Kleiner’s Korner: The Courses of the Vanderbilt Cup Races (in French)
I recently came across a book in Howard's collection titled "L'Historique de la Course Automobile 1894-1978" (translated as "The History of the Automobile Race") which detailed every major automobile race since 1894. The book was in French and contained drawings depicting the courses of many of the races it discussed. Here are the courses of the Vanderbilt Cup Races.
Art Kleiner
The book was authored by Edmond Cohin and published in 1978 by Editions LARIVIERE of Paris. Interestingly the front and inside title page are different!
1904 The flag indicates the start and finish line.
Each race was detailed providing cars, drivers, times and more. The first line of the 1904 entry translates to: "American billionaire Vanderbilt, whom we have seen racing with some success in Europe, is reviving motorsport in the United States; to do so, he creates a cup that bears his name." And yes, the word used in the text translates to billionaire, not millionaire!
1905
1906
1908 Note the Toll Lodge indicating the Motor Parkway.
1909 - 1910
The 1936 race at Roosevelt Field.
The first few lines translate as follows:
"This event, which had not been contested since 1916, sees the light of day and takes place on a difficult circuit created recently in Mineola, in the outskirts of New York."
"The Americans wanted to have a road course similar to those on which the European Grand Prix are contested; we can not say that it is very successful: the circuit is acrobatic and quite fussy." Fussy?
Comments
Tarabiscoté means unnecessarily complicated. I understand why he writes that ...
I believe this ““Nashville Banner” article actually refers to the 1909-1910 course of the Vanderbilt Cup Race as it looks strikingly similar to the shape of my new home state, North Carolina. Second photo is the course, third photo is North Carolina.
Or maybe the 1904 VCR course shown below.