Vanderbilt Cup Races

I’ve been searching on and off for two days and I hope I got this right,not all of it,but maybe something. Mitchell Field and Roosevelt Field in I would say 1936,but I’m not even sure about that,because there’s so many structures,that I’m not able to identify,it might be more recent than that

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved:Roosevelt Raceway, Meadow Brook Polo Field & Roosevelt Field Updated 1/24/16

My house is now located in the “circle driveway” shown in your map.  The property of the Annex now houses 4 new homes, as well as the area of the Petit Trianon property which houses 4 new homes.  I fell over this website as finding out how “Washington Avenue” got its name.  This site is so interesting!!  and once again your parents home - is up for sale!!

From New Series: An Insider's Look into the Petit Trianon in Lake Ronkonkoma Part I.

Tricky part of the Motor Pkwy where the ROW doesn’t follow the present 67 roadway. Howard, sending a current overlay.

From A 1926 Map of the Motor Parkway Acreage in Brentwood

Hi Harold:  Great research on the Mustang III and the Ford Custom Car Caravan.  I’m writing a book on the Ford Caravan, and on the companion Lincoln-Mercury Caravan of Stars.  I’d like to speak with you.  Please e-mail me at the e-mail addy:
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  and we’ll set a time for me to call you.

Thanks for your dedication to his little known, but critically important part of the history of the Ford Motor Company.

Mark S. Gustavson
Utah
_______________________________________________________________
From Howard Kroplick

Hi Mark! Thanks for the comment! You can reach me at 1-516-625-0123. Let’s talk Caravan!

From The Mustang III and the Ford Custom Car Caravan: An Interview with the King of Kustoms Gene Winfield

I will try to be there,as i was the first employee of the museum,and also raced the mercer at bridgehampton,with austie,i think in 1951.Me and Noriss Hopping brought most of the cars to the museum,from around the hamptons.

                          See you there Gene Martin

From A Special Hamptons Evening:"A Tribute to Henry Austin Clark, Jr & the Long Island Automotive Museum"

Correction:  The oval track at the middle right is the horse track, NOT auto; ditto for practice track.

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved:Roosevelt Raceway, Meadow Brook Polo Field & Roosevelt Field Updated 1/24/16

Looking northwest about 1950 at the Roosevelt Field and Raceway area.  Roosevelt Field in the top left background (airfield).  Center right is the oblong auto racetrack; to the right of that is the practice auto racetrack.  The circular structures at lower right are the horse paddock areas.  Lower left is housing at Mitchel Field. Old Country Road runs diagonally from middle right to top left, along the right side of Roosevelt Airfield.

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved:Roosevelt Raceway, Meadow Brook Polo Field & Roosevelt Field Updated 1/24/16

Belmont Park, Opened May 4, 1905?

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved:Roosevelt Raceway, Meadow Brook Polo Field & Roosevelt Field Updated 1/24/16

Howard.  You really got yourself something there,didn’t you? Good for you. You never know what you’ll get,pertaining to the Motor Parkway,when you go somewhere

From A 1926 Map of the Motor Parkway Acreage in Brentwood

From Dr. Jack Binder:

If you would take the subway toward Manhattan from Sheepshead Bay – A little distance-You would see where the spur came in on the right to the race track.(No longer there)

From Mystery Foto #37 Solved: Futurity Handicap Race at Sheepshead Bay Speedway Held on June 1, 1918

Great video,enough to catch your attention and eyes

From Willie K’s Cars #7: 1928 Lincoln Model L Town Car Built for his Wife Rosamund & A Music Video

Got a lot of responses on this one.I never knew there was a race track in Sheepshead Bay and I was brought up in Brooklyn and had family in Bay Ridge. Learning so much from from this site.If I only knew some of these things in an earlier stage of life,I would be able to answer these mysteries

From Mystery Foto #37 Solved: Futurity Handicap Race at Sheepshead Bay Speedway Held on June 1, 1918

Coney Island had it all, and that freaky fish !!! Good Stuff !

From Mystery Foto #37 Solved: Futurity Handicap Race at Sheepshead Bay Speedway Held on June 1, 1918

Howard- Always enjoy seeing the cars. The Chrysler looked great on Sunday. Congrats on the People’s choice again, you’ll get Count Trossi next time!

From Highlights from the Sunday in the Park Concours d'Elegance at Lime Rock Track

Digging a bit and found…..
# 7 Milton/Duesenberg…...come up blank on Vanderbilt Cup
# 8 Eddie Hearne?/Duesenberg…..3 time VDB Cup racer
# 1 Dario Resta/Resta Special…...winner of 1915, 1916 VDB Cup
# 9 Ralph Mulford/Frontenac….winner 1911 VDB Cup
# 3 Louis Chevrolet/Frontenac….4 time VDB Cup racer

From Mystery Foto #37 Solved: Futurity Handicap Race at Sheepshead Bay Speedway Held on June 1, 1918

I believe by the roof structure it’s Sheepshead Bay 2 mile board track in Sheepshead Bay NY….the race is the Harkness Sweepstakes…...Oldfield and Chevrolet were in the race….but so far as knowing who’s who….I’ll yield to others.

From Mystery Foto #37 Solved: Futurity Handicap Race at Sheepshead Bay Speedway Held on June 1, 1918

The photo shows the line-up of the 10 Mile final race at Sheepshead Bay on June 1st, 1918, which was won by Louis Chevrolet in 5 min 57.4 secs. He drove the Frontenac with number 3, which is car nearest to the grandstand. The other teams were from left ro right: Mulford on #9 Frontenac; Resta on #1 Resta Special; Hearne on #8 Frontenac; and Milton on #7 Duesenberg. All drivers except Milton had taken part at least once in a Vanderbilt Cup race.
The main event was the Harkness Trophy 100 Miles race, won by Louis Chevrolet in 1917, but won this year by Ralph De Palma on a Packard.
Sheepshead Bay track was located on the most eastern point of Long Island, south of Brooklyn, near Brighton Beach.

From Mystery Foto #37 Solved: Futurity Handicap Race at Sheepshead Bay Speedway Held on June 1, 1918

From John Benfield

Howard,
I never do well on your mystery Photos, but this one was easy (lucky) for me ... I took the date, Googled “June 1, 1918, car race”, and got pictures for sale, there were 2, the one you posted, and a companion picture titled “Harkness race Jun 1, 1918”, I Googled that, and the actual race stat sheet came up.. http://www.champcarstats.com/races/1918nc1.htm .... then I cross checked the drivers with the list of Vanderbilt drivers on your website…Googled Sheepshead Bay Race Track and got this site w/ a lot of info about the track http://www.speedwayandroadracehistory.com/sheepshead-bay-speedway.html , and got the exact location by comparing to Google maps.

It was fun, but I feel like I cheated compared to the experts who play this game and really know what they are talking about!... I enjoy your news letter every Sunday morning, Thanks!
Best Regards,
John Benfield

Mystery Foto questions:
• Identify the race: The Harkness Handicap ... 2 Mile Board Oval 50 Laps/100 Miles
• Identify the race track. Where exactly was it located?: Sheepshead Bay Speedway (on the corner of West Brighton Avenue and West 5th Street in Brooklyn)
• Identify the five drivers and their race cars: Louis Chevrolet- Frontenac, Eddie Hearne-Duesenberg, Denny Hickey- Hudson, Tommy Milton- Duesenberg, Ira Vail- Hudson
• Which of these drivers are linked to the Vanderbilt Cup Races? Louis Chevrolet, Dario Resta, Ralph Mulford….. Also Arthur Duray , but it appears he didn’t show up with his Duesenberg that day

From Mystery Foto #37 Solved: Futurity Handicap Race at Sheepshead Bay Speedway Held on June 1, 1918

Identify the race:  The June 1, 1918 10 mile Futurity Handicap

Identify the race track.  Sheepshead Bay Motor Speedway

Where exactly was it located? It encompassed much of what is now the current area of Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn. It was located northeast of Brighton Beach and southeast of Gravesend. It was between Gravesend Neck Road to the north, Voorhies Avenue 5 to the south and Ocean Avenue (which would otherwise be 20th Street) to the east. Since the track was built by Leonard Jerome, there is a “Jerome Avenue” running by the track.

Identify the five drivers and their race cars:
Car 7 - Tommy Milton, Duesenberg
Car 8 - Eddie Hearne - Duesenberg
Car 1- Dario Resta - Resta Special
Car 9 - Ralph Mulford - Frontenac
Car 3 - Louis Chevrolet - Frontenac

Which of these drivers are linked to the Vanderbilt Cup Races?
All but Tommy Milton were drivers in Vanderbilt Cup Races.

From Mystery Foto #37 Solved: Futurity Handicap Race at Sheepshead Bay Speedway Held on June 1, 1918

Ha Ha, great comment Joe!

From Smiles & Thumbs Ups from the Port Jefferson Hill Climb & This Sunday's Four Car Shows