning of the 20th century . The French celebrated his first big victory in 1908 when he won the Catalonia Cup in Sitges . This success earned him a works contract with Peugeot , where he became a team-mate of Georges Boillot .
In 1912, Goux won the Sarthe Cup on a street circuit around Le Mans . The first 24-hour race of Le Mans was held on roughly this route eleven years later . In 1913 he celebrated his greatest international success when he was not only the first French, but also the first European to win the Indianapolis 500 mile race for Peugeot . In 1914 he started the race as a big favorite, but had to be content with fourth place overall after technical problems.
The First World War interrupted racing activities and Goux served in the French army . After the war he became a works driver for Ballot , achieved third place at the French Grand Prix in 1921 and won the first Italian Grand Prix that same year . He celebrated his last major successes for Bugatti in 1926 when he won the French Grand Prix and the European Grand Prix , which took place as part of the San Sebastián Grand Prix .
As one of the few drivers of his generation, Goux survived racing and did not die in racing accidents like many of his colleagues. In 1965, at the old age of 79, he succumbed to an allergy in his native Valentigney.
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| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Goux, Jules |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | French automobile pioneer and racing driver |
| DATE OF BIRTH | April 6, 1885 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Valentigney |
| DATE OF DEATH | March 6, 1965 |
| Place of death | Mirmande |