Vanderbilt Cup Races

Hi Howard
A friend went over to the Cradle of Aviation for the cruise on June 30, last night,at 8pm, and no one was there. Has this ended?

From 2019 Long Island Cruises (Updated: July 26, 2019)

Does anyone know if Barney Oldfield had a riding mechanic when he broke the 100 mph record at IMS and, if so, who it was? I’ve been told it was my late grandfather Eugene Taylor.

From Saturday Request: Information on the Christie Racers from Barney Oldfield's Great-Great -Nephew

I’ve long admired Mr Helck’s work, first shown to me by my grandfather in the 1940’s.  His painting of the old race cars especialy caught my eye, and I could pick them out in many areas.  One question has been on my mind for years—I grew up in Columbia county NY, and met a delightful kid at the Taconic state park swimming area.  Her name was Bernice and I was told by someone that she was Peter’s granddaughter.  We had fun in those short times and I’e thought of those days often.  Could I have been wrong or does such a person really exist?

From A Tribute to Peter Helck (1893-1988), the Great American Artist

Hi Gerry & Greg:
Thanks for the comments.

Welcome to the Long Island Motor Preservation Society!

Howard

From First Meeting of the Long Island Motor Parkway Preservation Society

I sure hope the sidelights are not gasoline! Manny is a good guy, and real collector.

From Providence Journal: "Rehoboth’s Manny Souza's Alco got a piece of the 500"

Howard, this is wonderful!  I just finished a painting for the 2011 Dayton Ohio Concours poster, in the painting is the #32 Marmom Wasp with Ray Harroun.  Also a 1911 Cadillac with Charles Kettering and Edward Deeds, Daton residents who invented the electric ignition (tested in a 1911 Cadillac).  The theme of the poster is a celebration of these events 100 years ago.  I will send you a photo.  Best wishes, Chris Osborne

From In the Indy Formula One Garage and On the Track: The Marmon Wasp that Won the 1911 Indy 500

Congrats Howard!
  The “Beast” deserved this after the unfortunate problems back in 1911. This time the ALCO came in ahead of the “Marmon Wasp”
  You will be getting the centerfold of the GEAA Gazette this coming month.
Your Fan,
Rick A. Jorgensen
Editor & Founder of GEAA

From Newsday: "Vintage race cars celebrated at Indy 500"

Perhaps some county owned land within the Motor Parkway right of way could be set aside by Nassau County as a county park named after William K. Vanderbilt, Jr.  That would also be a fitting memorial for both the Motor Parkway and Mr. Vanderbilt.

From First Meeting of the Long Island Motor Parkway Preservation Society

If the plot of land on the western shore of Lake Ronkonkoma that was the eastern terminus of the Motor Parkway is still owned by Suffolk County I would like to see that plot become a county park named after William K. Vanderbilt, Jr.  That would be a fitting memorial for both the Motor Parkway and Mr. Vanderbilt himself.

From First Meeting of the Long Island Motor Parkway Preservation Society

I am a Greeter/Museum Guide at the Vanderbilt Musuem in Centerport.  One of my duties is to show visitors the Long Island Motor Parkway and Vanderbilt Cup Auto Race exhibits Howard Kroplick put together for the Museum.  I have become a LIMP and Vanderbilt Cup buff as a result.  Please let me know what I can do to advance the cause of preserving the LIMP.

From First Meeting of the Long Island Motor Parkway Preservation Society

Finally, the man who made Long Island gets the recognition he deserves.

Check ou my video, “Robert Moses, Long Island’s Master Builder,” on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGMdyCdCT9c&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Fred Hadley

From Newsday Article: "Moses exhibit shows builder's ups, downs'

Not good news of course. Maybe that’s why I was met with somewhat of an abrupt response when I inquired about the bridge to the sandpit company a month or two ago. Hopefully our efforts will result in better results going forward.  Is there any way to be forewarned when this type of destruction is going to take place on other remaining bridges, posts, roadway, etc.?

From The Last Intact Motor Parkway Bridge in Suffolk County

Hi everyone,

My Uncle Henry recently passed, and while cleaning out his personal treasures from his home, I came across a wonderful old artifact.  As a youngster, Uncle Henry took us on quite a few day trips throughout Long Island.  I vaguely recall our visits to the Long Island Automotive Museum in Southhampton situated on the South Fork of Long Island.  The artifact I came across is a never used Souvenir Ashtray.  This Ashtray has a picture which depicts a “1910 White Opera Coupe.”  This Square Ashtray is quite large as it measures 7¼ inches in each direction.  This Ashtray is 1 inche thick and is made of a ceramic type of material.

On the bottom of this Ashtray has the following identification, “AN AUTHENTIC REPRODUCTION FROM THE LONG ISLAND AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM COLLECTION OF SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y.  DECORATED BY FREDERICK STUDIO WALTER CROWELL COMPANY NEW YORK, N.Y.”

I was preparing to list this Ashtray on eBay but came across this Website prior to doing so.  So if anyone has the desire of purchasing this very rare collectible, contact me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and I will email you as many pictures as you’d like.

Uncle Henry was not a smoker, so this Ashtray was purchased as a decoration rather than an object to hold lit cigarettes and collect ashes.

This is a nice piece of Long Island’s Automotive History.

Please don’t wait to long as I need to find new homes for many of Uncle Henry’s personal treasures in a limited amount of time.

Thanks for creating a very interesting website.

With anticipation,
Artie

From What was the Long Island Automotive Museum?

Hi Art:

I believe the next steps are to develop a pilot area for the Motor Parkway Trail and develop signage. I will let you know as soon as I find out.

Howard

From Nassau County Website: "Vision Plan for Motor Parkway Trail"

Hi Agent:

A sand pit is a commercial mine to extract sand used primarily for concrete. This New York Times article provides background on sand mining operations on Long Island:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0CEEDE1738F935A25752C0A9639C8B63

The Melville sand pit is private property. Over the last decade, the owners refused requests to photograph the Motor Parkway bridge.

Howard

From The Last Intact Motor Parkway Bridge in Suffolk County

1) what is a sandpit (other than the native habitat of a Sarlacc?)

and 2) why couldn’t anyone, in ten years, get on that land and photograph the bridge (again, Sarlacc?)

From The Last Intact Motor Parkway Bridge in Suffolk County

Sad - I read a good deal about the motor parkway in Tom Lewis’ Divided Highways.

It was quite an egotistical little vanity project, really, but what a piece of history!

From The Last Intact Motor Parkway Bridge in Suffolk County

Thank you so much for this information Howard!  You won this time - congratulations.

From The Garages of the Vanderbilt Cup Races

Howard, seems like a lot of good effort went into the vision plan.  Glad to see action being taken.  Do you know what the next steps are?  I believe I read something about the stretch near me, along Stewart Avenue and Carmen being the first to have something done.  Any info about that?

Also, I hope the plans call for preserving what’s left of the original roadway and posts, even if they aren’t used as part of the actual trail in selected areas.

From Nassau County Website: "Vision Plan for Motor Parkway Trail"

Howard - you looked very natural along side Mario and the others.  Great trip and thanks for the photos and videos.  I’m sure you’ll remember this day forever.

From 2011 Indy 500 Pre-Race Ceremony Highlights: A Century of Technology