Mystery Foto #16 Solved: Harry Grant Driving the #1 Isotta During the 1914 Vanderbilt Cup Race
This weekend's Mystery Foto featured a photo error in the 2016 book "The Gilded Age in New York (1870-1910)".
Mystery Foto questions:
- What are the error(s) in the caption: "The starting line at the Vanderbilt Cup race on William K. Vanderbilt II's Long Island Motor Parkway in 1914."
The 1914 Vanderbilt Cup Race was not held on the Long Island Motor Parkway. The last Vanderbilt Cup Race associated with William K. Vanderbilt Jr. and the Long Island Motor Parkway was held in 1910.
- Identify the correct location of the photo.
The grandstands on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica, California.
- Identify the race, race car, driver and date.
The 1914 Vanderbilt Cup Race held on the Santa Monica course on February 26, 1914. The #1 Isotta racer was driven by Harry Grant with mechanician Emilio Jandelli. The Isotta broke its piston on the first lap and finished 15th of the 15 entries.
Comments (6)
Congrats to Steve Lucas, Dick Gorman and Art Kleiner for identifying the #1 Isotta driven by Harry Grant at the 1914 Vanderbilt Cup Race in Santa Monica, California.
Kudos to Art Kleiner and the below Kleiner's Korner for pinpointing the location of the Mystery Foto on Ocean Avenue.
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
Close-Ups
Harry Grant in his Isotta outfit at the 1912 Elgin National Trophy Race.
The Santa Monica course with the location of the grandstands.
Kleiner's Korner (Submitted by Art Kleiner)
1914 Course
The New York Times, February 26, 1914
Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Febrauary 27, 1914
Brooklyn Daily Eagle, March 5, 1914
Brooklyn Daily Eagle, February 27, 1914
Long Island Motor Parkway
The drama, expansion, mansions and wealth of New York City's transformative Gilded Age era, from 1870 to 1910, were captured in this illustrated hardcover by Esther Crain.
The book includes this excellent summary of our favorite road.
Comments
I don’t think it’s the starting line and it’s definitely not on the Long Island Motor Parkway. I believe it’s Harry Grant driving the #1 Isotta during the 1914 Vanderbilt Cup Race in Santa Monica, CA on February 26, 1914. It could be a few feet past the starting line since I think the Isotta’s engine failed soon after the start.
The correct location for the photo is the Santa Monica road race course and the date was February 26, 1914, with Ralph DePalma in the #12 Mercedes.
Mystery Foto #16…. The error in the caption is that the 1914 Vanderbilt Cup Race was held in in Santa Monica Road Race course in California; NOT THE MOTOR PARKWAY ON LONG ISLAND. No Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island after 1910.
As mentioned above the race was the “1914 Vanderbilt Cup in Santa Monica”. The car was the Isotta as driven by Harry Grant and his mechanician was most likely Frank Lee.
The date of this event was February 26, 1914. The Isotta broke a piston on the first lap and finished last.
Mystery Foto#16 correction from my earlier post…I said the the Vanderbilt Cup Race was not held on Long island after 1910. What I meant was it was not held on the Motor Parkway after 1910.
The Cup Races retuned to the Island in 1936 and ‘37 but held now at Roosevelt Raceway. They had a Vanderbilt Cup Race again in 1960 at Roosevelt Raceway for Formula Junior cars.
What are the errors in the caption: “The starting line at the Vanderbilt Cup race on William K. Vanderbilt II’s Long Island Motor Parkway in 1914.”
Race did not occur on the Long Island Motor Parkway
Identify the correct location of the photo. Santa Monica, CA - Ocean Avenue
Identify the race, race car, driver and date. Isotta, Harry Grant (finished last due to brooken piston on mile 6), 1914 Santa Monica Vanderbilt Cup Race, February 26, 1914
Santa Monica, street races were banned on Long Island by 1911. Too many casualties.