Vanderbilt Cup Races

Howard:  When the “Mason Ole Restaurant” was built, It was built to be another type of restauant, many years ago. It was never a Toll Lodge. Howard And Al “Keep up the good work, This is the best”.  Joseph (Motorpky) DeBono

From The Story of the "Four" Brentwood Toll Lodges (1911-1934)

Hi Eric: Thanks for the report. I have contacted both the Old Bethpage Village Restoration and Nassau County Department of Parks this week requesting an update on their plans to clean and restore the bridge. To date, they have not resturned my calls or emails. They obviously have not seen what happens when LIMPers get upset. Stay tune!!

Howard

From A CALL TO ACTION: The Old Bethpage Village Restoration Motor Parkway Bridge

My mom and dad took me there in the late 60s.I must have been 6.I remember the older gentleman and the ride on the old fire truck. I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT WONDERFUL DAY.THANK YOU SO MUCH!

From Film "The Long Island Automotive Museum"

I have a silver fob with a rider on antique motorcycle on front.
The back has-O.M.M.C or O.
HAWLEY CUP
H.WHETTERLEY
I would appreciate any information on this.

From A Family Member Seeks Information on a 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race Driver Edward Hawley

WOW! It’s amazing how that ALCO 12 can be kept in that condition with original parts after a century. True restoration. I’d imagine that would take some hard and tedious work. Loved the Andy Oldman description and adventures with the vehicle. Thank you Mr. Rodriquez and for the post Howard.

From In Search of Alcos: #7 1912 Alco Touring Car Owned By Andy Oldman

Please enroll me in this group. I haven’t been active in LIMP walks recently, but I am still a fan

From First Meeting of the Long Island Motor Parkway Preservation Society

Hello Howard,
I would be interested in helping as well. I visited the Bethpage Bridge a week ago and it’s in worse shape than when I was there for the first time a few years prior. The amount of garbage is incredible! The openings to the bridge are almost cut off because the debris is stacked so high.I think they are intentionally trying to seal off the bridge openings by dumping both perishable and non perishable garbage there. Obviously its workers from Bethpage Village who are dumping anything unwanted in and over the bridge. Trucks are driven on the bridge and truckloads of garbage are dumped over the side. Because of this the curbing and railings are gone. The Village Restoration has to take some of the blame for the appaling conditions. In the very least they should be concerned that their workers are driving trucks over a span that could give way under the weight of the trucks.I am sure their insurance company would want the area better secured, and safe, to avoid future claims. Even the hole in the fence has not been repaired. This historical spot could be a attention grabber and money maker for Bethpage Restoration.All we would have to do is convince the right people.

From A CALL TO ACTION: The Old Bethpage Village Restoration Motor Parkway Bridge

that google Earth picture is awesome!that the horse track is still evident is mind boggleing.

From Then & Now: The Vanderbilt Cup Race Grandstands & Press Boxes in Westbury

Laurence:
Fascinating! Here is more information on the PAL 1908 poster: http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/blog/article/saturday_january_24_2009_the_1908_vanderbilt_cup_race_poster

Enjoy,

Howard

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: Rare 1908 PAL Race Painting Discovered

From Cathy B:
“The information about the spur and the Commack lodge is very instructive. Thanks.”

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: Images of The Last Brentwood Lodge & the Commack Spur Road

Hey guys, I have an official program from the race if anyone is interested. I was looking for info on it to place it on Ebay when I came across this page. The four small pics to the left of each paragraph above are taken from it. It also has an entry form still attached to it that is not shown above. Anyway I will check back to see if there is interest before I put it on Ebay in the future.

From The Mystery 1952 Vanderbilt Cup

“So much history, so little left to see…Thank you Howard for all you do to keep telling the story of the Vanderbilt Cup and the Motor Parkway!”

From Then & Now: The Vanderbilt Cup Race Grandstands & Press Boxes in Westbury

Great stuff, Howard, as always. Bert also raced in the 1912 Indy 500.

From For the Dingley Family: Part II- Bert Dingley and the Vanderbilt Cup Races

Howard,
The ONO was a Fiat S74 fitted with a 4 cylinder Pope Hartford engine (most likely a Portola). It was driven to 10th place in the 1915 Vanderbilt Cup race by Hughie Hughes.

From For the Dingley Family: Part II- Bert Dingley and the Vanderbilt Cup Races

I read with interest this last biographical entry. My maternal grandmother, born in Paris in the 1870s, was born a Paléologue, a sister to Maurice, the last ambassador to Tsarist Russia and member of the French Academy who never married. Their family of Greek descent also originated in Romania, but it is well-known that the royal Byzantine Paleologos line was extinct. So much for titles and provenance, usually created to impress American hosts. Jean de Paléologue may have been a distant cousin; regrettably no one surviving in our family seems to have any information on him.

Our Paléologue family made its fortune in Romania, I’m told, in commodities and shipping in the nineteenth century, but the siblings emigrated to Paris where they either married well or achieved distinction in diplomacy and letters. They integrated themselves well into French culture and society, but remained true to their Greek Orthodox faith.

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: Rare 1908 PAL Race Painting Discovered

Hi Bob:

That is correct… if the course outline was printed exactly the same on both sides of the sheet.

Howard

From The Curious Map Scoreboard at the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Anthony:

I have never seen one.

Howard

From Film "The 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race"

Howard,
I’m wondering if you know whether the New Hyde Park Road crossing was changed from an underpass to a bridge when the Northern State was built. I’ve seen conflicting information (including an early photo purportedly showing the LIMP going UNDER New Hyde Park Road. Mitch

From The Northern State Motor Parkway Bridge in Lake Success

Hi Rich:

If you are ever on Long Island, please give me a call at 1-516-625-0123 !

Enjoy,

Howard

From In Search of Alcos: #1 Alco-6 Black Beast Racer Archives

Obviously, Berliet was into serious trucks and commercial vehicles, the “passenger” vehicles were a sideline, if such could be said of the market in the eary 1900’s.
Sort of wonder what could have happened if WW1 did not happen?

From In Search of Alcos: #6 1912 Alco Touring Car at Fondation Berliet, Lyon France