Vanderbilt Cup Races

Feedback and sharing of information are much appreciated on VanderbiltCupRaces.com . Today's Forum provides a sampling of recent links, comments, and insights:

Cool Links

The British website things magazine linked into VanderbiltCupRaces.com as a "random thing". The group of writers and historians that create the website" believe "objects can open up new ways of understanding the world.

Sports Car Digest has provided this report and photos from the Worldwide Auctioneers Atlantic City Auction 2001 held on February 18, 2011.

VintageMotorsport.com reports that IMS has invited 269 Indianpolis Veterans to Return This May.

The "World's Largest Autograph Session" is one of the highlights of new fan attractions scheduled at IMS the day before the 100th Anniversary Indianapolis 500. Every living driver from the Indianapolis 500 has been invited to IMS for Race Weekend, with many indicating they will return, including some who raced in the roadster era of the 1950s.

Comments and Feedback

Newly Discovered Photos of Motor Parkway Bridges and Willie K’s Guest Lodge in Lake Success

Tim Ivers (Former police officer who worked at the State Parkway Police Barracks in Lake Success):" I thank you very much Howard. Deja vu. In the photo of the roadway looking westward, it brought back a memory that was lost to me until I saw your photo. At one point in time, in the 50s, a portion (maybe several hundred yards) of the westbound lane of the parkway just east of the police barracks there was a network of underground pipes. These pipes carried either hot water or steam (I don’t recall which) and during freezing wet weather they could be activated from a control switch in the basement of the police barracks. The purpose was to keep the pavement from freezing. And it worked. But I think impractical."

Then & Now: Bulls Head Hotel on Northern Boulevard and Glen Cove Road in Greenvale

Hugh Nutting:"The white runabout (near the Bulls Head Auto Shed) looks like a Model D White steamer.

Bob Thomas: "A tough corner in 1905; still a difficult corner in 2011. i remember working briefly wth NYS Traffic division of the Transportation Dept on ROW for revised traffic lights for that corner a dozen years ago. i am not sure that it helped the traffic.

Sam Berliner III: "“In those days, Northern Boulevard was known as North Hempstead Turnpike”; it is STILL very much “North Hempstead Turnpike” in Muttontown, at the very least. The legal street address of the tiny Muttontown Unitarian Universalist Fellowship is 6090 North Hempstead Turnpike and that of the neighboring Hunter’s Hook Farm (formerly Calumet) is 6080 North Hempstead Turnpike! Further, re “Before the Civil War, Greenvale went by the name of Bull’s Head”: William “Wild Bill” Whittendale, Mill Neck police officer of the ‘50s - ‘70s always referred to Greenvale as Bull’s Head. So, as you so well know, history has a way of living on. Sure wish I’d realized that the building in Greenvale I passed twice every weekday for many years from 1956 to 1968 and quite often afterwards was the old Bull’s Head Hotel, relocated! Keep on truckin’!"

Fred Blumlein: "It’s really good to hear from you and I thank you for creating and sharing the Bull’s Head story with me. One thing to clarify in the piece is the statement in the 2005 section - “Alas, a fire struck the building in 2005 and it was soon taken down.” In actuality, the firemen and trucks shown in the photo were practicing firefighting techniques on my cousin’s (Agnes Reinhardt, a grand daughter of A.H.) abandoned house that was directly adjacent to the hotel. The hotel and Agnes’ house were purchased by a developer who tore both structures down in 2005 to build the brick store a parking lot shown in your contemporary photos. Stay well and keep “racing.”

Tom: "Great to see the Then and Now photos. Shame though as some parts of history should not be torn down."

Film: Thomas Edison’s “Automobile Parade” in New York City Held on November 4, 1899

JeRita: "Howard that was a great film. Being a carriage collector I especially enjoyed the horseless carriages I have never seen a “Handsome Cab” car before I really enjoy seeing your emails every Sunday Thanks

Mitch Kaften: "The pillars in the background belong to Madison Square Garden, the second incarnation of the building on Madison Square. The cars appear to be going west along the southern end of the Garden on 26th Street and turning south on Madison Avenue. The film maker was probably standing in Madison Square Park. Thanks, Howard.

Sam Berliner III: "Howard, You’re just not old enough to remember Hansom Cabs! I am; I remember them still in use in Central Park and congregated on 59th Street across from the Plaza.

Favorite Website: TheOldMotor.com- An Automotive Photography Magazine

AJ Ballard: "Delighted to see that you found David's new web site, TOM, which he has been working on for many months. He has done a superb job and is to be commended for posting some wonderful old pictures that many of us have not seen before."

Ann: "“Hi Howard! Another great blog! I enjoyed David Greenlees' new web site - when I had time to view. More to look at later.

Mystery Photos

An Unknown Northwest Race Track 1910s: Status Solved

Brian Caruso: "Hello Howard, Your website is fantastic and we really enjoy it. I wanted to ask you if you could possibly identify an old race track picture. We were given this picture years ago and we have it hanging in our museum in Las Vegas. I think it is from the Northwest area possibly Oregon or Washington state. I was wondering if you or maybe someone on your website might be able to identify the race track or the cars. It looks like early teens. Let me know. Keep up the good work. Thank you, Brian"

Jean-Yves Lassaux: "Brian Caruso's photo shows the line up of the American Grand Prize held on February 27, 1915, at San Francisco during the Panama Pacific International Exposition.'

A Race Between a Car and an Airplane: Status- Unsolved

Chris L: "This is one of my favorite photos! However, I have no idea the location of the race, its date, the makes of the car and airplane or the participants. I was told the driver was Barney Oldfield. Can anyone help?

The Mystery Long Island Mercedes: Status- Unsolved

Walt Gosden: "The car was a 1905, in excellent original untouched condition, was still owned by the family that bought it new (possibly the Astor family). The car wasn't for sale - ever - and at that time had some interest by one of the grand kids (great grand kids?) of the family who were "going to get it running". I never heard anything further about the car, so it to my knowledge still exists out there someplace."

An unidentifed Hood Mascot: Status- Unsolved

John Torani: "I have owned this hood mascot for years. It appears to be a ram or goat figurine. Can anyone identify it?

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Featured Car Event on this Sunday

5th Annual Spring Breakout Cruise for a Cause to Orient Point, Sunday, March 27, 2011, Cruising Time: 9:00 AM, Hosted by Empire Galaxies

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