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Arthur Duray
Arthur Duray
Arthur Duray
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Arthur Jules Joseph Duray (9 February 1882 – 11 February 1954) was a Belgian racing driver and aviator. He was one of the first Belgians to pilot an aircraft, holding Belgian license #3. Duray is best known for breaking the land speed record on three separate occasions between July, 1903 and March, 1904.

Key Information

After serving in the French Foreign Legion during the First World War, Duray acquired French nationality by naturalization in 1933.[1]

American racer George Stewart legally changed his name to Leon Duray in tribute to Arthur Duray.

Motorsports career results

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Indianapolis 500 results

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Other race results (probably incomplete)

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Land Speed Records

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References

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Arthur Duray

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from Grokipedia
''Arthur Duray'' is a Belgian racing driver and early aviator known for setting world land speed records in the early 1900s, winning major races such as the Circuit des Ardennes, and achieving a second-place finish at the 1914 Indianapolis 500. He was also one of the earliest licensed pilots in Belgium, holding the third Belgian pilot's license. Duray began his racing career in 1902 driving a Gobron-Brillié and quickly established himself by setting world land speed records three times between 1903 and 1904. He went on to secure notable results in prominent events, including a win at the Circuit des Ardennes in 1906 with a Lorraine-Dietrich, third place in the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup, and second place at the 1914 Indianapolis 500 driving a Peugeot. His career spanned several decades and manufacturers, including Peugeot, De Dietrich, and Lorraine-Dietrich in the pre-war era. After serving in the French Army during World War I and acquiring French citizenship, Duray continued competing primarily in touring car events and occasional Grand Prix races, though with less success than in his earlier years. He made his final recorded appearance at the 1934 24 Hours of Le Mans. Duray died in Paris in 1954 at the age of 72.

Early Life

Birth and Origins

Arthur Jules Joseph Duray was born on February 9, 1882, in Ixelles, Belgium, according to IMDb records. His full name is listed as Arthur Jules Joseph Duray in specialized motorsport archives. Sources show discrepancies in the exact birth details, with some motorsport records indicating February 8, 1882, in Ixelles, Brussels, Belgium, while others report February 9 or February 20, 1882, in New York City to Belgian parents. The place of birth remains controversial, as many accounts suggest New York City but others consistently point to Ixelles, with some analyses concluding Belgium as the most likely origin.

Nationality and Early Years

Arthur Duray held Belgian nationality throughout much of his career, though some sources describe him as a French citizen later in life following naturalization. His place of birth remains controversial, with conflicting reports listing either New York City, United States, to Belgian parents, or Ixelles in the Brussels area of Belgium. Detailed records of his early years are limited, and little verified information exists about his childhood, education, or activities prior to 1902. His background is tied to Belgian roots in the Ixelles/Brussels region, reflecting the multinational context that characterized his origins despite the prevailing identification as Belgian in motorsport contexts. He transitioned to professional racing around 1902.

Racing Career

Entry into Motorsport

Arthur Duray began his racing career in 1902 when he joined the Société des Moteurs Gobron-Brillié, driving their vehicles in several early competitions. His debut included participation in the Château-Thierry hillclimb near Reims, one of the initial events where he piloted a Gobron-Brillié car. That same year, he competed in the Paris-Vienna road race, a major city-to-city event organized by the Automobile Club de France, representing the Gobron-Brillié marque. These early outings in road races and hillclimbs provided Duray with his first competitive experience behind the wheel of high-performance automobiles of the era. Gobron-Brillié cars, known for their innovative opposed-piston engine design, allowed him to gain familiarity with endurance-style events typical of the time. This initial phase in 1902 marked his entry into professional motorsport before advancing to more prominent international competitions.

Gordon Bennett Cup Participation

Arthur Duray participated in the Gordon Bennett Cup in 1905, representing France as part of their three-car team. He drove a De Dietrich 24/28, starting with race number 13 on the demanding Circuit d'Auvergne near Clermont-Ferrand, a mountainous 137 km loop traversed four times for a total distance of 341.4 miles. The event, held on 5 July 1905, emphasized endurance, tyre performance, and driving skill over outright speed, with the French team ultimately securing victory through the aggregate times of its drivers. Duray completed the full race distance and finished in sixth place overall with a time of 8 hours, 5 minutes, and 0 seconds, corresponding to an average speed of 42.2 mph. His result complemented the performances of teammates Léon Théry, who won the race in a Richard-Brasier, and Gustave Caillois, who placed fourth, enabling France to claim both the individual and team honors (Montagu prize) in the final edition of the Gordon Bennett Cup before its discontinuation. No records indicate Duray's participation in any other Gordon Bennett Cup events from 1900 to 1905.

French Grand Prix Appearances

Arthur Duray participated in the French Grand Prix during its early editions, driving competitive cars for prominent manufacturers of the era. He entered the inaugural 1906 French Grand Prix at Le Mans with a Lorraine-Dietrich, securing an eighth-place finish in the aggregate results. The following year, he competed in the 1907 French Grand Prix at Dieppe, again piloting a Lorraine-Dietrich, though specific finishing details are recorded in contemporary race reports. Duray resumed notable participation in 1911 at Le Mans, where he drove to a fourth-place finish after leading the race for several laps, demonstrating his competitive pace in the field. In 1914, he drove a Delage entry prepared by Louis Delâge and Arthur Michelat at the French Grand Prix, marking his involvement in the event just before the interruption caused by World War I. His appearances in these formative Grand Prix races highlighted his consistent engagement with France's premier motor racing competition across multiple manufacturers and circuits. Some of these events were documented in contemporary newsreels, contributing to later film credits as himself.

Speed Records and Other Achievements

Arthur Duray pursued high-speed accomplishments throughout his career. In December 1913, he made a notable attempt on the flying kilometre land speed record at Ostend with a 300-hp Fiat S76, achieving a one-way speed of 225 km/h (139.8 mph), though this did not surpass the existing world record. In addition to his speed record pursuits, Duray earned a prominent victory in the 1907 international race from Moscow to Saint Petersburg, where he drove a Lorraine-Dietrich to first place. This long-distance road race win demonstrated his skill in endurance and high-average-speed competition over challenging routes.

Aviation Career

Involvement in Early Aviation

Arthur Duray, a Belgian-born pioneer in early aviation, transitioned from his established career in motorsport to become one of the first individuals in Belgium to engage actively in powered flight. He held Belgian pilot license number 3, issued by the Aero-Club de Belgique, marking him as the third person in the country to receive official certification as an aviator. Duray served as a test pilot for the Antoinette aviation company, collaborating with renowned aviator Hubert Latham in evaluating and flying the company's monoplane designs. His participation in early aviation events accelerated around 1910, when he entered international flying meetings while continuing his parallel interests in motorsport. He competed at the Verona aviation meeting in May 1910, where he initially won a speed prize but suffered a serious accident during a takeoff attempt; after repairs, a subsequent incident resulted in him being struck multiple times by the propeller, causing three fractured ribs and hemothorax that displaced his heart and led to circulatory complications. He also flew a Henry Farman biplane at the Grande Semaine d'Aviation de Rouen from 19 to 26 June 1910. Following months of hospitalization and recovery from the Verona injuries, Duray deemed it prudent to abandon his active career as a pilot. He nonetheless stayed connected to aviation through a close friendship and advisory role with Peruvian aviator Jorge Chávez, whom he accompanied during later endeavors. Details of his earliest flights remain limited in surviving records, reflecting the sparse documentation typical of aviation's pioneering era prior to widespread formal competitions.

Notable Flights and Contributions

Arthur Duray obtained the third brevet d'aviateur issued by the Aéro-Club de Belgique, marking him as one of the country's earliest licensed pilots. He trained at the Henri Farman flying school in Mourmelon and primarily flew Farman biplanes fitted with 50 hp Gnome engines. Duray acted as a test pilot for the Antoinette company and made his international aviation debut at the Verona meeting in May 1910. There, he suffered two accidents while flying an Antoinette monoplane: on 25 May, a failed takeoff attempt led to a crash that damaged the engine and propeller, from which he escaped by jumping clear; on 29 May, he was seriously injured when trapped under a runaway aircraft's undercarriage and struck multiple times by the propeller, resulting in three fractured ribs and hemothorax. These injuries forced him to abandon active piloting after several months of recovery. He participated in other major aviation meetings in 1910, including events in Tours (May), Rouen (June), and Brussels-Stokkel (July), where he flew Farman biplanes. Duray later became a trusted advisor and close friend to Peruvian aviator Géo Chávez, supporting him during the preparation for and aftermath of Chávez's pioneering yet fatal crossing of the Alps on 23 September 1910; Duray was present in Domodossola at the arrival site when Chávez crashed and died from his injuries days later. Following Chávez's death, Duray permanently retired from aviation to resume his motorsport career. In 1937, he became a founding member of Les Vieilles Tiges Belges, an association for aviators breveted before 1914.

Later Life and Death

Post-Racing Activities

Arthur Duray retired from competitive racing following his final appearance at the 1934 24 Hours of Le Mans. He remained connected to the aviation community for several years thereafter, consistent with his earlier pioneering involvement in the field. Detailed records of his activities during this period are scarce, with limited verified information available on his professional engagements, personal life, or contributions beyond his racing and early aviation career. No major public endeavors or roles are documented in historical sources for his later years.

Death

Arthur Duray died on 11 February 1954 in Paris, France, at the age of 72.

Film Appearances

Credits in Motorsport Newsreels and Documentaries

Arthur Duray appeared as himself in several early motorsport newsreels and short documentaries, which captured footage of prominent racing events in which he participated during the first decades of the 20th century. These credits consist entirely of non-acting roles in archival or contemporary silent-era films documenting actual races, rather than scripted productions. His earliest known credit is in the short film The Gordon Bennett Motor Race (1905), where he is listed as Self - racing driver, De Dietrich. This footage preserves visuals from the final Gordon Bennett Cup race, in which Duray competed. Duray subsequently featured in multiple documentary-style recordings of the French Grand Prix, including editions held in 1906 (as Self - racing driver, Lorraine-Dietrich), 1907, 1908, 1912, 1914, 1923, and 1930. He also appeared as Self in coverage of the 1930 European Grand Prix (held as the Belgian Grand Prix that year). These appearances reflect the era's use of newsreel cameras to record major motorsport competitions, with Duray visible as a competitor in the event footage.

Legacy

Recognition in Motorsport and Aviation History

Arthur Duray is recognized as a pioneering figure in the early histories of both motorsport and aviation. In motorsport, he is noted for his early participation from 1902, world land speed record achievements in 1903–1904, and results in major events such as the Circuit des Ardennes and Vanderbilt Cup. In aviation history, Duray holds a notable place as the third person licensed as a pilot in Belgium in 1902 and as a participant in early flight meetings and as a test pilot for Antoinette aircraft around 1910, though he abandoned active flying after serious accidents that year. Duray's legacy endures primarily in specialized historical records and databases dedicated to vintage motorsport and early aviation, where he is documented as a trailblazer despite limited prominence in broader contemporary narratives.
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