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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Our View: No laughing matter ... Council Corner: The view from under the bus ... Discounted season ski tickets on sale ... Our View: No laughing matter ... Council Corner: The view from under the bus ... Discounted season ski tickets on sale ... AS IT WAS As It Was: Wheel-to-wheel at the 1923 auto races Comment By Alice Mullaly Southern Oregon Historical Society DailyTidings.com By Alice Mullaly Southern Oregon Historical Society Posted Sep. 9, 2015 at 4:18 PM By Alice Mullaly Southern Oregon Historical Society Posted Sep. 9, 2015 at 4:18 PM » Social News The racetrack at the fairgrounds in Medford was hardened to perfection, and the nearly 6,000 spectators had already seen Cecil Brown set a track record of 74 miles per hour on a Harley Davidson motorcycle. The 10-car main event was about to begin that June 15, 1923. Medford had been abuzz with car talk for weeks. Bill Offutt predicted his 1916 Maxwell would hit 80 miles per hour. Goodie’s Ford, "Lousy Liz," was a stripped- down beauty. Brown and Merrill’s heavy Dodge was covered with brass. Homer Elwood built his car around an Essex Six with three carburetors. Walker and Young at the Oregon-California Auto Company tuned up a factory Maxwell for the race. As the 30-lap race got underway, Elwood’s Essex pulled into the lead until all three carburetors froze up in the 16th lap. Then the race was between Brown’s Dodge and Paul Reddy’s Ford, but the Ford failed in the 20th lap. Goodie’s Lousy Liz dropped out in the 24th. The two Maxwells finished in a dead heat for second place, but the sturdy Dodge, averaging 64.5 miles per hour, brought home the $1,000 prize for Frank Brown. Sources: Medford Mail Tribune, June 1 and June 16, 1923. As It Was is a co-production of Jefferson Public Radio and the Southern Oregon Historical Society. As It Was stories are broadcast weekdays on Jefferson Public Radio and are available online at asitwas.org . By Alice Mullaly Southern Oregon Historical Society DailyTidings.com By Alice Mullaly Southern Oregon Historical Society Posted Sep. 9, 2015 at 4:18 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501