the tests; Dallas Spirit was the final qualifier. On August 10, Hollywood pilot and actor Frank Clarke either withdrew or was disqualified from participating in the race with his navigator, Jeff Warren, in Miss Hollydale, an International F-17 biplane. Clarke announced he would attempt the world endurance record instead and took off abruptly on August 13 with his sponsor, Charley H. Babb, leaving the other contestants fuming. One day later, Clarke sent a telegram to the race sponsors from Los Angeles, apologizing for the furor and officially withdrawing from the race. On August 15, Frederick Giles was disqualified as he had not arrived in time to meet the navigation qualification test deadline. Giles would go on to attempt a solo flight from San Francisco to Honolulu in November as the first leg of a planned flight to Australia. A missing component on a spare compass for Miss Doran sparked fears of vandalism the night before the flight, and competitors vowed to protect their aircraft with shotguns overnight. Pedlar later stated the missing magnet was probably an oversight by the maintenance crew. The Air King (formerly City of Peoria), flown by Charles Parkhurst and Ralph C. Lowes Jr., was disqualified at 11:15 AM on the 16th, less than an hour before the first plane would start, because its tanks were estimated to give the plane a range short by inspectors. A test was held at sundown on August 15 to quantify fuel consumption; it was determined the aircraft would consume when cruising at . The Dole Derby Final participants The race began on 16 August, by which time the starting line-up had dwindled to nine aircraft, with one of the nine disqualified just before the start of the race. In order of start, they were: Oklahoma, one of two modified Travel Air 5000 aircraft, NX911, piloted by Bennett Griffin and navigated by Al Henley El Encanto, a Goddard Special metal monoplane, NX5074, flown by Norman A. Goddard and Kenneth C. Hawkins, which was heavily favored in the pre-race odds Pabco Pacific Flyer, a Breese-Wilde Monoplane, NX646, flown alone by Livingston Gilson Irving Golden Eagle, the prototype Lockheed Vega 1 monoplane, NX913, flown by Jack Frost and navigated by Gordon Scott Miss Doran, a Buhl CA-5 Air Sedan, NX2915, flown by Auggy Pedlar, navigated by Vilas R. Knope, and carrying Mildred Doran DQ City of Peoria, an Air King biplane, NX3070, flown