Vanderbilt Cup Races

Thank you Howard for the information.  Nice to see the Motor Parkway remembered.

From Then & Now: The Motor Parkway in Wheatley Hills Golf Club, East Williston

It’s the stuff of dreams for early racing car nuts!

From Willie K.'s Cars #1: The 1900 23-HP Daimler "White Ghost"

Dear Howard: Okay, okay I can take a hint. I want to subscribe to your blog. Don’t know where you’ve found the stuff but it’s thrilling.

Penny

From Willie K.'s Cars #1: The 1900 23-HP Daimler "White Ghost"

Hi Art, Allan and Sara:

Thanks for the comments and memories!

Sara, I will feature images of the LIMP near Jericho Turnpike in a post next week.

Enjoy,

Howard

From The Motor Parkway and the Wheatley Hills Golf Club in East Williston

Hi Corey:

Thanks for checking in! Please have Ray send me an email with his contact information to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Enjoy,

Howard

From In Search of Master Mechanic Charlie Kirschhoffer

I stumbled upon your website this morning and wanted to let you know that my Grandfather, Ray Kirschhoffer is Charlie’s younger son.  He has mountains of memorobilia that he can share.  Charlie died in 1978 in Winthrop Harbor, IL and Elisa died in 1998. Both are buried in Libertyville, IL.  I look forward to reading more of him and his racing days.  Thanks for sharing.

From In Search of Master Mechanic Charlie Kirschhoffer

I remember seeing a photo of the excavation of the LIMP UNDER Jericho Turnpike just south of this. Has anyone ever seen this photo? I haven’t been able to find it again.

From The Motor Parkway and the Wheatley Hills Golf Club in East Williston

I grew up in the 1040s a block away from the old Motor Pkwy where it traveled thru East Williston. I don’t have photos but do have great memories of playing at and riding our bikes thru that entire stretch….. 😊

From The Motor Parkway and the Wheatley Hills Golf Club in East Williston

Sad picture.
Back in the ‘60s my family lived in Hauppauge.
My father would take my brother and I out to watch the races at Bridghampton and to the Auto Museum once a year. I always remember those days as some of the finest ever.

From What was the Long Island Automotive Museum?

I have a badge for the 1936 race held on Oct. 12th. It’s labled official and has a number 136 on it. It blonged to my aunt Eleanor Knapp.

From George Vanderbilt Cup Race Tickets and Passes

Hi Scott:

It was a pleasure! We really had a great time at the Cacklefest. Boy, those racers are loud!!!

Enjoy,

Howard

From Future Howard Kroplick and Black Beast Events (Updated November 6, 2010)

Howard,

On behalf of East Neck Auto Service and Pacers Auto, we want to say that having the Black Beast at the 3rd Annual Hot Rods & Race Cars Show & Cacklefest was a fantastic experience! You guys are a class act with an incredible car and we were proud to have you involved.

Scott Snizek

From Future Howard Kroplick and Black Beast Events (Updated November 6, 2010)

I am looking for information on a racing car pictured in the Westbury Turn. The handwriting on the bottom of the image says ‘Parker Fiat’  and the number on the radiator is a black large ‘14’. The picture came from a scrapbook of clippings.

Can you give me any information about this car and when it participated etc?

Thank you.

From June 2010 Highlights on VanderbiltCupRaces.com

Hi Jerry:

Always a pleasure to hear from you. Thanks for the connection!

Here is a link to the film showing the race between Old 16 and the “Breese of Paris”. A very young Jerry Helck was at the race:

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/blog/article/sunday_july_5_2009_film_the_last_race_for_old_16_and_joe_tracy_1946

The “Breese of Paris” is still running and owned by Michael Sperrazza of Appomattox, Virginia.

Another relative, James Breese, was a commissioner of the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race. He can be seen on the course at the end of this 1904 film (gentleman on the far right wearing a cap):
http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/blog/article/1904_vanderbilt_cup_race_video

Enjoy,

Howard

From A Mystery Photo from the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race: The B.L.M. Racer

Nice detecting,Howard!

In case you haven’t made the connection, a regular participant in LIOCC meets in the ‘50s-‘60s was a Bobby Breese, presumably the son of Sidney, driving a later BLM (at least that’s what he called it).

I’m fairly sure he’s in your film of the VCR centennial at the Mineola fairgrounds. As I recall it was an unpainted (bare aluminum?) two-seater, quite streamlined for it’s age (late teens?) with red wheels.

I’ll bet Wally McCarthy knows what became of it.

Regards,
Jerry

From A Mystery Photo from the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race: The B.L.M. Racer

Good stuff Howard,  can’t wait to see if any relics remain.  I often go past the golf course while traveling on the Northern State and daydream about what’s there.  I’m also a golfer so it would be an interesting highlight while playing to see a post.  Not a member of the club so not sure I would ever have the opportunity. 

There are LIMP posts on the north and south sides of East Williston Road (HIllside Avenue, 25B)by the golf course but according to one one of Sam B’s web pages, these may have been placed there at some point to accommodate the road being widened.  I show these posts on my website on the East Williston page.  Happy Hunting.

From The Motor Parkway and the Wheatley Hills Golf Club in East Williston

Nice to see the Poison Lil info.  And let’s not forget that George Weaver also owned the original Thompson Raceway in Thompson, CT.  It was always a thrill whenever George brought out that magnificent beast and fired it up.

From The Maserati V8RI Vanderbilt Cup Racer at the Saratoga Automobile Museum

From Marie Foster:

Thank you, Howard, The report on my picture was more than I expected!  My Husband, Bob, is excited!  He told me to tell you “this car is in our garage”  JUST KIDDING!  Doesn’t he wish!

Anyway, your research is very interesting and very satisfying, as we have had the photo for about 25 years.  Thanks so much again.

From A Mystery Photo from the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race: The B.L.M. Racer

From John T:

Thank you for taking the time to share your one and only with all of us around the Saratoga Springs area. Its a real treat to see something that rare!!

From The Black Beast Returns to Schenectady and Saratoga Springs

Hi Bill:

It was great fun!!

Howard

From Film "The Black Beast's Four-Mile Cruise to the Show"