Vanderbilt Cup Races

Hi Penny:

Here’s information on the 1909 #14 Fiat driven by Eddie Parker:

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/blog/article/sunday_september_5_2010_a_tour_of_the_1909_vanderbilt_cup_race_course_with_

Howard

From June 2010 Highlights on VanderbiltCupRaces.com

Happy Holidays Howard and to all LIMPers out there. One question about Nibbe’s stone. Is it located on Revere Av and Norcross Av in Bethpage? That was an amazing find! Everyone have a Happy and Safe New Year!!

From The Bethpage Challenge Part IV: A Few More Gems From Deadman's Curve

Gentlemen:
The Bugatti is chassis no. 4700, a standard T35A with owner Walter Gerner. The car raced with some frequency in the prewar ARCA (Automobile Racing Club of America), but to my knowledge did not appear at the Vanderbilt Cup Race. It may have been there as a spectator (Gerner lived on Long Island), but it did not race.
Sandy Leith
Registrar and Historian,
American Bugatti Club

From 1936 Vanderbilt Cup Race: Photos from the Nassau County Division of Museum Services

Just when I think I’ve been through your whole site, here are more rare photos of the parkway. Next best thing to a time machine!

From The Bridges of the Vanderbilt Cup Races (1908-1910)

I agree with Ken the Long Island motor sports community seems to be dumped on all the time and it seem to be okay by those that preserve land. They all seem to forget that Long Island has a rich history in motorsports or is it they don’t want to be reminded. Thanks for saving this small piece.

From Old Bethpage Restoration Motor Parkway Bridge to Receive a Cleaning

Hi Wallace:

Wallace, thanks for the memory. Clarence Mackay claimed he opposed the marriage of his daughter Ellin to Irving Berlin because it “would never last”.

He was wrong. Ellin and Irving Berlin were married for 62 years until her death in 1988:

http://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/30/obituaries/ellin-berlin-85-a-novelist-dies-the-songwriter-s-wife-of-62-years.html

Howard

From Six Degrees of Willie K: The Mackay Horse Statue and Saturday's Cocktail Party

Indeed great photos!

From The Bethpage Challenge Part II: Building the Central Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge

Agree and thanks!

From Old Bethpage Restoration Motor Parkway Bridge to Receive a Cleaning

Howard, Art, Pat,and Brian (and so many others); thank you all so much for your kind words.  It’s been great fun and I’ve met and worked with great people.  It is so very rewarding to see the ongoing progress; keep it going!  Blame it all on Bob Miller, who I’ve known since around 1960; he inveigled me into attending an early lecture he was giving on some old road called the Motor Parkway.  What is NOT fun, though, is painstakingly restoring each of my 485+ web pages, although I’ve made some big advances here and there.  Of the ~50 LIMP pages, 10 are done and I’ll speed things up.  Better yet, I found an e-trove of old pix (including the first set in the tangle at BSP!) and think I can now retrieve the long-lost really old ones.  So, please bear with me; we’ll get there.  Sam, III

From Sad News: The Passing of Sam Berliner III

As we look at Clarence Mackay in the bosom of the eastern elite establishment, it’s interesting to remember that his father, John, an Irish Catholic immigrant with a French wife, were shunned.  Yet when Clarence’s daughter Ellin wanted to marry a Russian Jewish immigrant Clarence hired private detectives and reportedly said, “Over my dead body.” He lived, she eloped: with Irving Berlin.

(My grandparents lived in a house without plumbing by the swamps immediately below Mackay’s estate, English immigrants.  My grandfather often served as Mackay’s photographer for special events.  My aunts and my mother wore clothes Ellin outgrew.)

From Six Degrees of Willie K: The Mackay Horse Statue and Saturday's Cocktail Party

From Penny:

Happy Holidays Howard and thanks for all the time, energy and dedication you have put into this web site .

From The Bethpage Challenge Part IV: A Few More Gems From Deadman's Curve

From Lou K:

Thank you for the excellent documentative and jam packed with exciting historical informative weekly emails. The amount of time it must take you to assemble this information must be enormous. I enjoy looking through it all . I just had to write you and thank you for the enjoyment I get from seeing it all.

From The Bethpage Challenge Part IV: A Few More Gems From Deadman's Curve

From Tyrpaul:
“I remember the museum, my Uncle Lou had 2 homes out there and we would visit the museum when ever we were out there. Austin gave us a ride in a fire engine he had. Good times then, sorry it is gone. “

From What was the Long Island Automotive Museum?

wow…that is a rare photo of Joe Tracy & Al Poole, my grandfather.  I have never seen it before. He looks pretty young.  Wonder if he had a driver’s license.

Thanks for sending, Howard.  These are really quite remarkable.

From New Series- Rare Images #1: Vanderbilt Cup Race Drivers and Mechanicians

Nice to hear that the effort was made to preserve the bridge.  It is ironic to me that a group dedicated to a somewhat contrived historical preservation failed to see the value in preserving this genuine but more recent historical artifact. Kudos too to the Model A Club leadership for being ready to jump right in. Finally i’m curious to what kind of car’s “remains” are still under the bridge lo these last 35 years???

From Old Bethpage Restoration Motor Parkway Bridge to Receive a Cleaning

Hello Howard, I know where the 1908 Oldsmobile is and will do some digging for you.  Al W.

From A Research Challenge: The 1902 Curved Dash Oldsmobile on Austin Clark's Roof

Guess I should have finished the entire series as you mention the cemetery here again.

From The Bethpage Challenge Part IV: A Few More Gems From Deadman's Curve

Hi Howard,

In your DRIVERS category, I think you might wish to include the colorful Lewis Strang, who drove the ill-fated Renault in 1908.  Despite the poor showing on Long Island, due to mechanical difficulties in the Vanderboilt Cup Race and the Parkway Sweepstakes, he had a very interesting career, including winning at Indianapolis in 1909 and being the pole sitter at the inaugural Indianapolis 500 in 1911.

A nice writeup can be found at http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/tag/lewis-strang/

From New Series- Rare Images #1: Vanderbilt Cup Race Drivers and Mechanicians

Howard, great pics once again.  The cemetery you mention in the last pic is still there, on the west side of the access road to the current Tennis Club that sits just north of the railroad and Central Avenue, at the point where the bridge crossed over.  I have some pics and commentary on the computer somewhere - when found, I’ll e-mail to you.

From The Bethpage Challenge Part II: Building the Central Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge

Howard:  Another terrific find.  Thanks again for sharing with us.  Hope all is well with you.
Happy Holidays,
Tom

From New Series- Rare Images #1: Vanderbilt Cup Race Drivers and Mechanicians