Vanderbilt Cup Races

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VanderbiltCupRaces.com Helps Solve an Old Oldsmobile Photo Mystery in the Lansing State Journal

Newsday, April 8, 2011 Michigan woman's mystery photo has link to LI

For more than 30 years, Donna McCoy had wondered about the race cars and drivers in a rare photograph from the early 1900s that she owned.

"About all I knew was they were race cars, they were Oldsmobiles and the approximate year," said McCoy, 81, a retired nurse and former Oldsmobile worker who lives in Owosso, Mich.

In less than 24 hours, Howard Kroplick, a Long Island expert on the Vanderbilt Cup races, solved the intrigue.

"The cars are entries in the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup races," said Kroplick, who has the same photo in his collection, as well as a photo of the race's winning car, the Black Beast.

McCoy had received the photo from her father-in-law, in part because she had worked for the defunct car line.

After she brought the photo to an antiques show in her central Michigan city last month, two appraisers turned to a newspaper for help.

The Lansing State Journal ran a story about her mystery photo on Tuesday, and by Wednesday, readers had referred her to Kroplick's website, vanderbiltcupraces.com.

The Olds in the foreground of McCoy's photo was driven by Harry Stillman and finished 11th; his name and the model of the car are printed above the driver's side tire, Kroplick said.

The second car also was entered in the race, with Joe Nelson as the driver, but Kroplick said he can't be sure Nelson's car even started the race, because of a faulty starter.

It was the only time an Oldsmobile competed in a Vanderbilt Cup race, "so it was pretty easy to identify the cars," Kroplick said. "They probably were being prepped for the cup races and were being shown at a local hotel in Lansing."

McCoy and some Lansing-area historians think the hotel was the Downey House, which was destroyed in a 1912 fire.

Kroplick has long studied the history of the Vanderbilt Cup, a road race held from 1904 to 1910 on Nassau County roads. They were the first international road races held in the United States and drew massive crowds, from 25,000 to more than 250,000.

Oldsmobile, a General Motors luxury line, ceased production in 2004.

Kroplick said he paid $650 for his rare photo two years ago at an automobile auction near Boston.

Is McCoy hoping for the same for her photo, which might soon end up for sale on eBay or another site?

"I'd take that," she said.

Lansing State Journal, April 7, 2011 Oldsmobile in photo was race car, historian says

Two days ago, Donna McCoy had questions about an old photo of an antique Oldsmobile that had been lying around her house for decades.

Now, she has answers.

McCoy, a former Oldsmobile worker and retired nurse who lives near Owosso, had held onto the photograph found in a dump near Haslett for about 30 years. She never knew much about the photograph other than it depicted Oldsmobiles.

Her search for answers brought her to an antiques show held at Young Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC in Owosso last month. There, it caught the attention of antiques appraiser and radio show host Mike Gaylord, and the two turned to the Lansing State Journal to find some answers.

Readers came through in a way they never expected.

"My phone has been ringing since 8 a.m.," said Gaylord, who hosts the Flint-based Everything Classic Antique and Collectible Show. The show is broadcast in Lansing from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays on WLCM-AM 1390.

The car has been identified as Oldsmobile's entry into the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup race on Long Island, N.Y. The car, driven by Harry Stillman, placed 11th in a field of 30. The photo was taken in front of Lansing's Downey House hotel.

The Vanderbilt Cup race was a popular series of races, drawing as many as 250,000 spectators in 1910. The race was started by motor car enthusiast William K. Vanderbilt Jr., a member of the tycoon Vanderbilt family.

"These races were like the Super Bowl of its day," said historian Howard Kroplick, who has written a book about the races.

Kroplick became aware of the mystery Oldsmobile photo when his website received more than 400 hits from people in the Lansing area Wednesday morning. He contacted Gaylord to identify the car and driver in the photo.

Comments and Feedback

Film “The Long Island Automotive Museum”

Walter McCarthy: " Here is a photo from the Long island Automotive museum when it first opened and was not as yet painted. Temporary lettering can also be seen on the building. It shows some fun at the museum. Austin Clark is standing on the right side of the fire truck giving the driver instructions I would imagine. "

Bruce A Iseman: "My mom and dad took me there in the late 60s.I must have been 6.I remember the older gentleman and the ride on the old fire truck. I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT WONDERFUL DAY.THANK YOU SO MUCH!"

In Search of the Alco “12”: #7 1912 Alco Touring Car Owned By Andy Oldman

Frank Femenias: "WOW! It’s amazing how that ALCO 12 can be kept in that condition with original parts after a century. True restoration. I’d imagine that would take some hard and tedious work. Loved the Andy Oldman description and adventures with the vehicle. Thank you Mr. Rodriquez and for the post Howard. "

The Long Island Motor Parkway Preservation Society

Chris Lindsley: "Please enroll me in this group. I haven’t been active in LIMP walks recently, but I am still a fan. "

A CALL TO ACTION: The Old Bethpage Village Restoration Motor Parkway Bridge

Eric Shaffer: "I would be interested in helping as well. I visited the Bethpage Bridge a week ago and it’s in worse shape than when I was there for the first time a few years prior. The amount of garbage is incredible! The openings to the bridge are almost cut off because the debris is stacked so high.I think they are intentionally trying to seal off the bridge openings by dumping both perishable and non perishable garbage there. Obviously its workers from Bethpage Village who are dumping anything unwanted in and over the bridge. Trucks are driven on the bridge and truckloads of garbage are dumped over the side. Because of this the curbing and railings are gone. The Village Restoration has to take some of the blame for the appaling conditions. In the very least they should be concerned that their workers are driving trucks over a span that could give way under the weight of the trucks.I am sure their insurance company would want the area better secured, and safe, to avoid future claims. Even the hole in the fence has not been repaired. This historical spot could be a attention grabber and money maker for Bethpage Restoration. All we would have to do is convince the right people. "

VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: Rare 1908 PAL Race Painting Discovered?

Laurence Manou:"I read with interest this last biographical entry. My maternal grandmother, born in Paris in the 1870s, was born a Paléologue, a sister to Maurice, the last ambassador to Tsarist Russia and member of the French Academy who never married. Their family of Greek descent also originated in Romania, but it is well-known that the royal Byzantine Paleologos line was extinct. So much for titles and provenance, usually created to impress American hosts. Jean de Paléologue may have been a distant cousin; regrettably no one surviving in our family seems to have any information on him. Our Paléologue family made its fortune in Romania, I'm told, in commodities and shipping in the nineteenth century, but the siblings emigrated to Paris where they either married well or achieved distinction in diplomacy and letters. They integrated themselves well into French culture and society, but remained true to their Greek Orthodox faith.

Featured Car Events Being Held This Weekend:

Hot Car Show, Long Island MacArthur Airport, Islip, NY, Sunday, April 10, 2011

Massapequa Poker Run, Sunday, April 10, 2011

Calendar of April 2011 Events

Slideshow of photos taken at the ALPCA-LI License Plate Meet at the Elks Lodge, Massapequa, NY on April 2, 2011 by Ron Ridolph:

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