Vanderbilt Cup Races

From James S:

The events on Saturday were AMAZING…the exhibit…the gymkhana and…topping it off…the numerous runs of the Black Beast…My son was in heaven! He told me the Beast even “smelled like the old brickyard and gasoline alley.” Interesting since…he’s never been to Indy.

From Pioneering Driver Janet Guthrie Rides In the Alco Black Beast

From Bruce K:

Thanks for the picture of me riding with you!  It was a thrill and special, even more exhilarating than driving the Formula cars I used to race.

From Highlights from the First Day of the Vanderbilt Race Centennial Celebration

Thanks for your kind words Howard. We enjoyed having you!

From In Search of Alcos: #3 Manny Souza's 1908 Alco Touring Car

Might it be possible to add a similar
“map” of the original Bridgehampton “around the houses” road racing course, Howard?

I have such of the original Watkins Glen road course but have never seen a similar Bridgehampton
version.

Thanks for considering,

Rog Patterson

From Archives: 1908 Course

Howie, We can’t wait to see the show!

From Highlights from the First Day of the Vanderbilt Race Centennial Celebration

From Guy Frost:

I’m not positive, but I think they are coming both days.

From Cradle of Aviation to Host Vanderbilt Race Centennial Exhibit in October

Hi James:

I don’t know the answer but will check with Guy Frost who issued the press release.

Howard

From Cradle of Aviation to Host Vanderbilt Race Centennial Exhibit in October

Can’t wait to see the other 525 or so!  Great collection.

From From the Ron Ridolph Collection: Images of the Long Island Motor Parkway

LIAHSTC note said Bonham’s appraisals would be available to participants- any particular timing or reservation needed?

From Cradle of Aviation to Host Vanderbilt Race Centennial Exhibit in October

Yes, terrific. thanks

From From the Ron Ridolph Collection: Images of the Long Island Motor Parkway

I’m amazed that such an event was held 8 months after the attack on Pearl Harbor! We were deep in war then. Probably had gas rationing by then.

I grew up in nearby Bridgeport, CT, where I was an airplane spotter for several years. Back in those days we didn’t have early warning radar, so we had a Ground Observer Corps, or Aircraft Warning Corps (AWS). There were observation posts all along the seacoast. Our observation post was atop the Bridgeport City Trust Company, and called in reports of aircraft to a ploting room at Headquartes, I Fighter Command, Mitchel Field, NY. Most of the spotters were ladies, elderly gentlemen. and a few young kids like myself. One of the ladies reported a “flying submarine”, which turned out to be a blimp! The AWS was disbanded May 27, 1944.

From Film Part II- VMCCA 1942 Antique Auto Derby "Races"

Fascinating history - wonderful photos.

From From the Ron Ridolph Collection: Images of the Long Island Motor Parkway

BULLY!

From President Teddy Roosevelt Visits the Black Beast

From Karen T:

Howard,

First, thank you for the weekly emails from your website, we enjoy them. My daughter Elizabeth enjoyed the book she has that you wrote about the Vanderbilt Cup, you were kind enough to autograph it for her, thank you! Her love of old cars keeps growing. Now it includes old bicycles, she has two she’s currently restoring…

I’d like to make a special request regarding the Hunt Club videos you have. There are several generous people whom I know who were instrumental in its production. The video wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for their efforts, and I’d like to publicly thank them.

Originally, Bill Pate acquired a VHS tape of raw footage of the Hunt Club event from J B Van Sciver. After Bill’s passing, his brother, Carlton O. Pate, loaned the VHS tape to David Reed, who offered to have the contents of the tape professionally digitally edited and put on DVD’s, at his own expense. Carlton agreed. This was no easy task, and not inexpensive! It included the addition of music and the incorporation of the original program from the show. George Dragone generously loaned an original program for the production, which was fantastic. It really helped to make the video what is today. David Reed then loaned a copy of the DVD to Bob Sposato and said he could make some copies for himself and some friends. Without their efforts, we wouldn’t have it!

Thank you Howard for your consideration. Have a great day, and thanks again for your website…

Regards,
Karen T

From Film Part II- VMCCA 1942 Antique Auto Derby "Races"

From Karen T:

Howard,

First, thank you for the weekly emails from your website, we enjoy them. My daughter Elizabeth enjoyed the book she has that you wrote about the Vanderbilt Cup, you were kind enough to autograph it for her, thank you! Her love of old cars keeps growing. Now it includes old bicycles, she has two she’s currently restoring…

I’d like to make a special request regarding the Hunt Club videos you have. There are several generous people whom I know who were instrumental in its production. The video wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for their efforts, and I’d like to publicly thank them.

Originally, Bill Pate acquired a VHS tape of raw footage of the Hunt Club event from J B Van Sciver. After Bill’s passing, his brother, Carlton O. Pate, loaned the VHS tape to David Reed, who offered to have the contents of the tape professionally digitally edited and put on DVD’s, at his own expense. Carlton agreed. This was no easy task, and not inexpensive! It included the addition of music and the incorporation of the original program from the show. George Dragone generously loaned an original program for the production, which was fantastic. It really helped to make the video what is today. David Reed then loaned a copy of the DVD to Bob Sposato and said he could make some copies for himself and some friends. Without their efforts, we wouldn’t have it!

Thank you Howard for your consideration. Have a great day, and thanks again for your website…

Regards,
Karen T

From Film Part I- VMCCA 1942 Antique Auto Derby "50 of America's First Cars"

Please tell the Mall owners how nice they were to the entries. They treated us well and they were generous.

JIM BARNES Long Island Sound Region of CCCA

From Highlights from the 2010 Americana Manhasset Concours d'Elegance

Hats off to Arthur! That was a nice shot of the LIMP in his backyard.

From The Motor Parkway in Garden City: The Russell Road Backyards

Hi Howard
On the Wheeler Farmway bridge, you mentioned the concrete “tops” are still visible on both sides of the LIMP. And Robert Miller stated he had crawled “under” to investigate the bridge years earlier. I’m assuming the LIMP ran OVER the 226 street Farmway bridge but not sure. Maybe that would explain the LIMP uphill shown behind the Rocky Hill Lodge photo. Based on bits and pieces, the farmway bridge should have been approximately 200 feet east of the lodge. It looks about right. Another question about the Rocky Hill lodge.  After bike riding the LIMP recently, I’m noticing the existing exit/entrance ramps are only 270 feet approx in length running easterly from Springfield Bl (Rocky Hill Rd) before intersecting the LIMP. The lodge (based on more bits and pieces) should have been located 500 feet east from Springfield Bl. Were there additional ramps located here at the Rocky Hill Lodge? There is an aerial photo (little blurry) posted here of the lodge looking easterly, perhaps showing a total of four ramps: Two wider, longer, spread further apart ramps leading directly to the lodge, and what appears to be two shorter ones (the existing ramps?) running just beside both sides of the LIMP. Though I’ve lived in Woodside and frequently biked to all parts of this area as a teen, the LIMP had managed to hide and escape from my sight all this time. Thanks to you and to all for bringing it into view for everyone to enjoy.

From A Map of the Long Island Motor Parkway & Queens Historical Sites

Hi Margo:

Thanks so much for the information on the Deby.

Here is a link to Part II of the film:

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/blog/article/wednesday_october_13_2010

Enjoy,

Howard

From Film Part I- VMCCA 1942 Antique Auto Derby "50 of America's First Cars"

I’m James Melton’s daughter.
This video is WONDERFUL.  I can’t wait to see Part II.

Here’s a bit of what I wrote about that event in my (as yet unpublished) book about my father.

An antique auto derby was to be held for the benefit of United China Relief, sponsored by the Veteran Motor Car Club, and chaired by my mother.  Attendees included local residents Henry and Clare Boothe Luce, Lily Pons and her husband Andre Kostelanetz, Time publisher Roy Larsen,  the Lawrence Tibbetts,  and veteran auto racer Ralph DePalma.  Gasoline needed for some of the cars was sanctioned by the government in view of the benefit nature of the rally.  Two thousand people attended the event and $3,000 was raised at the derby for China Relief.  Clare Booth Luce cautioned spectators not to laugh at the ancient buggies, “because if we don’t win this war, we’ll be lucky to have them.  We’ll probably be riding in rickshaws if we don’t lick Japan, or worse than that, we’ll be pulling them!”  Political aspirant Mrs. Luce was hoping to get a nod from the Republicans to run for Congress. 

As “Cholly Knickerbocker” wrote in his August 2, 1943, column in the Journal American, “Time has ‘reversed its field’ up in Connecticut, and junior doesn’t have to turn the pages of the old family album to see the gentry riding high and handsome in vintage electric broughams.  It was tough on the dogs and horses at first, but now that the James Meltons have thoroughly ‘electrified’ the countryside around Ridgefield, Fairfield, Westport, etc., the dogs have become less distrait and the horses more nonchalant when they see one of Melton’s mechanical marvels swishing along minus the racket we all have become accustomed to since the advent of the motorcar.  When gasoline shortages threatened to isolate the good people of these communities, civic-minded James Melton, noted radio artist, whose antique auto collection is famous throughout the country, sold most of his priceless cars to his neighbors to tide them over ‘for the duration’—with the understanding, however, that after the war the purchasers must sell them back to him so that he can again cherish his precious ‘collection.’”

From Film Part I- VMCCA 1942 Antique Auto Derby "50 of America's First Cars"