Vanderbilt Cup Races

I just saw the blog on my article.  I also included a history of the LIMP and another article on Charles Henry Davis (feature story) along with color photos of virtually all of the known surviving #25 plates and a census.  Do you have a copy?  If not, would you like one?
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Howard Kroplick

Gus, great job on the articles! Please send me a copy of the Davis article (.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 33 Wren Drive, Roslyn ,NY 11576). Thanks!

Also, I am still looking for original Tucker license plates!

From Plates Magazine: Long Island Motor Parkway Plates

Howard,

Jeff Bridges was a member of the International Association of Panoramic Photographers.  He had a Widelux swing lens panoramic camera and took photos on the sets of the movies he was in.  He would then have books made of the photos and give them to people involved with the films.

Do you know if he did this for the Tucker film?  If so, have you come across any of these photos?

Regards,

Bob L
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Howard Kroplick

Bob, Jeff Bridges did take photos on the Tucker set:
https://www.usatoday.com/media/cinematic/gallery/1074957002/jeff-bridges-exclusive-photos-from-the-set-of-tucker-30-years-ago/

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved: Jeff Bridges and Members of the Tucker Automobile Club in 1987

True historian’s devotion to detail shows in this project.  Good job.    my recollection of the movie was there was one scene wih more than 26 vehicles but gotta see that entertaing picture again….

From Searching for the 22 Stars of Francis Ford Coppola's 1988 Film-Tucker: The Man and His Dream

Michael:

Congratulations on a beautiful film.  I actually felt at times that I was behind the wheel on the Riverhead track! Marty Himes was fantastic!

I enjoyed the Last Race!

Howard

From The Last Race: Film documents the beauty & intensity of racing at the last track on Long Island

Saw the film, GREAT, better than being at the raceway trackside!

From The Last Race: Film documents the beauty & intensity of racing at the last track on Long Island

I’ve been here a handful of times and will definitely watch this on cable.

From The Last Race: Film documents the beauty & intensity of racing at the last track on Long Island

I want to thank Howard Kroplick for both his support of Long Island racing history and The Last Race. I was raised in Bellmore and spent many nights with my family watching racers like Marty Himes battle on the track at the Freeport Stadium. Sadly, that track and all other well bulldozed over years ago, except for the Riverhead Raceway.

I spent five years of my life and most of my savings making this film with the hope the Riverhead Raceway with endure for many more years.

Enjoy The Last Race!

- Michael Dweck, Director and Producer

From The Last Race: Film documents the beauty & intensity of racing at the last track on Long Island

More rare first-photos, great stuff Howard! The third photo reveals the Central Ave dirt roadway without the overhead girder in place. It will soon be covered in darkness for the next 30+ years.

The last photo is mysterious; is it Mineola or Williston? Both locations had double tracks. Calling all RR experts for help.

From Updated: Clinton Robertson Photo Album: Central Park Avenue/LIRR Motor Parkway Bridge in Bethpage

Hope you don’t mind me pointing this out, Howard. I don’t believe the last image is the overpass for Central LIRR. There’s no bridge support like the Central had ( support between the tracks and Central Ave ). And there’s no road seen ( Central Ave was routed south of the RR after the overpass was removed. The RR became double track afterwards as well, but this image appears dated. ) Believe the last image could be the Mineola or Oyster Bay LIRR Pkwy Bridge.
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Howard Kroplick
Brian, good catch!

From Updated: Clinton Robertson Photo Album: Central Park Avenue/LIRR Motor Parkway Bridge in Bethpage

This is like building a bridge 101! So glad this scrapbook was discovered!

From Updated: Clinton Robertson Photo Album: Central Park Avenue/LIRR Motor Parkway Bridge in Bethpage

Near “Dead Man’s Curve” right?
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Howard Kroplick

Near both Deadman’s Curve #1 and #2

From Updated: Clinton Robertson Photo Album: Central Park Avenue/LIRR Motor Parkway Bridge in Bethpage

What great news to hear at the meeting the church at 51st Ave and Broadway, Queens was able to attain Historic Preservation status, and rightfully so. Amazing in Google Street View, anyone can easily tell this church should be preserved. Check it out. So many walking by all day long not realizing its historic significance. Great job Richard.

From Wednesday Meeting of the Long Island Motor Parkway Preservation Society on November 7, 2018

Thank you Clinton Robertson for documenting and thank you Howard Kroplick for preserving these great photos.

From Updated: Clinton Robertson Photo Album: Central Park Avenue/LIRR Motor Parkway Bridge in Bethpage

Sorry Gene, YOU got me this time!

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved: Jeff Bridges and Members of the Tucker Automobile Club in 1987

This mystery was out of my scope. I was unable to identify Jeff Bridges and Preston look-a-like. Further complicating, Preston sitting next to his younger (older) son. Impossible to solve. You got me this time Howard.

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved: Jeff Bridges and Members of the Tucker Automobile Club in 1987

Rob Ida
Several people that I can identify:

-This is my good friend Carlo “Chick” Delorenzo who passed appx ten years ago. He was the owner of #51. If not for Chick I never would have been able to do many of the Tucker related projects early on. He was a great guy and a great friend.

-Richard Jones, he buried the burned up Tucker in his back yard

-Bev Ferrara, probably logged in more miles on a Tucker than anyone.

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved: Jeff Bridges and Members of the Tucker Automobile Club in 1987

Martyn Donaldson

I’ll have to look through the Tucker Topics newsletters from the late ‘80s to refresh my memory on the identities of all the fine people in the photo, but I can place a few. 8 and 9 are Curtis Foester and his wife, 7 may be Steve Nicas (#1017), but I’m not 100% sure on that. I think the Burtons and Russ Brownell (former Tucker employee) are in the pic too, but will have to check to be certain. Many other Tucker people were on set that are not featured in the photo, including Phil Egan, one of the original designers and a technical consultant on the movie.

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved: Jeff Bridges and Members of the Tucker Automobile Club in 1987

Mystery Foto #45… Here are my guesses since my research came up empty. Most of the people in this photo are Tucker owners. They gathered for the 30th anniversary of the Tucker movie. Photo taken in August of this year ... at Pebble Beach???  The two people in the front of the car are actors Jeff Bridges and Joan Allen. I believe that Martin Landau is also in the photo behind Joan Allen.

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved: Jeff Bridges and Members of the Tucker Automobile Club in 1987

Very, very nice!

From On the Road to Pebble: Two Days Until a Trip to the Beach!

Since I don’t really have a clue for most of the questions, I’m going with some wild guesses. Most of the people in the photo could be actual owners of the Tuckers used in the filming of “Tucker: A Man and His Dream”. The group could be celebrating the completion or premier of the film. It was probably taken in 1988, maybe on the set of the Tucker factory. The two people in the front are Jeff Bridges and possibly a son of Preston Tucker, either Preston Jr., John, or Noble. As to the rest of the people, good luck with that.

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved: Jeff Bridges and Members of the Tucker Automobile Club in 1987