The Drivers
A total of 84 drivers participated in the six Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island from 1904 to 1910. American-born drivers accounted for 71% of the participants and 4 victories. French drivers made up only 10% of the participants but won 2 races. George Heath, born in the USA, won the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race for France in a Panhard. The most successful driver was American Harry Grant who won the two races that he entered in an Alco (1909 and 1910). Louis Chevrolet, whose name would eventually become one of the most famous brands in American car history, entered the most Vanderbilt Cup Races of any driver. His highest finish in four races was 10th in the 1905 race.
| Driver's Country of Birth | # of Drivers | Total # of Entries | % of Entries | # Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 84 | 116 | 100% | 6 | |
| USA | 63 | 82 | 71% | 4 |
| France | 9 | 12 | 10% | 2 |
| Italy | 5 | 7 | 6% | 0 |
| Switzerland | 2 | 5 | 4% | 0 |
| Germany | 2 | 4 | 3% | 0 |
| Ireland | 1 | 3 | 3% | 0 |
| Belgium | 1 | 2 | 2% | 0 |
| Hungary | 1 | 1 | 1% | 0 |
The Cars
A total of 116 cars entered the six Vanderbilt Cup Races on Long Island held between 1904 to 1910. American cars made up 53% of the entries followed by Germany (16%), France (16%) and Italy (15%). USA and France each won three races. The most successful car make was the American Alco which won the two races (1909 and 1910) that it entered. The French Darracq with three entries won both the 1905 and 1910 Races. The most disappointing marque in the races was the German Mercedes with 16 entries in the six races. The highest finish for the powerful Mercedes was fourth in the 1908 and 1909 Races.
| # of Car Makes | # of Entries | % of Entries | # Wins | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 116 | 100% | 6 | |
| USA | 33 | 62 | 53% | 3 |
| France | 7 | 18 | 16% | 3 |
| Italy | 3 | 17 | 15% | 0 |
| Germany | 2 | 19 | 16% | 0 |
Featured Drivers
- George Arents, Jr.
- William Borque
- Louis Chevrolet
- J. Walter Christie
- David Bruce-Brown
- Albert Clement, Jr.
- Bert Dingley
- Arthur Duray
- Lee Frayer
- Harry Grant
- George Heath
- Victor Hemery
- Foxhall Keene
- Billy Knipper
- Vincenzo Lancia
- William Luttgen
- Herb Lytle
- Felice Nazzaro
- Edward Parker
- Al Poole
- Eddie Rickenbacker
- George Robertson
- Charles Schmidt
- Elliot Shepard
- Emil Stricker
- George Teste
- Joe Tracy
- Louis Wagner
- A.C. Webb
- Walter White
Featured Cars
- Alco #8 (1909)
- Alco #18 (1910)
- Benz #16 (1910)
- Chalmers-Detroit #7 (1909)
- Christie #11 (1905)
- Christie #17 (1906)
- Clement-Bayard #12 (1904)
- Darracq #18 (1905)
- Darracq #10 (1906)
- De Dietrich #2 (1904)
- FIAT #4 (1905)
- FIAT #16 (1905)
- FIAT #4 (1906)
- FIAT #8 (1906)
- Frayer Miller (1906)
- Hotchkiss #6 (1906)
- Isotta #6 (1908)
- Knox #20 (1908)
- Locomobile #7 (1905)
- Locomobile #9 (1906)
- Locomobile #1 (1908)
- Locomobile #16 (1908)
- Lorraine-Dietrich #18 (1906)
- Marquette-Buick #29 (1910)
- Mercedes #1 (1904)
- Mercedes #5 (1904)
- Mercedes X (1905)
- Mercedes #3 (1908)
- Mercedes #5 (1908)
- Packard #16 (1904)
- Panhard #7 (1904)
- Panhard #14 (1904)
- Pope-Toledo #4 (1904)
- Pope-Toledo #6 (1904)
- Pope-Toledo #3 (1905)
- Simplex #17 (1904)
- White Steamer #19 (1905)
Feature
_thumb_76x60.jpg "Woodbury Turn 1908 #6 Isotta Shot from the Church")
Nassau County made up the vast majority of the Vanderbilt Cup Race courses. For the 1904 race, approximately one mile of the 30-mile course was in Queens- linking Hempstead Turnpike with Jericho Turnpike. All the other courses (1905-1910) were located totally in Nassau County. The closest the race came to Suffolk County was the north-east section of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race which is the subject of today's then and now post- the Woodbury Turn.
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