Vanderbilt Cup Races

Great photos of a fun day!

From InstaGRAM Report: The Black Beast at the East Williston car show

Looks like the planets are aligned for me. I will be in New York and look forward to seeing you.

From Hold the Date: 7:00 PM, Thursday, June 25, 2026: A Special Evening with the Howard and Al at 150 Motor Parkway, Hauppauge

The 31 town car was obviously built first, and the 37 came later. There were two other Chrysler family cars as well - both survive, a 1932-33 roadster speedster that was Walter Chrysler Jr. car and now is resorted in a collection in NJ, and a closed coupled town sedan that is in a museum in Michigan. Al Nippert bought the roadster from the estate of WPC Jr. in the 1970s and got it roadworthy and it used to show up at the HCCA Fairfield County Region meet for pre 1942 cars in Ridgefield, Ct. Car was all original when Al had it.

From Chrysler's Chrysler featured at Imperials exhibit in the AACA Museum, Hershey, PA

Interesting there was a ‘31 Chrysler Town car that Mr. & Mrs. Chrysler used until the ‘37 Chrysler Town car?

From Chrysler's Chrysler featured at Imperials exhibit in the AACA Museum, Hershey, PA

Driver, Bert Dingley, Mechanician, Tony Nichols.  A. L. Pope’s Pope Toledo.  October 14, 1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race.  12th place finish, out on 5th lap with a cracked cylinder.  Dingley won the illimitation race.  Drivers drew for starting order prior to the race.  Dingley’s Pope Toledo drew 3rd which gave him car number 3.

From Mystery Friday Foto #20 Solved: The Mystery Racer of Bert Dingley

Memory a bit foggy as it has been decades, but wasn’t the 1931 CG town car here on Long Island in a collection in Halesite , owned by Phillip Wichard? We had a visit to his home and saw his car but that had to be in the 1970s.
Walt

From Chrysler's Chrysler featured at Imperials exhibit in the AACA Museum, Hershey, PA

What a great display of Chrysler Imperial’s.
Hope to get to the Hershey Museum to see the Imperial display.

From Chrysler's Chrysler featured at Imperials exhibit in the AACA Museum, Hershey, PA

Driver Bert Dingley, Mechanician Tony Nichols
60 HP Pope-Toledo
Vanderbilt Cup Race, October 14, 1905
Finished 12th, was in lap 6 when the race was stopped

From Mystery Friday Foto #20 Solved: The Mystery Racer of Bert Dingley

Quite simply… WHAT A RIDE!
Congrats on all Howard!

From InstaGRAM Report: Trophies awarded to the 1937 Chrysler's Chrysler (2012-2025)

That’s Bert Dingley in a Pope-Toledo with Tony Nichols as the mechanician at the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race on October 14, 1905. They finished 12th. in this race after having won the American Elimination Trials the previous September 23rd.

From Mystery Friday Foto #20 Solved: The Mystery Racer of Bert Dingley

Oh well, all streaks must come to an end sooner or later.

From Mystery Friday Foto #19 Solved: The Wreck of George Arents Jr.

October 8, 1904, first Vanderbilt Cup Race.  Mercedes.  George Arents, Jr. was the driver, Carl Menzel was the mechanic.  On the second lap of the race Arents blew a tire on the Queens corner and the car overturned.  Both Arents and Menzel were thrown from the car.  Arents was injured but survived, Menzel died, the first fatality at the first Vanderbilt Cup Race.  August 1957, in practice for the first race at the newly constructed Bridgehampton Racecourse, grandson, George Arents crashed his Ferrari on his second lap.  The Ferrari overturned but he and his passenger, Timothy Patrick, were not seriously injured.

From Mystery Friday Foto #19 Solved: The Wreck of George Arents Jr.

Hi guys.  Since that parkway was a large part of my life,  i think I should be there.  And should buy the book, too.  Bob A

From Hold the Date: 7:00 PM, Thursday, June 25, 2026: A Special Evening with the Howard and Al at 150 Motor Parkway, Hauppauge

I think that’s the 1906 Christie 100HP racer that was entered in the 1906 American Elimination trials. It was driven by J. Walter Christie with Lewis Strang as the mechanician. No injuries were reported. I think it was the first V-4 front wheel drive car entered in an international race. As to the Bridgehampton connection: no idea after considerable research.

From Mystery Friday Foto #19 Solved: The Wreck of George Arents Jr.

Correction - got the year of Bob Blakeman’s Lincoln sedan typed wrong, the car was a 1934. Dark blue and was one of the most beautiful spectacular cars I have ever seen.

From The 1930 Duesenberg Model J Murphy Sedan Convertible Berline attends the Town of Oyster Bay Tobay Beach Car Show

Brucee Blakeman’s father Bob had at least three prewar cars, a 1932 Cadillac V16 town car, 1937 Lincoln 7 passenger sedan, 1930 Pierce Arrow town sedan. Bob and I were friends, and each week would go to the cruise in in West Hempstead on Dogwood Avenue. We took turns buying each other a cup of coffee. We would then sit on the running boards of our cars and have great conversations about cars and people. He was a real gentleman and fun guy to spend time with. Do the Dogwood Avenue cruise nights still take place?

From The 1930 Duesenberg Model J Murphy Sedan Convertible Berline attends the Town of Oyster Bay Tobay Beach Car Show

I don’t plan on being on LI that day, but I’ll be with you guys in spirit!  I would image the facility has live video/audio capabilities such as zoom - just a thought!

From Hold the Date: 7:00 PM, Thursday, June 25, 2026: A Special Evening with the Howard and Al at 150 Motor Parkway, Hauppauge

Thanks Art, for that Newsday article by Bill Bleyer in 2005, that long ago, WOW!
You moved to NC 5 years ago, you’re a newbie. It been going on for many years many from here move there upon retirement like many from Grumman I heard. IT’S AFFORDABLE! DAMM TAX’S!

From Update: Then (2017 and 2020) & Now (2026): A sad return to the Long Island Motor Parkway in Garden City

The House that’s shown in the last photo, wasn’t built until 1985 ( year I graduated High School ) The homes on either side were built in the late 1950’s, early 60’s. So for many years, the land was deemed “not buildable”, mostly because of the Transmission Tower Line directly above the west embankment. You’ll notice in the image below that the house is lower in height than the house next door.

From Update: Then (2017 and 2020) & Now (2026): A sad return to the Long Island Motor Parkway in Garden City

Shameful - but that’s progress I guess.  I’m experiencing that here in NC where thousands of acres of timberland are being clear cut for new housing communities.  Too many northerners moving here!  But I can’t complain - that was me about 5 years ago! 

Mark - I found Newsday articles (2005 and 2008) with pictures of Sam in Manhasset and Bethpage.  The first in Manhasset was with an article written by Bill Bleyer.

From Update: Then (2017 and 2020) & Now (2026): A sad return to the Long Island Motor Parkway in Garden City