On July 4, 1915, Earl Cooper approaches the checkered flag in his Stutz racing car at the Tacoma Speedway, finishing second in the Montamarathon. The crowd of 20,000 spectators stands and cheers. Cooper had won the 250 mile race in 1913 and 1914 and had hopes of retaining the perpetual trophy for the Montamarathon, second only in importance to Indianapolis's 500. His hopes were dashed by his second place finish at 2: 58: 5. Grover Ruckstell finished first at 2:57. The track's split board planking consisted of 2 x 4 planks which were laid end to end and were a hazard to the car's tires. The race was also marked by the board track's first fatalities. Billy Carlson's Maxwell 17 blew a tire and left the track in the 60th lap, launching both Carlson and his mechanic in the air. The mechanic, Paul Franzen, was killed instantly and Carlson died later that day of injuries. TPL-130, Speedway glass- 040 (Tacoma Tribune 7/5/1915, pg. 1 & 2)

Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Cooper, Earl;

This is believed to be the Velie Special driven by T.F. Barsby who finished third in the July 5, 1915, InterCity 100-mile race at the Tacoma Speedway. The race was won by Jim Parsons of Seattle for the third consecutive year. Frank Elliott in his Gordon Special came in second. Twelve cars were entered but only six finished. TPL-3166 (TDL 7-6-15, p. 1,2 -results)

Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Racing automobiles--1910-1920;

ca. 1914. In 1914 Charles Webster Latta of Seattle returned to the Tacoma Speedway for the annual July Montamarathon Festo races. He had competed in the Golden Potlatch 200-mile race in 1913 at the Speedway and finished a very respectable third behind eventual winner Earl Cooper and well-known national star Bob Burman. In 1914 he captured third place in the InterCity 100-mile race with a Lozier, rather than the Interstate he had used in the Potlatch the year before. Jim Parsons repeated as winner of the InterCity with S.F. Brock of Portland in second place. (Local newspapers referred to Mr. Latta as "N." Latta) (TNT 7-3-14, p. 1-results) TPL-1646

Latta, Charles Webster; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Racing automobiles--1910-1920; Lozier automobile;

ca. 1914. Herman C. Terrien of Tacoma sits behind the wheel of his small Regal along with his "mechanician" Oscar Soderburg as the duo prepares for their entry in the InterCity 100-mile race scheduled for July 3, 1914 at the Tacoma Speedway. The car, dubbed the "Pacific Car Special," was altered at the Pacific Car Co., hence its name. As with racing cars of the time, the tires and steering wheel seem exceptionally large. The "Pacific Car Special" was one of twelve cars entered in the first race of the 1914 Montamara Festo which was restricted to cars from the Pacific Northwest. The InterCity race was won again by Jim Parsons of Seattle in his Frantz car. TPL-1638 (See Speedway 002 for close up of drivers)

Terrien, Herman C.; Soderburg, Oscar; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Regal automobile;

ca. 1914. Frank Verbeck and his "mechanician," Forrest C. Smithson are pictured in their Fiat "70" which had been entered in the 200-mile Golden Potlatch and 250-mile Montamarathon races at the Tacoma Speedway in early July of 1914. Mr. Verbeck had raced in Tacoma in 1912 but not the following year. He held the 24 hour record on the Los Angeles motordrome. The Fiat had been the car of Mr. Verbeck's former teammate, "Terrible Teddy" Tetzlaff, who this year would run in a Maxwell. Mr. Verbeck along with several other notable racers showed up about two weeks before the race along with their cars. Forrest C. Smithson, the "mechanician," was a world class hurdler who was making his first appearance in Tacoma. He was an Olympic champion in 1908 and held numerous American records. TPL-10151 (TNT 6-21-14, 2-B-article; TNT 6-28-14, 3-D-alt. photograph & article)

Verbeck, Frank; Smithson, Forrest C.; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Fiat automobile;

On July 4, 1919, race car driver Eddie Hearne and his mechanic Harry Hartz whizz by in the "Durant Special." The Durant Special was originally built by millionaire sportsman and race car enthusiast Cliff Durant. Durant was also the son of William "Billy" Durant, founder of General Motors, Chevrolet and Durant Motors. The Special was now owned by driver Hearne. Hearne was a familiar face in Tacoma. He came in second in the 80 mile race and third in the 60 mile race, winning a purse of $2,100. Mechanic Hartz was one of the few who went on to become a driver and later a car owner. He ranks fifth on the all time winner's list for board tracks, above former boss Hearne. G51.1-090 (TDL 7/5/1919, pg. 1; Dick Ralstin's Racing Home Page)

Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Hearne, Eddie; Hartz, Harry;

On July 4th 1922, thirty thousand fans crowded into the stands at the Tacoma Speedway to watch what turned out to be the last car race held at the Tacoma track. Ten drivers competed in the 250-mile race. The cars are lining up behind the pace car, driven by Barney Oldfield, prior to the checkered flag. Lined up are (l to r): front row- Tommy Milton #8 Leach Special, Harry Hartz #12 Duesenberg, Jimmy Murphy #35 Murphy Special; 2nd row- Joe Thomas #10 Duesenberg, Roscoe Sarles in the #31 Duesenberg, Cliff Durant in the #34 Durant Special; 3rd row- "Howdy" Wilcox in the #16 Puegeot, Art Klein in the #2 Frontenac, Ralph Mulford in the #9 Leach Special; 4th row- Jerry Wonderlich #24 Duesenberg. The man standing between cars 8 and 12, wearing the straw hat and knickers is Fred "Pops" Wagner, the starter. Jimmy Murphy and Tommy Milton battled for the lead, but Murphy finally pulled ahead in the last few laps and won in the record setting time of 2:33:55 with an average speed of 97.6 mph. Just seconds later Milton crossed the line at 2:34:01. The track was closed at the end of 1922, a victim of falling revenue. TPL-620 (TDL 7/5/22, pg. 1) Speedway-141

Automobile racing--Lakewood--1920-1930; Automobile racing drivers; Racetracks--Lakewood--1920-1930; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Oldfield, Barney;

ca. 1920. Gaston Chevrolet posed in his Monroe #4, designed by his older brother Louis, on an unidentified brick track, circa 1920. Chevrolet and his Monroe had won the prestigious Memorial Day Indianapolis 500 and was favored in the July 5th Tacoma race. However, he finished a disappointing seventh. 1920 was the last year that Gaston raced, he was killed in a crash at the Beverly Hills Speedway in November of 1920. The crash also convinced his brother Louis to retire from racing. Gaston was posthumously awarded the 1920 National Championship. (TDL 7/4/1920, pg. 1-C) Speedway 045

Chevrolet, Gaston; Racing automobiles--1910-1920; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing drivers;

Aberdeen boxer Leo Lomski stopped in Tacoma for a brief visit along with his wife and son, George Jr., in late February of 1928. The Lomskis are in the center of the group in front of Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Engine #10250, on February 26, 1928. This was an electric bipolar Class EP2 locomotive. G44.1-081 (TNT3-2-28, p. 18)

Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Co. (Tacoma); Railroad locomotives--Tacoma; Railroad cars--Tacoma; Railroads--Tacoma; Lomski, Leo; Lomski, Leo--Family; Boxers (Sports)--1920-1930;

On April 21, 1928, the McKinley Hill Presidents baseball team, providing excellent advertising for the Arthur Bryant Motor Co. Chevrolet dealership, lounged on the two new Chevys parked inside the Lincoln Bowl. The Chevys were probably part of the parade of businesses that led the way to the Lincoln Bowl for the opening day of the 1928 Tacoma City League baseball season. With 2000 fans in attendance, the Washington Co-ops, the 1927 champions, defeated the McKinley Hill Presidents, who were 1927's runners-up. Elwood "Andy" Anderson of the Co-ops outdueled "Ocky" Haugland of the Presidents, 4-2. (TDL 4-22-28, C-1) G53.1-027; TPL-461

Baseball players--Tacoma--1920-1930; Baseball--Tacoma--1920-1930; Chevrolet automobile; Signs (Notices); Lincoln Bowl (Tacoma);

Jim Parsons and "mechanician" in his #22 Parsons Special on the track at the Tacoma Speedway in July of 1915. Mr. Parsons had entered his race car in all three of the races held over the July 4-5 holiday. In 1914 his car ran under the Frantz label and was accorded the #7. In 1915, his vehicle was entered as the Parsons Special and it wore the #22. No matter what his car number was his record remained impeccable in the InterCity 100-mile race. With an average speed of 79 1/2 mph, he won the race for the third consecutive time and got to keep the trophy. In 1915 the big 250-mile race, the Montamarathon, was run on July 4th and the two other races, the InterCity 100-mile and Golden Potlatch 200-mile, followed on the 5th. This was in reverse order from 1914. TPL-1643 (TDL 7-6-15, p.1-2-results)

Parsons, Jim; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Racing automobiles--1910-1920;

This unidentified driver is believed to be piloting a "cycle carriage" or car during speed trials at the Tacoma Speedway in September of 1914. There were 14 entries, mostly from Southern California and including future star Harry Hartz, for the Labor Day races. Four of the junior drivers were from Tacoma. Vehicles had to reach a speed of 40 mph to qualify. These cars had for the most part motorcycle engines and were smaller than regular race cars. Although days preceding the event were dry, the Labor Day race was cancelled due to rain and a rescheduled race the following week was also postponed indefinitely due to inclement weather. (TNT 9-6-14, 2-b-article)

Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Racing automobiles--1910-1920; Grandstands--Lakewood;

Jim Parsons and his mechanic W. Ogden pose at the July 1914 races at the Tacoma Speedway in Parsons' race car #7, a Frantz. Parsons won the 100 mile Intercity race on July 3rd with a winning time of 1:21:29 with an average speed of 73.6 mph. He triumphed over a field of 12 cars from cities in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia. Parsons was from Seattle. He returned on July 4th to place 4th in the 250 mile Montamarathon. TPL-1639, Speedway-066 (T. Tribune 7/3/1914, pg. 1)

Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Parsons, Jim; Ogden, W.; Automobile racing drivers;

Race car driver Eddie O'Donnell is behind the wheel of a Duesenberg in this July of 1920 photograph. His "mechanician" Lyall Jolls is seated next to him. The man standing was not positively identified. Eddie O'Donnell was part of the Duesenberg team which sent four top drivers to the 1920 225-mile July 5th race at the Tacoma Speedway, including eventual winner Tommy Milton, Jimmy Murphy and Eddie Miller. Although the number on the Duesenberg is 29, the Tacoma Daily Ledger had listed Mr. O'Donnell's car as #9. Showing a generous spirit, Mr. O'Donnell gave up his car so that a competitor, Ralph DePalma, could drive it. Mr. DePalma, a popular driver, had a broken connecting rod on his French Ballot which was not repairable in time for the race. Mr. O'Donnell did compete in the race by driving his teammate Eddie Miller's vehicle but came in last of the eight cars remaining. Mr. O'Donnell's fortitude was unquestioned; he had broken an arm in a Kansas City race in 1916 and raced with only one arm for months. He was to die later in 1920 in a collision with Gaston Chevrolet in California. (TDL 6-29-20, p. 1-article; TDL 7-2-20, p. 1-article; Tacoma Sunday Ledger 7-4-20, B-2-list of drivers & cars; TDL 7-6-20, p. 1-results)

O'Donnell, Eddie; Jolls, Lyall; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1920-1930; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1920-1930; Racing automobiles--1920-1930; Duesenberg automobile; Grandstands--Lakewood;

Grover Ruckstell and his mechanic Quicksell pose in Ruckstell's Mercer at the July 1914 races at the Tacoma Speedway. On July 4th, in front of a crowd of 35,000 screaming fans, Ruckstell would fight his way to a second place finish behind Earl Cooper in the Montamarathon. Ruckstell's time for the 250 mile race was 3:23:33. It was the largest crowd in Tacoma's racing history and they were not disappointed with the heavily fought race. Teddy Tetzloff was in the lead until he dropped out in lap 113 with wheel problems, and limped to the pits with his mechanic laying across the hood holding the wheel. Ruckstell fought Bert Dingley for second place until Dingley spun off the course in lap 123, sustaining life threatening injuries. The crowd was in a frenzy as Ruckstell passed the checkered flag. TPL-103 Speedway-067 (T. Tribune 7/5/1914, pg. 1)

Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Racing automobiles--1910-1920; Ruckstell, Grover; Mercer automobile; Automobile racing drivers;

With his smile forming crinkles around his eyes, race car driver Eddie O'Donnell posed for the camera prior to the Tacoma Classic, held July 5th, 1920, at the Tacoma Speedway. When crowd favorite Ralph DePalma's French Ballot broke down prior to the race, O'Donnell offered him the use of his Duesenberg. O'Donnell himself drove team-mate Eddie Miller's car with Miller riding as mechanic. They were the eighth and last car to pass the finish line. (TDL 7/5/1920, pg. 3) TPL-3174

O'Donnell, Eddie; Racing automobiles--1910-1920; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing drivers;

In July of 1921, veteran driver Eddie Pullen was in danger of having to withdraw from the Tacoma Speedway Classic. He had lost his car at Indianapolis and had not found a replacement. Fellow driver Johnny Thiele, knowing what a favorite Pullen was in the Northwest, offered him his Duesenberg and withdrew from the race. Pullen was especially popular in Tacoma, where he had performed in his very first race. He had also already announced that he would be retiring from racing at the end of the year at the insistence of his wife. Born August 16,1883 in Trenton, N.J., Pullen had always been mechanically inclined. After he finished school, he went to work at a machine shop. He ended up, in 1909, working in Flint, Mich., at Buick. From there, he went to employment at Mercer. At that time, Mercer was focusing a lot of its energies on its sports car, the Mercer Raceabout, and its crack racing team, headed by Hughie Hughes. In 1911, Pullen was able to swing a job as mechanic with that team. Then came Tacoma in 1912, Ralph Mulford withdrew from the race and Pullen, still a mechanic, convinced Hughes to let him race. Pullen won first place in the 150 mile event and from then on was a driver; although he also served as head of the mechanical end of the Mercer team. In 1914, he became the first and only American born driver to ever win what was then the United State's most famous road race, the American Grand Prize, in an American car, the Mercer. (TDL 7/3/1921, pg. C-3; www.capitalcentury.com)

Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1920-1930; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1920-1930; Pullen, Eddie; Automobile racing drivers;

New racing sensation Jimmy Murphy stands next to a Duesenberg racer #10 at the Tacoma Speedway. He was in Tacoma for the July 5, 1920 225 mile Classic. Born in 1895, Murphy was left an orphan. Going to work at a young age, he made the acquaintance of the racing world at the garage where he was employed in California. He joined Duesenberg as a riding mechanic on his 21st birthday in 1916, and was promoted to driver in 1919. He took the racing world by storm in 1920, winning the first race of the season, also his first personal major race, the inaugural of the Beverly Hills 1 1/4 mile board track and setting a world record to boot. He went on to finish 4th in the 1920 Indy and 6th in Tacoma (behind Tommy Milton, Ralph Mulford and Eddie Hearne.) He was the shooting star of racing during his short 4 year and 9 month career. He won the 1922 Indy 500 and was the first American driver to win the Grand Prix (in 1921.) Jimmy Murphy was killed in a crash at Syracuse, New York, in September of 1924. (Jimmy Ralstin's Racing Home Page; www.ddavid.com/formula1/; TDL 7/6/1920, pg. 1) SPEEDWAY 030

Racing automobiles--1910-1920; Duesenberg automobile; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Murphy, Jimmy; Automobile racing drivers;

Joe Thomas of Seattle lifts up a large can of Richlube Motor Oil in this circa 1920 photograph. By 1920, Joe Thomas had at least four years experience in driving race cars. He started driving himself in 1916 after garnering experience as Eddie Pullen's mechanic on the Mercer team. Always a local favorite, Mr. Thomas appeared many times at the Tacoma Speedway including the last year of the racetrack's existence in 1922. His best finish at the Speedway was third in the 1921 250-mile race.

Thomas, Joe; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Automobile racing--Lakewood--1920-1930; Automobile equipment & supplies;

Fresh off a second place finish at the Indy 500, driver Eddie Hearne returned to the Tacoma Speedway racetrack to compete in the Pacific Coast championship on July 4, 1919. He is pictured above with "mechanician" Harry Hartz at his side. Five top racers were invited to the Speedway to battle for $15,000 in prize money. A crowd of nearly 40,000, Speedway's largest crowd to date, saw Mr. Hearne, Louis Chevrolet, Ralph Mulford, Cliff Durant and Dario Resta battle in the eighth annual auto race there. Refereed by former ace and 1916's 300-mile winner Eddie Rickenbacker, the men drove in three races of 40,60 and 80 miles. Eddie Hearne in his Durant Special #14 qualified fourth at 100 mph and so started in the second row along with Dario Resta. Although his car completed the course in all three races, Mr. Hearne did not come in first in any of the races. He finished fourth in the 40 mile, third in the 60 mile and second in the third and longest race of 80 miles. (TNT 7-2-19, p. 19-article; TNT 7-5-19, p. 1, 13-results) TPL-115; G51.1-137

Hearne, Eddie; Hartz, Harry; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Racing automobiles--1910-1920;

Springtime in Washington brings out the golfers as the many automobiles parked at the Parkland Golf Course in April of 1930 will attest. Ample parking was available near the course's main entrance. G54.1-021

Golf--Parkland; Parkland Golf Course (Parkland); Automobiles--Parkland; Parking--Parkland;

This was Stadium High School's first squad during the 1922 football season. Coach Myron Carr (not pictured) had only three returning first team lettermen at the beginning of the school year. Nevertheless, the veterans and newcomers played to the best of their ability in clashes with rival Lincoln High and maintained a tough competitive spirit throughout the season. Center Herman Brix, a junior, proved to be a mainstay on offense. Brix (third from right, back row) later used his athletic prowess at the University of Washington where he was a tackle on the 1926 Rose Bowl team. His silver medal in shot-putting at the 1928 Olympics and his rugged good looks helped lead to Hollywood and the role of Tarzan in "The New Adventures of Tarzan." Later, as actor Bruce Bennett, he would appear in many motion pictures including "Mildred Pierce" and "Treasure of the Sierra Madre." G46.1-041

Football players--Tacoma--1920-1930; Stadium High School (Tacoma); Brix, Herman;

This is the 12-man Sumner High School football team in 1922 with their award-winning trophy. This December photograph was taken outdoors, perhaps on school grounds, with seven of the team kneeling on the snow-covered grass. The man on the far left is possibly the coach, H. Davis. For the second year, Sumner had won the Pierce County championship with a 5-1 record. Its only loss was to Auburn. Sumner had defeated Puyallup on November 5th by a seven point margin before a large crowd attending Sumner's homecoming. Rivals Puyallup and Sumner High School battled to a 7-7 tie on the morning of November 30th. This left the Valley high school football championship undecided. Sumner players involved in that game included: Reynolds, Bortle, Caster, Sperling, Barron, Peter, Dwight Taylor, Dean Taylor, Paulhamus (Captain), G. Taylor and Benton (last names provided only by the Daily Ledger). G46.1-039 (TDL 12-1-22, p. 8 -article only; TNT 11-17-22, p. 22-article)

Football players--Sumner; Awards;

In 1925, this group represented the Pacific Savings & Loan Association in Commercial League basketball. They wore uniforms labeled "PS&LA" and their team name appeared to be the "Thrifty's." The team laid claim to the Commercial League title by virtue of a 33-9 win over the DeMolay team. The PS&LA team had been undefeated prior to the league's closing although their schedule had not been completed. A.J. Pease (back row wearing hat) was team manager. Names of the players were listed under an alternate picture in the March 3, 1925, News Tribune. (G53.1-076; TNT 3-3-25, p. 15-article & alternate photograph)

Basketball players--Tacoma--1920-1930; Pease, A.J.;

This was the all-star women's bowling team sponsored by Tschunko's Florist in 1925. They posed with two wooden pins and a bowling ball. The ladies would be competing in the Pacific International Bowling Congress at Aberdeen on April 11th. Back row (L-R): Alice Lindmark, Ann Carlsen, Mrs. H. Young. Front row (L-R): Mrs. B. McCormick, Mrs. C. Bingston. Tschunko's was located at 5001 Pacific Avenue across the street from what is now Stewart Middle School. By 1938, ownership had changed hands and Gibson's Florists & Greenhouses operated at the same location until 1999. G53.1-101 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 4-5-25, C-3)

Bowling--Tacoma--1920-1930; Bowlers--Tacoma--1920-1930; Bowling balls; Lindmark, Alice; Carlsen, Ann; Young, H.--Family; McCormick, B.--Family; Bingston, C.--Family; Tschunko's House of Flowers (Tacoma);

Members of the Tacoma Railway & Power Company baseball team and their "mascot" stare stoically at the camera in an April 30, 1925, photograph. L-R back row (last names only given): Bonney, Rice, Kaperick, Pyfer, Hull, Fagon, James, Gordon (Captain). Middle row (L-R): Pryor, Arnold, Kendziora, Hendry, Berry, Billsborrow. Front row (L-R); Mynhier, Williams, Kennedy, "Jargo Jr."-mascot, Purcell, Wharton, Berg. Behind them are the covered stands of Athletic Park, located on Sprague Avenue between 14th & 15th Streets, where fans could watch games in comfort. The TR & P team competed in the 6-team Commercial League in 1925; they were joined by teams from the Rhodes Bros., City Lumber, American Institute of Banking, Harmon & Co. and Washington Coop. Egg. The Commercial League opened their 1925 season at Athletic Park on April 27th, matching up the previous year's champs, the TR & P with the league runner-up, Rhodes Bros. This time Rhodes Bros. came up winners in seven innings with a 5-2 score. (TDL 4-26-25, C-2, 5-2-25, p. 6; TNT 5-19-25, p. 17) G53.1-038 TPL-10076

Baseball players--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Twelve top racers, including 1920 Indy 500 winner Gaston Chevrolet and Northwest favorite Eddie Hearne, would compete in the 1920 Tacoma Classic held at the Tacoma Speedway on July 5th. The ninth annual event featured one race of 225 miles with drivers competing for a $22,500 purse. Tommy Milton, in his #10 Duesenberg, picked up first place honors and $10,000 by outdueling Ralph Mulford's Monroe #3. Mr. Milton's time of 2:23:28 and 95 mph average was the fastest pace ever set for a long race at the Speedway. He made no stops along the race vs. Mr. Mulford's one stop for tires in the 55th lap. This was the second visit to Tacoma for Tommy Milton. He raced in 1916, finishing a close second in the 300 mile race to Eddie Rickenbacker. Mr. Milton was the last to arrive in Tacoma for the 1920 race, having picked up a new bride in Minneapolis on his way. (TDL 7-6-20, p. 1+) TPL-4425

Milton, Tommy; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1920-1930; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1920-1930; Racing automobiles--1920-1930; Duesenberg automobile; Monroe automobile; Mulford, Ralph;

ca. 1921. Roscoe Sarles in his #6 Duesenberg on the board track of the Tacoma Speedway circa 1921. Driver Sarles, winner of the recent Uniontown, Pennsylvania race, was expected to vie with 1920's Tacoma Speedway winner Tommy Milton for the $10,000 first prize money and 500 championship points in the July 4th 250-mile race. Tommy Milton had just won the Indy 500 on Memorial Day and would go on repeat as Tacoma's champion by nosing out Roscoe Sarles with an average mph of 96.84. Mr. Sarles' Duesenberg teammates finished third and sixth in the nine-car field. (print from badly damaged negative) (TNT 7-5-21, p. 1,2-results) TPL-080

Sarles, Roscoe; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1920-1930; Automobile racing drivers; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1920-1930; Racing automobiles--1920-1930; Duesenberg automobile; Grandstands--Lakewood;

ca. 1920. Informal portrait of an unidentified race car driver or riding mechanic, probably taken in the very early 1920s. He may have been John Bresnahan, Gaston Chevrolet's "mechanician," who is looking directly into the camera's lens. His goggles are pushed up over his forehead and over his protective headgear. This photograph may have been taken at the Tacoma Speedway, once a prime racetrack in Lakewood that operated from 1912-22.

Automobile racing drivers; Automobile racing;

ca. 1922. At 19 years old, Harlan Fengler was already an experienced "mechanician" on the Harry Hartz team. He rode with Mr. Hartz to a second place finish at the 1922 Indianapolis 500. He journeyed to Tacoma to compete with Mr. Hartz in the 1922 250-mile Tacoma Speedway race which would be the last major event in the Speedway's short history. The race was won by speed king Jimmy Murphy with Mr. Hartz's team finishing sixth. Harlan Fengler became a race car driver himself shortly after. Although his career as a driver was not long, he eventually became the Chief Steward at the Indianapolis Speedway, a post he held for sixteen years. TPL-3172

Fengler, Harlan; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1920-1930; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood);