Film “The Last Race for Old 16 and Joe Tracy?” (1946)
In June 1946, the Veteran Motor Car Club of America sponsored its 50th Anniversary Jubilee featuring a parade of 75 vintage cars and nine races at the Mineola Fair Grounds on Long Island. Courtesy of Walter McCarthy and the Long Island Old Car Club, the highlights of the Jubilee have been captured in this 4-minute film.
The most famous car at the 1946 Jubilee was the Old 16 Locomobile, winner of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race. The racer was owned by the prominent artist Peter Helck, driven by 74-year old veteran Joe Tracy with 15-year old Jerry Helck as his mechanician. The final race was won by Old 16 beating a 1911 Breese Racer driven by Bobby Breese by only six inches. This was likely the last race in which Old 16 was driven by Joe Tracy. Old 16 continued to participate in vintage races well into the early 1990s, including the VSCCA Fairmount Park (Philadelphia) Vintage Race.
Comments
The “Old 16” clip was great. I wonder how many of those classics are around today?
Great job Howard! Bob Breese would have loved the clip. I have sent you a photo of the Breese “Special” which he often brought to meets years ago. He kept updating the car from 1911 to 1944 and had both years on the side of the car! Regards, Walter
Thomas Mc:
There are only four known non-restored and restored racers of the 118 cars that participated in the Vanderbilt Cup Races of Long Island; the 1904 Pope-Toledo, the 1906 Darracq, 1906 Locomobile, and the 1909 Alco.
Walter:
I really appreciate your comment and also thank you again for providing the Jubilee 16-mm films. I will post the Breese photo tomorrow.
Enjoy,
Howard
Howard,
I enjoyed watching the video clip and thought that the sound track was very good.
Thanks for all your efforts,
Jerry
It was a GREAT CLIP Can I purchase a DVD of the race My car looked FAST.
Hi Michael:
I will send you a copy. Your Breese racer looks fantastic!
Howard