Drivers
Wednesday, January 13, 2010: Driver Profile: Hubert Le Blon
Vince, I have about 21,000 photos and images of the Vanderbilt Cup Races..so I guess I am one of the better sources. Here’s what I consider my favorite images of Hubert Le Blon. Please feel free to comment and expand on the information that I have on your grandfather’s uncle.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009: Driver Profile: George Heath- The First Vanderbilt Cup Race Winner
Born on Long Island, New York in 1862 George Heath became an American living in Paris during the 1890’s. Drawn by the lure of France’s blossoming automobile industry he soon secured a job at the Panhard & Levassor factory. He first appeared as a driver of one of the company’s race cars in 1898, finishing 13th in the grueling, 889-mile Paris to Amsterdam to Pau Race.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009: Driver Profile: Victor Hemery- The 1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race Winner
Victor (August) Hemery was born in 1876 in Brest, France. He became a seaman as a young man, but was drawn to auto racing and first appeared in a Darracq in the voiturette class of the 1902 Circuit des Ardennes Race. He was promoted to big cars in 1904 and was part of a disappointing Darracq team.
Sunday, November 29, 2009: Louis Chevrolet and the End of the Long Island Vanderbilt Cup Races
Chevrolet’s steely-eyed focus shown in 1905 and 1908 was noted by William Durant, chairman of General Motors, who wanted to promote Buicks through auto racing. By 1909 Durant hired both Louis and younger brother Arthur. Both worked on the cars, but Louis joined Lewis Strang and Bob Burman, men with all-out driving styles similar to Chevrolet, as teammates.
Saturday, November 28, 2009: Louis Chevrolet and the Vanderbilt Cup Races- Part II
After his tenth place finish in the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race, Chevrolet was mentored by two larger-than-life personalities: French champion Victor Hemery and front-wheel drive pioneer J. Walter Christie.
Friday, November 27, 2009: Louis-Joseph Chevrolet and the Vanderbilt Cup Races- Part I
Only four drivers particpated in half of the six Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island; Herb Lytle (1904, 1905, and 1908), William Luttgen (1904, 1906,and 1908), Joe Tracy (1904, 1905, and 1906) and a driver whose name would become one of the most famous brands in American car history- Louis Chevrolet. Known for his daring, fearless and, sometimes. reckless racing style, Chevrolet’s driving would also be one of the reasons the races would leave Long Island. But, let’s start at the beginning.
Categories
Recent Entries
- Tuesday, March 9, 2010: The Alco “White Beast” at the 1910 Worcester Dead Horse Hill Climb
- Sunday, March 7, 2010: Then and Now: the Woodbury Turn of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race
- Saturday, March 6, 2010: Then and Now: The Long Island Aviation Country Club on the Motor Parkway
- Friday, March 5, 2010: March/April Long Island Automotive Events Update
- Vanderbilt Cup Races.com Posts: January-February 2010
- Thursday, March 4, 2010: Locomobile Vanderbilt Cup Radiator Mascot Sold on EBay for $1,225
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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