Vanderbilt Cup Races

2013 Color photo converted to black and white. OMG! You’ve got Robertson’s racer!?!? OMG!

From Mystery Foto #16 Solved: A 2013 Photo of a Model of Old 16 Locomobile

Here I go again,taking another guess at it. Don’t know what year it was,but I can tell you it was built in 1906 and raced in 1908 right? so the picture must be within that timespan,1906 to 1908 in the shop,because I see something on the floor for something to be fixed,repaired or replaced.

From Mystery Foto #16 Solved: A 2013 Photo of a Model of Old 16 Locomobile

2013

From Mystery Foto #16 Solved: A 2013 Photo of a Model of Old 16 Locomobile

Being that it looks like a possible staged diarama either in a museum, or a smaller scale model photoshopped to B&W, I’ll go with 2013 as my guess. 😊

From Mystery Foto #16 Solved: A 2013 Photo of a Model of Old 16 Locomobile

Wonderful pictures - does anyone know why Beacon Towers was torn down? If Hempstead House wasn’t demolished - it’s so sad that such beautiful architechture was reduced to rubble.

From Inspiration for the Mansions of "The Great Gatsby" & The Hempstead House Screening Gala

From Ariejan Bos:

This should be the solution, and as it was not that difficult this time, I tried to gather some additional info.

The photo shows William K. Vanderbilt Jr. in his Mercedes making a last
round before the start of the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup race. He is
accompanied by Dr. Louis N. Lanehart, chief surgeon of the surgical
staff of the Automobile Club of America. The location is of course
Krug’s Corner at Mineola.

Dr. Lanehart died in 1920 at the age of 61 and in his obituaries can be
read, that he worked closely with Mrs. W.K. Vanderbilt Jr. to organize
Nassau Hospital.

The mystery photo raises however also some questions.
1. If I compare this photo with another 1905 photo in your collection (see
attachment), I doubt if these persons next to W.K. are the same?

2. The Mercedes has on the mystery photo something directly below the
radiator, which is absent on the other. I don’t know what it is. It
differs from the perforated radiator support of other Mercedes racers,
having always more holes than this one.

3. Moreover you can see that on both photos the car carries only one
lamp holder, but on the mystery photo a ‘thing’ on the holder seems to
be present, which doesn’t look like a lamp?

Regards,

Ariejan

From Mystery Foto #15 Solved: William K. Vanderbilt Jr. on the 1906 American Elimination Trial Course

Sunday while my wife,daughter and granson were having their Mothers Day together I took a hike and I mean a hike about 4hrs.didn’t know there are so many tralls.Did find the untouched environment,Motor Parkway Curve,also in my hiking i found 2 entrances,one on Haypath Rd,where they just finished the bike path and the other,by the exit of the parkway,couldn’t figure out which one,so you can see how far I went,not just on the bath,but around and around on the trails,but it was very interesting, I found myself entering on the golf course,picnic area and the entrance about where the toll booth is. Quite a hike ha

From Bikeway Construction Uncovers the Motor Parkway in Bethpage State Park Buried for Over 50 Years

The night time photos are haunting.  Had to have been very alert driving on those roads.  The headlights had less lighting power than too.

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #32: Clinton Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge in Garden City

It would be easy if I had your terrific book here since this pic is in it with all the vital info on the car and driver, etc. Suffice to say: they’ve just rounded the corner of Willis Ave on to Jericho Turnpike and have literally passed the spot where one of my favorite haunts, Willis Hobby…will eventually locate!

From Mystery Foto #15 Solved: William K. Vanderbilt Jr. on the 1906 American Elimination Trial Course

I have some clues but my wildest guess is: It looks like Willie K burning rubber with President Teddy Roosevelt as a passenger! at Krugs Corner in Mineola and they’re heading east on Jericho Tpke leaving Willis Ave, in the first Cup race in 1904. This could very well be the photo of the world’s first pace car right here on Long Island. I hope I’m right, now that would be cool. :D

From Mystery Foto #15 Solved: William K. Vanderbilt Jr. on the 1906 American Elimination Trial Course

Todays’s mystery foto shows Willie K. Jr. driving his 1903 Mercedes with Dr. Louis Lanehart as a passenger at the intersection of Willis Ave. and Jericho Tpke. heading east (the famous Krug’s corner) during the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race. This is the same car that Willie K. used in setting the 1-mile land speed record of 92.4 mph 2 years earlier at Ormond Beach, FL. While not competing in the race, Willie K. was out checking on race course conditions.

From Mystery Foto #15 Solved: William K. Vanderbilt Jr. on the 1906 American Elimination Trial Course

And again,give me more,never enough,I’ll keep up with you

From A Mother's Day Tribute: Alva Vanderbilt Belmont

Amazing as usual keep it coming

From Newsday 1954 Article: "Motor Parkway 'Ghosts' Haunt Northern State"

I remember as a kid the old grand central/northern parkway. The bridge with the trees always made me wonder. Little did I know it was part of the Vanderbilt pkwy near where I lived in (now) Dix Hills. I’m in my late 50"s now. Little remains of the RFD (rural farm delivery) of my life as a child in one of the first small house developments of that area. I remember Vanderbilt Parkway east of Deer Park Ave RT231-(then a 2 lane road) as a road in the woods with lots of hills and turns, my father would drive the ‘63 Cadillac down fast would make my stomach fly. It was great!

From Newsday 1954 Article: "Motor Parkway 'Ghosts' Haunt Northern State"

I wanted to answer sooner tha this,but had a very busy day,being it was such a nice day out,I did alot of things outdoors,but guess what? I think I have all the right answes to this mystery.The race was in 1906,the location was,without a doubt in my miind,seen it so many times,Krug’s Corner on Jericho&Willis; Ave.,the car is a 1903 Mercedes and last but not least the one and only Willian K Vanderbilt Jr and Dr. Lanehart. This one seemed to be a very easy one for everyone,we see it at your presentations.

From Mystery Foto #15 Solved: William K. Vanderbilt Jr. on the 1906 American Elimination Trial Course

To be more specific than my previous answer, this is when Willie K heard the crowd was so out of control he decided to do a lap around the course himself to check it out.

From Mystery Foto #15 Solved: William K. Vanderbilt Jr. on the 1906 American Elimination Trial Course

Thanks for the pictures that connect me to the book we read in high school. Also, another nostalgic link is that my grandfather built the sets for the first Gatby movie.

From Inspiration for the Mansions of "The Great Gatsby" & The Hempstead House Screening Gala

Finally! One that’s sadly not an aerial, but easy enough for me! Most of it I knew, but I had to cheat and look up the years of the race and the year of Vanderbilt’s Benz…

-The location
Jericho Turnpike and Willis Avenue in Mineola

-The race
1906 Elimination Trial or Cup Race (they drove through and cleared the track for both)

-The car
Vanderbilt’s 1903 Mercedes that broke the one-mile land speed record

-The two people in the car
Willie K and Dr. Louis Lanehart

From Mystery Foto #15 Solved: William K. Vanderbilt Jr. on the 1906 American Elimination Trial Course

Hi Howard,

Well, for those who have your book, just have a look page 69… 😉

Best

From Mystery Foto #15 Solved: William K. Vanderbilt Jr. on the 1906 American Elimination Trial Course

This was easy for me.  Krugs Corner.  I have this exact picture in my mind every time I drive by there.
-joe

From Mystery Foto #15 Solved: William K. Vanderbilt Jr. on the 1906 American Elimination Trial Course