Birthdate: September 26, 1959, San Diego, Calif. Residence: Manteca, Calif. Ht./Wt.: 5-9, 140 Marital Status: Married (Ruth) Children: Melissa, Rebecca IRL Races: 2 1996 IRL Rank: 27 1996 Prize Money: $159,153 Paul Durant Indianapolis "500" Record (Passed Driver's Test 1996) Car Speed Qual Laps Laps Speed or Year Name Rank Speed SP FP Comp Led Reason Out --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1996 Manaras/Simu/Glenmark/MillerEads 26 225.404 24 32 9 -- Engine --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total: 1 Race 9
This Manteca, California native has built a solid reputation racing super modifieds. He won his first championship battle in 1980, when he won the Limited Modified Championship in the Super Modified Racing Association. A three-time Super Modified Racing Association champion (1985, 1991, 1992), he has left dozens of victories and track records in his wake. Many of those records were set at Madera. Durant has also competed in USAC's Super Modified Series as well, finishing eighth in point standings in 1985. Durant has also raced sprint cars on the Northern Auto Racing Club circuit in California for a few years (1988 - '89), competed in the USAC Silver Crown Series (1994) and has run midgets in Bay Cities Racing Association and USAC Western States Series (1995).
Born September 26, 1959, Durant had his first Indy experience in 1996. Starting in the 24th position, he ran nine laps before his engine failed and he spun out in the north end, finishing 32nd. In the IRL that year, he passed the driver's test in opening practice for the Dura Lube 200 at Phoenix. Front-end damage from a tangle at the starting line, sidelined him after only one lap.
