Vanderbilt Cup Races

Jan 29 2011
“Once-In-A Lifetime” Indy 500 Centennial Experience Available at Upcoming JCC Auction

On Saturday night, February 12, 2011, the 16st Annual Auction for Excellence will be held in East Hills, New York. The auction, hosted by celebrity master of ceremonies Ron Darling, will benefit the many social service programs of the Sid Jacobson JCC. To celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Inaugural Indy 500 Race, one of the premier items offered at the auction this year is a "once-in-a-lifetime" Indy 500 Centennial Experience Package. (1 comments)

Jan 28 2011
Film “The William Luttgen Story (1877-1965)”

Relatives of William Luttgen, who participated in the Vanderbilt Cup Races from 1904 to 1908, met earlier this month for a family reunion. As part of the celebration, this 4-minute film was created documenting the career of this road racing pioneer. (0 comments)

Jan 27 2011
A 1906 Brochure for the American Mercedes

As a follow-up to the January 15, 2011 post "The American Mercedes Manufactured in Astoria Queens", Sam Berliner III, convenor of the Long Island Motor Parkway, has forwarded a copy of a 1906 brochure for the American Mercedes. (1 comments)

Jan 26 2011
VanderbiltCupRaces.com CQI #1: Comments, Questions, and Insights

Comments, questions and insight from the 94,500 unique viewers of VanderbiltCupRaces have been greatly appreciated. A regular VanderbiltCupRaces.com CQI (Comments, Questions and Insights) post will now feature a sampling of feedback and sharing of information: (1 comments)

Jan 25 2011
The Mystery 1952 Vanderbilt Cup

John G: "I have a large 18 inch "Grecian Urn" style brass/copper trophy that has engraved on it WINNER VANDERBILT CUP RACE 1952. A quarter size medallion with a 50s race car in the center and "Ethyl Grand Prix Vanderbilt Cup Race" is above the graving. Can you please share wtih me any information/history you may have on this piece? It's quite beautiful and I've enjoyed looking at it for the 30 some years I've owned it.Thank you." (3 comments)

Jan 24 2011
Time to Plan for 2011 Car Shows and Automotive Events

It's that time of year to plan the 2011 car shows and automotive events. Please note this important planning meeting: (0 comments)

Jan 22 2011
Article “The ALCO Story: Distinctive, Durable, Doomed”

In the early 1970s, author Howard L. Applegate wrote a history of the Alco in the tabloid newspaper Old Cars. Here is a pdf of the article The ALCO Story: Distinctive, Durable and Doomed. (1 comments)

Jan 21 2011
Life Magazine Automobile Cartoon Series #2: 1903 to 1928

From 1883 to 1936, Life was a humor and general interest magazine of drawings capturing the American scene. As a major phenomenon in the early 1900s, the automobile came in for its fair share of Life's fun, satire and sentiment. This portfolio of seven cartoons from 1903 to 1928 noted; the replacement of the horse with the automobile, car envy, traffic jams and, even, drinking under the influence (DUI): (1 comments)

Jan 20 2011
The Garden City Hotel in 1913

In the 1900s, the largest and grandest hotel on Long Island was the Garden City Hotel. Located in the center of the 1904 course, the hotel served as headquarters for the Vanderbilt Cup Race Commission for all six races from 1904 to 1910. (2 comments)

Jan 19 2011
From the Ridolph Collection: The Motor Parkway Bridge in the Melville Sand Pits

As posted last November, only eight of the 60 bridges built from 1908 to 1926 for the Long Island Motor Parkway are still intact (five in Queens, two in Nassau County and one in Suffolk County). My hesitation is that the lone surviving intact Suffolk County Motor Parkway bridge is located in very private property in Melville and has not been seen by the public in over 15 years. But, let's start at the beginning before crossing that bridge. (3 comments)