1922 Tacoma Speedway Cliff Durant Marvin D Boland Collection G521089

California sportsman and car manufacturer Cliff Durant at the wheel of his blue Durant Special, accompanied by his mechanic, circa 1922. Mr. Durant, a favorite of Northwest race fans, arrived in Tacoma on June 28, 1922, to compete in the eleventh annual race at the Tacoma Speedway. He joined a cast of nationally known racers for the July 4th event, including Ralph Mulford, Roscoe Sarles, Jimmy Murphy and defending champion Tommy Milton for a total purse of $25,000. Mr. Durant was using the same car in which Tommy Milton had captured the national championship. Newspapers announced that this was to be Mr. Durant's last race of his illustrious career as the business world had taken over his attention. His Durant Special qualified fourth with average speed of 104.5 mph, as the track and cars ran extremely fast. Jimmy Murphy, who had won the pole position with nearly 109 mph, would eventually defeat Tommy Milton by just a few seconds. Mr. Milton had led the majority of the distance before tire changes cost him the race. Cliff Durant did not finish the race as broken rear axles claimed both his and Ralph Mulford's Leach Special. (print from badly damaged negative) (TDL 7-5-22, p. 1-results)