Preparing for the 1908 Race
Map of the 1908 Course
The 1908 course was finalized in late September, including only 9 miles of the Long Island Motor Parkway and 11 new Motor Parkway bridges over and under public roads. The remainder of the course was 16.46 miles of public roads, primarily Round Swamp Road, Plainview Road, Jericho Turnpike, and Ellison Avenue. The Vanderbilt Cup Commission of the AAA announced the race would consist of 11 laps or 258.06 miles to be held on Saturday, October 24, 1908.
Crowds Arrive By the Long Island Rail Road
Much maligned for its slow service, the Long Island Rail Road still transported the majority of spectators from New York City and Brooklyn to the races. At midnight on the day of the race, hourly trains would bring people to a special makeshift stop in the Hempstead Plains, approximately ¼ mile from the grandstand.
Action during the 1908 Race -->
Motor Pkwy
Feature
The 128-page book by Howard Kroplick, a researcher and lecturer on the races, contains rare images of the races from the archives of major museums, libraries and private collectors. The book Vanderbilt Cup Races of Long Island will be available from Arcadia Publishing in March 2008.
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