VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The $1,000 check for winning the 1908 Meadow Brook Sweepstakes
To encourage participation for the first races held on the Motor Parkway on October 10, 1908, $1,000 prizes were offered to the winners of the five 1908 sweepstake races. The prize winning check for the Meadow Brook Sweepstakes was recently discovered in the Walter McCarthy Archives.
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
When the Motor Parkway Sweepstakes were announced on September 12, 1908 in Automobile Topics, A $125 entry fee and $1,000 prize was announced for the Meadow Brook Sweepstakes. $1,000 in 1908 is equivalent to $30,000 today.
The $5,000 in prizes were highlighted in promoting the 1908 races.
The #M35 Allen-Kingston driven by Hughie Hughes won the Meadow Brook Sweepstakes. averaging 52.6 MPH.
This is the $1,000 check awarded to the Allen-Kingston Motor Company for winning the race.
The Long Island Motor Parkway, Inc check from their "special racing account" was dated October 31, 1908
The check was signed by the treasurer of the Long Island Motor Parkway, Inc.- Jefferson DeMont Thompson,
The check was countersigned by WK Vanderbilt Jr.
Comments
Interesting, very cool fine, Howard
Where’d you find this gem? Cool find.
Interesting to note that the Long Island Motor Parkway was the governing body for the race that year and not the AAA.
I believe the check was found in the Henry Austin Clark, Jr. archives.
The equivalent value today is about $30k. A nice chunk of change!