Vanderbilt Cup Races

The 6th photo (the DPL-photo submitted by Frank Femenias) is interesting, because the car on the left is a 1908 Isotta-Fraschini type Grand Prix des Voiturettes. It is not the car used in Vanderbilt Cup of course, because this car was much smaller. The touring car in the background is more difficult to id, but could be a 1907 Jackson.

From Mystery Foto #95 Solved: Louis Chevrolet and Joe Nelson Preparing for the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

It is indeed remarkable, that Ryall is at the wheel of a different car on the team photo and the side view photo, than during the race. Ryall’s car on these photos as well as his car during race are higher built cars however. Both no. 7 cars are more or less similar, only the dash seems to be different and on the dark car the tank is missing. Instead there is wooden (tool-?)box, or is it maybe extra weight? Maybe it was a spare car, only used during practice?  They resemble the regular Matheson Big Four 50hp of that year, though the chassis seems to be shortened. Chevrolet’s more powerful car is obviously built as a racing car. In Automobile Topics I found a photo of a full side view of no.15, again photographed on the same spot as the other photos.

From Mystery Foto #95 Solved: Louis Chevrolet and Joe Nelson Preparing for the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Eagle-eyed Howard! I didn’t realize the grandstand in the back of the photo with the #4 Chadwick until you mentioned it. (My jaw dropped!) I noticed only the black banner over Ellison Rd. Also the black #7 has a storage compartment in the back instead of spare tires, possibly used for transporting parts for the racer. It has a different shaped firewall as well than that of the racer. The black #7 may not be a Matheson after all. Nice detective work.

From Mystery Foto #95 Solved: Louis Chevrolet and Joe Nelson Preparing for the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Thanks Howard for the link to this fantastic collection. I’ll be spending part of the holiday weekend browsing through it. It may take a few months to check them all out but it will sure be interesting.

From Favorite Website: A Treasure of 34,407 Automotive Photos Posted Online

What did I do? Dorn it, How did I not see the 1 in front of the 5? that would have changed my whole answer and might of gotten it right, because I did say Louis Chevrolet and that was my first thought too, you know the rest. I’m so annoyed at myself

From Mystery Foto #95 Solved: Louis Chevrolet and Joe Nelson Preparing for the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Quickly answered this one and fell for the tricky nature of this week’s photo! That’ll teach me for being cavalier and dig deeper even when they seem easy!

From Mystery Foto #95 Solved: Louis Chevrolet and Joe Nelson Preparing for the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Mark Dill says

November 24, 2014 at 10:17 am

Really wonderful article supported by images, Art. One point about your closing. Tony George, while still part of the ownership family of the IndyCar series is no longer part of the management team and has little influence on day-to-day operations. That said, I do believe a revival of the Vanderbilt Cup in some form would be special. Howard Kroplick would know about the rights and the legal complications. It also requires a marketing strategy, of course, and all sanctioning bodies look for entitlement sponsorships associated with trophies/races/prizes. Again, congratulations on the great work Art.
______________________________________

From Howard Kroplick

Mark, thanks for the comment

From Sportscardigest.com Race Profile: "The Vanderbilt Cup, America’s First International Series"

Well I’m pretty sure that’s Louis Chevrolet and his mechanician Joe Nelson. The tricky part is deciding which Vanderbilt Cup Race the photo is from. It’s either the 1908 or 1909 race since Chevrolet was entered as number 15 in both. The key should be how the number 15 is painted on the tank since the type-style or font is different in both races. However, there is some mis-identification of the racer depending on where you see the photo published. Is it the Matheson from 1908 or the Buick from 1909? I’m going with the Matheson from the 1908 race.

From Mystery Foto #95 Solved: Louis Chevrolet and Joe Nelson Preparing for the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Austin was a very important part of my husband’s and my life when we were organizing the 1981 Glidden Tour on the Island for AACA.  I found a trophy of James Melton’s(past AACA Pres) in the loft in one of the Buildings at the L.I. Auto Museum.  Austin donated it to us and we had a trophy made for the tour. It remains at the National headquarters in Hershey .

From Film of the Week: The 1990 Testimonial Dinner for Henry Austin Clark, Jr.

Without any research, I’d guess it’s Louis Chevrolet - further deponent sayeth not.  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #95 Solved: Louis Chevrolet and Joe Nelson Preparing for the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Ha Greg O, you’re so right about that, along with so many questions could be asked with unsolved answers and I didn’t even finish looking at them yet, which I will do by the end of the week, just in case there’s a mystery about them for this weekend

From Favorite Website: A Treasure of 34,407 Automotive Photos Posted Online

Mystery photo #95 is Louis Chevrolet at the wheel of a Matheson that ran in the 1908 vanderbilt cup race.

From Mystery Foto #95 Solved: Louis Chevrolet and Joe Nelson Preparing for the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

A Treasure of 34,407 mystery photos!

From Favorite Website: A Treasure of 34,407 Automotive Photos Posted Online

mystery photo #95 is Louis Chevrolet in the #15 Buick, that ran the 1909 Vanderbilt cup race.

From Mystery Foto #95 Solved: Louis Chevrolet and Joe Nelson Preparing for the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Wow! Lots of work went into this. Nice catch Howard.

From Favorite Website: A Treasure of 34,407 Automotive Photos Posted Online

Driver: Louis Chevrolet
Mechanician: Joe Nelson
#15 Matheson, cracked a cylinder on lap 2, finished 16/17 entrants.
1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race, Long Island. In 1909, the 15 was painted differently.

Other Matheson (#7) 60hp, caught fire on lap 4 in front of the grandstand, finished 12/17.
Driver: Jim Ryall
Mechanician: Roy Hook

From Mystery Foto #95 Solved: Louis Chevrolet and Joe Nelson Preparing for the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

The driver is Louis Chevrolet, driving a Chevrolet, or maybe a Peug…..?

From Mystery Foto #95 Solved: Louis Chevrolet and Joe Nelson Preparing for the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Howard, Thanks so much for this tip. This is a really amazing collection! I knew parts of it were online, but this is really fantastic and besides, the resolution of the pictures has much improved. I already spotted some real treasures, so I guess all my spare time for the coming months has been spent in advance. However I’m afraid, there is one person in the house, who will probably not be as delighted as I am 😉

From Favorite Website: A Treasure of 34,407 Automotive Photos Posted Online

Excellent collection

From Favorite Website: A Treasure of 34,407 Automotive Photos Posted Online

I put it on the north side based on the shadow.

From Mystery Foto #94 Solved: The Stymus Farmway Underpass of the Motor Parkway's Longest Bridge