Vanderbilt Cup Races

I had the feeling that this photo had been a mystery picture before, but I could be wrong. Anyway, it seemed to be not too difficult this time. This photo was shot during the 1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes. The car in front with #M32 is Louis Disbrow on a Rainier (competing in the Meadowbrook Sweepstakes and finishing on 2nd place). He is chased by the car with P43, which is Frank Lascault on the faster Simplex (competing in the Motor Parkway Sweepstakes, finishing on 4th place). The bridge in the background is Meadowbrook Bridge, I believe the photo was taken from Stewart Avenue Bridge.

From Mystery Foto #32 Solved:#M32 Rainier and #P43 Simplex Racing on the Opening Day of the Motor Parkway

Location: Today’s Salisbury Park Dr. and Stewart Ave facing West, Eisenhower Park
Background Bridge: Meadowbrook Parkway Bridge (gone)
Photographed from: Stewart Ave Highway Bridge (also gone)
Race: Oct 10, 1908 Motor Pkwy Sweepstakes
Racers: M32 Rainier of Meadowbrook division, L.A. Disbrow driver
        P43 Simplex of Motor Parkway division, F. Lescault driver
DISQUALIFIED! I already knew the answer to my own mystery

From Mystery Foto #32 Solved:#M32 Rainier and #P43 Simplex Racing on the Opening Day of the Motor Parkway

Howard,  Great article on the #25 motor parkway plate.  As most Parkway buffs know, the plates are the single most sought after Parkway collectible.  Starting in 1927 the National Highways Association actually had two automobiles touring the United States covered with #25 plates from various jurisdictions and states promoting the building of more and better highways. Of the hundred or so surviving Motor Parkway plates,  about ten bear the # 25. There is a good reason why so many of this number exist.  Every year the Association would return the previous year’s plate the the Parkway. Kienzle, the Parkway” s general manager, would simply give them away, mostly to the children of the Parkway"s employees.  There are two color variations of the 1927 plate . For 1927 the Parkway selected orange numbers and letters on a blue background. In early 1927 the Highway Association wrote Kienzle telling him the plates arrived badly damaged and could not be used. Kienzle immediatley contacted the plate manufacturer and told them to, quickly as possible, send two # 25 plates directly to the Association., which they did. However, in there rush to fill the order, the colors were reversed. Kienzle, who never saw the plates, was unaware of the error as they were never used on the Parkway. I wonder what his reaction was when he received the plates in early 1928.

From Charles Davis, the Good Roads Everywhere Movement and Long Island Motor Parkway License Plate #25

The cars I believe are in the October 8, 1908 LIMP sweepstakes.  The car in the background is the number P43 Simplex (USA) in the Motor Parkway Sweepstakes driven by Frank Lescault…..the car in the foreground is the numbed M32 Rainier in the Meadow Brooks Sweepstakes driven by Louis Disbrow who finished 2nd.

As far as where?  I need to do a bit more searching but am out of town so don’t have my normal time, but wanted to get this in.

From Mystery Foto #32 Solved:#M32 Rainier and #P43 Simplex Racing on the Opening Day of the Motor Parkway

Wow, thank you Howard. I’ll have to let all these locations sink into my imagination for a while. Most of the roads where whatever type bridges were to be built are still in existence presently . And there was so much farmland at that time for farmway bridges to make sense to be built. Perhaps Bridge Rd in Hauppauge derived it’s name from the bridge that was never built. It seems that the naming of most roads, streets, etc on Long Island have a bit of history beyond it.

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The 100 Planned Bridges Over & Under the Long Island Motor Parkway

We’re looking west in East Meadow with the “Meadowbrook” bridge over Bellmore Road (Newbridge Ave.) in the background and the southern edge of the Ladenburg Estate in the upper right corner. The photographer was probably standing on the Stewart Avenue bridge on October 10, 1908 during the concurrent running of several races to celebrate the opening of the LIMP. The car closest to the camera is the M32 Rainier driven by Louis Disbrow in the Meadow Brook Sweepstakes. The car behind him is difficult to see, but I’m guessing it’s Frank Lescault driving the P43 Simplex in the Motor Parkway Sweepstakes.

From Mystery Foto #32 Solved:#M32 Rainier and #P43 Simplex Racing on the Opening Day of the Motor Parkway

Fascinating!  Note that those eagles duplicate the Hudson radiator cap mascot.  I well remember friends using old plates to patch rust in car bodies but never anything like this.  Perhaps I’m missing something again here but why #25, please?  Sam, III
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From Howard Kroplick I

Sam, great question! It has never been explained.

From Charles Davis, the Good Roads Everywhere Movement and Long Island Motor Parkway License Plate #25

I was an active charter member of the CCCA and only dropped out when exhibitors started trailering their cars to meets and with crews of paid detailers.  That rare ‘42 Caddy coupé sure looks like a stock factory jobbie and, if so, is really pushing the definition of a true Classic.  Sam (pur sang), III

From The Classic Car Summer 2016 Magazine: The Boca Raton Grand Classic

Photo taken from atop the Stewart Ave. (east Meadow) bridge looking west with the Newbridge Ave. bridge in the distance.  The 1908 Meadowbrook Swepstakes, with Car #M32 leading in the picture. October 10, 1908.

From Mystery Foto #32 Solved:#M32 Rainier and #P43 Simplex Racing on the Opening Day of the Motor Parkway

Can we build replicas of these someday?

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The 100 Planned Bridges Over & Under the Long Island Motor Parkway

-Identify the location of the photo
Hempstead Plains on the edge of present day Eisenhower Park at Salisbury Park Drive and Stewart Ave.

-Identify the Motor Parkway bridge in the background
Newbridge Ave parkway bridge.

-Where was the photographer standing when he took the photo?
On top of the Stewart Ave. highway bridge looking West.

-Identify the race(s) and date of the photo
Motor Parkway & Meadow Brook Sweepstakes September 10, 1908

-Identify the two racers
M32 Rainier driven by Louis Disbrow
P43 Simplex driven by Frank Lescault

From Mystery Foto #32 Solved:#M32 Rainier and #P43 Simplex Racing on the Opening Day of the Motor Parkway

Eastern end of what is today Eisenhower Park.  Picture is looking west, from Stewart Ave Bridge.  LIMP was dug under Stewart Ave.  The bottom of the picture would be today’s Carmen Ave.
-joe

From Mystery Foto #32 Solved:#M32 Rainier and #P43 Simplex Racing on the Opening Day of the Motor Parkway

The photographer could have been taking the pictures from the bridge for the long shots behind the cars and from in front of the cars for the short shots. One car is the M32,I can’t see the number on the other car.I don’t have the time to do anymore,busy weekend again.

From Mystery Foto #32 Solved:#M32 Rainier and #P43 Simplex Racing on the Opening Day of the Motor Parkway

The Motor parkway facing west from the top of the Stewart Avenue Bridge, looking west at the Newbridge (East Meadow Avenue) Avenue Bridge. Where today’s Salisbury park Drive takes the north turn at the Golf course in Eisenhower Park. The Ladenburg property is on the right where Ladenburg Drive is today. Because everything looks so freshly dug i would say this is one of the 1908 races but sorry i dont know the cars or the drivers.  Looking at the golf course today there is a steep hill where the bridge used to be, it would be fun to know the story behind that.

From Mystery Foto #32 Solved:#M32 Rainier and #P43 Simplex Racing on the Opening Day of the Motor Parkway

Congratulations Howard on another win with your Chrysler. For those reading this the Classic Car Club of America is devoted to the preservation, restoration and use of luxury cars , both domestic and European built between 1915 and 1948. You do not have to own a car to belong to CCCA and you get 4 color magazines plus 8 b & w Bulletins all printed on coated paper stock, plus a roster of members and their cars which is the size of a phone book. Dues are $70 per year (that comes out to a fraction less then $6 per month ) If you see me at an event I can give you a sample of the publication and can send you an application to join if you want. I have belonged to the CCCA since 1972, and if you like “old” primarily pre WWII cars this is the club for you.

From The Classic Car Summer 2016 Magazine: The Boca Raton Grand Classic

Almost looks like the Western terminus, in Fresh Meadows. Looking north, that would be the North Hempstead Turnpike overpass, and Horace Harding Blvd in the distance. I’m sure it’s something else, but that’s what I wish it was!

From Mystery Foto #32 Solved:#M32 Rainier and #P43 Simplex Racing on the Opening Day of the Motor Parkway

Very interesting read about Mr. Davis, a man that was certainly ahead of his time. I’ve been driving for 30 yrs now, and drove close to 350,000 miles at this point. And I’m up to my 5th car!

From Charles Davis, the Good Roads Everywhere Movement and Long Island Motor Parkway License Plate #25

There’s an earlier connection between Sperry and the Long Island Motor Parkway. Sperry tested the first “cruise missile”, the Sperry Aerial Torpedo, on the parkway during WWI.

“Sperry’s assistant, N. W. Dalton, was able to get his hands on a newfangled Marmon automobile, so the team strapped the Flying Bomb to the car’s roof and sped down the Long Island Motor Parkway at 80 mph to calibrate and optimize the flight controls.”

http://gizmodo.com/this-flying-bomb-failure-was-americas-wwi-cruise-missi-1184824802
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From Howard Kroplick

Ike, here is a link to my post on the Sperry Cruise Missile:

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/the_role_of_the_motor_parkway_in_the_development_of_the_cruise_missile

From Mystery Foto #28 Solved: The Sperry Gyroscope Plant in Lake Success on September 27, 1952

Hi Howard:

  Hats off to you again and again and I salute you again and again….

      May God Bless you and keep you always !!!!

          Cheers and Best !!!  Cordially and Fraternally,  Ron Ridolph

From Charles Davis, the Good Roads Everywhere Movement and Long Island Motor Parkway License Plate #25

After comparing 1926 aerials with current ones, it appears that this bridge extended between #19 and 20, or #23 and 24 Satellite La, Levittown. I won’t be offended if anyone believes differently.

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #41: The Bloomingdale Road Bridge in Hempstead Plains