Racer
After the war, Murphy's career as a driver was spotted, but he showed promise to those who knew "the racing game." Through the influence of Duesenberg's Number One driver, Tommy Milton, Murphy was given a factory car to drive in the inaugural race at the Beverly Hills Speedway, a superfast, 1.125-mile (1.811 km) high banked, wooden speedway. To everyone (except Milton's) surprise, Murphy won that February 14, 1920 race. He went on to win regularly and became a popular champion on the circuit.
In 1921, as part of a team of Duesenbergs sponsored by French immigrant Albert Champion, he became the only American to have ever won a Grand Prix race in a truly all-American car, by winning the French Grand Prix at Le Mans. The next time an American driver would win a Grand Prix in an American-built car would be 46 years later, when Dan Gurney won the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix. The feat of an all-American Grand Prix victory has not been repeated, nor it is likely to be. Murphy's mechanic in that race was none other than Eddie O'Donnell, with whom he rode to victory at Corona in 1916.
In 1922, Murphy won the Indianapolis 500, in the Le Mans winning car, which had been modified for the Indy race. He also became National Champion that year. Murphy won the final Universal Trophy Cup Race, beating Milton, at both Tacoma Speedway and the Uniontown Speedway board track in 1922.
In 1923, Murphy placed second in the National Championship, even missing several races to go to Europe and race for Los Angeles race car builder, Harry Miller. He placed third in the Italian Grand Prix that year, in a race whose Grand Marshal was Benito Mussolini.
Murphy's success continued in 1924. Murphy finished third in the Indy 500, and by the last weeks of the season, he had accumulated an unbeatable lead in the points toward the Championship.
Murphy died in a race promoted by a friend, at the Syracuse, New York fairgrounds dirt track on September 15, 1924. (see below.)
Read more about this topic: James Anthony Murphy