Vanderbilt Cup Races

I’m just curious. Would the non stock replacement piston connecting rods have to be disclosed to the concours judges? Or is it only things that can be seen externally that have to original for judging?

From Restoration Update #3: 1930 Duesenberg J Murphy Convertible Sedan Berline #2448 J-399 (2/28/2025)

Duesenberg. Saturday May 30, 1925 Indianapolis 500 winner Peter DePaolo.  Peter’s uncle was the 1915 Indianapolis 500 winner Ralph DePalma who finished 7th in the 1925 Indianapolis 500.  Attached is a photo of the 1925 L. Strauss & Co. Indianapolis 500 trophy.  DePaolo’s pits were managed by Fred and August Duesenberg, W. Austin Denehie, Col. Arthur Herrington, H.C. Henning, Roy Stougaard and Carl Smith.  It was the second year in a row that Duesenberg won the 500.  Norman Batten relieved DePaolo from lap 106-127.

From Mystery Friday Foto #11 Solved: Pete De Paolo's 1925 Indy Team

WOW I can’t wait to hear it roar again when its home JeRita

From Restoration Update #3: 1930 Duesenberg J Murphy Convertible Sedan Berline #2448 J-399 (2/28/2025)

DePaolo-Tremulis Connections: That’s 1925 Indy 500 winner, Pete DePaolo, in a Duesenberg.

In the 1920 Indy 500 race, DePaolo was the riding mechanic for his uncle, driver Ralph DePalma.

Ralph DePalma had won the 1915 race, making up for a spectacular loss in the 1912 race where he and his riding mechanic, Rupert Jeffkins, had to push their broken down car across the finish line (bottom right photo). That photo of DePalma and Jeffkins pushing their car hung in my Grandfather’s office in Chicago where his son, the future Duesenberg and Tucker car designer Alex Tremulis, would often visit. Tremulis was awestruck by DePalma’s tenacity and that photo, etched in Tremulis’ mind, would greatly influence the future designer.

Tremulis would later befriend DePaolo and honored both him and his uncle with the naming of two of Ford’s mid-1950s concept cars, the Buzz Grissinger-designed “DePaolo” (top photo) and Tremulis’ “DePalma” (middle pic). The DePaolo’s headrests were cannibalized from one of Tremulis’ earlier concepts. In 1957, the DePalma was renamed the “Oklahoman” to honor that state’s 50th anniversary.

DePaolo’s experimental racers, the 1957 Ford Thunderbird “Battlebirds”, incorporated Tremulis’ aerodynamic bullet-shaped headlight covers that Tremulis had wind-tunnel tested in 1956. 

The bottom left photo is Pete DePaolo (left) and Alex Tremulis in the pits for the running of the 1961 Indianapolis 500.

It’s a small world!

From Mystery Friday Foto #11 Solved: Pete De Paolo's 1925 Indy Team

Thanks for the update on the Dusenberg, it’s making great progress in its restoration.
Hope to see it soon in Roslyn at it’s home in the Waterfront Garage.

From Restoration Update #3: 1930 Duesenberg J Murphy Convertible Sedan Berline #2448 J-399 (2/28/2025)

That’s Pete DePaolo in the #12 Duesenberg, winner of the 1925 Indy 500 on May 30, 1925. DePaolo was the nephew of racing great Ralph DePalma and was the mechanician in the #4 Packard that DePalma drove to a 6th. place finish in the 1919 Indy 500. When DePaolo won the 1925 Indy 500, he was a member of the 4-car Duesenberg team that included drivers Norman Batten, Phil Shafer, Pete Kreis, Wade Morton, and Jimmy Gleason. Not sure, but DePaolo may also have been his uncle’s mechanician in the 1920 and 1921 Indy 500 races.

From Mystery Friday Foto #11 Solved: Pete De Paolo's 1925 Indy Team

Art, Great bit of research, Tompkins was one of the most interesting of the lodge keepers’ hired by the Parkway. Perhaps you might consider some other lodge keepers for similar articles. Al.

From Kleiner's Korner: Meet this Civil War Veteran Who Guarded the Motor Parkway at the Roslyn Lodge

Thank you all for your comments on this post, which I found very interesting to research.  I’m always amazed at what a little digging will find!

From Kleiner's Korner: Meet this Civil War Veteran Who Guarded the Motor Parkway at the Roslyn Lodge

John Allen
Used as the Headquarters of the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race
Jericho Turnpike, Jericho
October 8, 1904

From Mystery Friday Foto #10 Solved: Time for a Cool, Refreshing Drink at John Allen's House on the 1904 Course

Great story of the Motor Parkway Lodge, very interesting.  The Lodge still exists today as a residence home, that was highly modified to a Two-family larger home.  It is located right off the Roslyn Rd. in Williston, Nassau County.

From The Motor Parkway Toll Collection Structures: #6 Roslyn Lodge in East Williston

Just to know that today the Roslyn Lodge still exists today is amazing.  the whole story was great to read.  I drive on Roslyn Rd. often; I own a commercial Warehouse right of Roslyn Rd.  Next time I drive on Roslyn Rd, I will look for the old Lodge.

From Kleiner's Korner: Meet this Civil War Veteran Who Guarded the Motor Parkway at the Roslyn Lodge

Bob,  Al’s book is now a rare collectible. There is one avalable on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Books-Al-Velocci/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AAl%2BVelocci

Enjoy,

Howard

From Kleiner's Korner: Meet this Civil War Veteran Who Guarded the Motor Parkway at the Roslyn Lodge

Wayne, thanks for the Comment. Although modified over the last 15 years, the Roslyn Lodge still exists and is a private residence.

https://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/the_motor_parkway_toll_collection_structures_5_the_roslyn_lodge_in_east_wil

Enjoy,

Howard

From Kleiner's Korner: Meet this Civil War Veteran Who Guarded the Motor Parkway at the Roslyn Lodge

I really enjoyed his story Art, thank you. Been a while since reading Al’s book, there’s copies of his book in reference in libraries. I’ve known a few people with a Pithy nature about them lol. Like how he requested to be paid. Certainly a matter of principle for him, and was definitely looking out for his family. He was a History buff like us, I’ll look up his family name on Ancestry.

From Kleiner's Korner: Meet this Civil War Veteran Who Guarded the Motor Parkway at the Roslyn Lodge

The Tucker beat goes on and on.  Terrific!
Roger

From The Swigart Museum ‘s Tucker 1013 wins best in class at MODA MIAMI 2025 Concours

Once again, this venue that was part of my life,  pops up.  It was really interesting.  Bicycled on the LIMP as a kid, going from my aunt house in Albertson to my Uncle’s house across from Wheatley Golf Club.  Al’s book would be an interesting to read/buy.  Is it still in print??  Thanks for the article.  Bob

From Kleiner's Korner: Meet this Civil War Veteran Who Guarded the Motor Parkway at the Roslyn Lodge

The article indicated the Roslyn Lodge was located on Roslyn Road in East Willison, where would this be located on Roslyn Road today? do we have an address on Roslyn road?  Was any part of theis lodge saved and existing somewhere today?

Excellent story, I never knew there was a Vanderbilt toll lodge in our area..

From Kleiner's Korner: Meet this Civil War Veteran Who Guarded the Motor Parkway at the Roslyn Lodge

That’s the house owned by John Allen on the south side of Jericho Turnpike across from Powells Lane in Westbury, a short walk east from the grandstand for the first Vanderbilt Cup Race. The photo was taken on October 8, 1904. Two years later the house served as the headquarters for the Vanderbilt Cup Commission during the 1906 race.

From Mystery Friday Foto #10 Solved: Time for a Cool, Refreshing Drink at John Allen's House on the 1904 Course

Howard!
This is a wonderful tribute to my Dad, and I wish I had seen it sooner.
I’ve just shared with my siblings and will show it to my mom tomorrow.
Here are a couple of newspaper clippings I dug up recently, one with Roger Gerry!
Thank you so much for the warmth and memories ????
Jess Frost

From A Tribute to Guy Frost (1934-2019)

Thanks George!

From Friday Mystery Foto #4 Solved: Newly Discovered 1953 Drennan Aerials of Roosevelt Field