Vanderbilt Cup Races

Mystery Foto#41… The race driver in the Foto is JoeTracy. The race car is a Locomobile 90HP which ran in the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race and others.
The passenger was Ada Patterson, one of the SOB sister reporters known for investigative exposés that led to the reform of many public institutions.
The date of the Foto is October 14, 1905.
The likely location was the 1905 Locomobile Headquarters at the Maple Cottage in Lakeville (now Lake Success)

exposé

From Mystery Foto #41 Solved: Vanderbilt Cup Race driver Joe Tracy with reporter Ada Patterson

Do we have any details on the Packard photo that leads this story?  I’m guessing Series 2 or 3, dual cowl phaeton very nicely optioned, hood seems long enough for it to have the engine that would become known as the Super 8 (and may have been in this car).  Who, where?

I’m especially curious because 1. it reminds me of the Packard used in The Babe.  2. My Packard 243 Touring (then belonging to my dad) was also borrowed for the filming as a backup car, and the main body color and top were changed to match the car actually used.  The car in the photo, though, has a different color in the fenders.

Either way, both beautiful cars.

From Favorite Website: Walt Gosden's AACA Forum-Period images to relieve some of the stress

Wow! I love old maps.
Is there a way of purchasing this map? A wall size print would be great.
Love ya Howard K. et.al.
John Ulrich

From Greg O's Garage: A 1906 Nassau County Map

Passing of Ada Patterson.  Brooklyn Daily Eagle, June 26, 1939.

From Mystery Foto #41 Solved: Vanderbilt Cup Race driver Joe Tracy with reporter Ada Patterson

Joe Tracy
90 HP Locomobile: raced as #12 in the 1906 American Elimination trial and as #9 in the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup. Modified and raced as the winning #16 Locomobile in the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race.
Female journalist, Ada Patterson, one of the “sob sisters” who covered the “trial of the Century” in which murder charges were brought against Henry Kendall Thaw, accused of murdering Stanford White. 
Prior to the race - approx. Sept 15-21, 2006.
The Maple Cottage, Lakeville - headquarters of the Loco Team.

From Mystery Foto #41 Solved: Vanderbilt Cup Race driver Joe Tracy with reporter Ada Patterson

The Black Beast is a great piece of racing history.  I had the great pleasure of riding in the Black Beast years ago.  Very enjoyable, thank you Howard for the ride.  And it was on the Motor Pkwy!

From The Alco Black Beast racing on the Jersey Shore and highlights from TROG (The Race of Gentlemen)

Brian, luckily we were able to free the Beast within five minutes. After washing it down, we were up and running with no damage.

From Video: The Alco Black Beast racing on the beach at 2021 TROG (The Race of Gentlemen)

This must of been exhilarating! What a sinking feeling it must’ve been when the tide came in. Great video!

From Video: The Alco Black Beast racing on the beach at 2021 TROG (The Race of Gentlemen)

Mister you’re a better man than I! I would have been crying like a baby as that water surrounded the Beast. You just did a swimming motion and carried on!!!! We really wish we were there. So proud to be supporting you and the Beast and all you do to bring the heritage of America on Wheels to the exciting forefront. Look forward to congratulating you in person sometime soon!

From Video: The Alco Black Beast racing on the beach at 2021 TROG (The Race of Gentlemen)

Great stuff Greg. Love Clinton Ave, the precursor for Cross Island Pkwy/Commonwealth Blvd. Also the short-jagged Marvin Rd between Clinton Av and Alley Rd (Winchester Blvd). Long gone with the development of the CIP. Mostly everything else is the same today! Thanks for sharing this gem.

From Greg O's Garage: A 1906 Nassau County Map

Another shot of Tracy with Ada Patterson

From Mystery Foto #41 Solved: Vanderbilt Cup Race driver Joe Tracy with reporter Ada Patterson

The 1906 90 HP Locomobile driven by Joe Tracy which ran as the #12 Locomobile in the 1906 American Elimination trial and #9 Locomobile in the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup. It was modified and ran as the winning #16 Locomobile in the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race.
The woman in mechanician seat is Hearst journalist Ada Patterson, one of the reporters known for investigative exposes that led to reform of public institutions.
She rode down from the Great Neck train station to the Locomobile HQ at Maple Cottage on Lakeville Rd. sometime around mid-September 1906 before the cup race on the 22nd.

From Mystery Foto #41 Solved: Vanderbilt Cup Race driver Joe Tracy with reporter Ada Patterson

That’s Joe Tracy in his famous Locomobile racer. Tracy participated in the 1904, 1905, and 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Races along with the 1905 and 1906 American Elimination Trials. Not sure if it was this exact vehicle that he drove each time but it could have been. His passenger was Ada Patterson, an investigative reporter for Hearst newspapers who was one of the “Sob Sisters”, earning that nickname for exposing conditions in public institutions that led to reforms. This appears to be a photo taken around the same time as mystery photo #38 from three weeks ago at Maple Cottage in Lakeville (Lake Success), Locomobile headquarters. The date is probably a few days prior to September 22, 1906.

From Mystery Foto #41 Solved: Vanderbilt Cup Race driver Joe Tracy with reporter Ada Patterson

Excellent coverage Howard. Amazing details by all. How that steam auto was capable of multiple functions is beyond me! These designers were on their game, so early in the game.

From Mystery Foto #40 Solved: An 1888 De Dion, 1902 Gardner-Serpollet, 1904 Mercedes and 1908 American Underslung from the D. Cameron Peck Collection

Howard, The 1988 De Dion was a grub hub prototype focusing on coffee and pizza; The idea was to make coffee on the run, note the cylindrical container top front. The pizza oven was below the coffee maker and and when the pizza was cooked, it was stored in the compartment below the driver. The second version bent the exhaust pipe under the rear compartment helping to keep the pizza super hot.

From Mystery Foto #40 Solved: An 1888 De Dion, 1902 Gardner-Serpollet, 1904 Mercedes and 1908 American Underslung from the D. Cameron Peck Collection

Recent ownership of the Peck American. Sam Mann sold it at Monterey in 2016. Godding has it listed again. John Wallerick owned it for over 30 years and might have loaned to Briggs Cunningham to display in his museum.

From Mystery Foto #40 Solved: An 1888 De Dion, 1902 Gardner-Serpollet, 1904 Mercedes and 1908 American Underslung from the D. Cameron Peck Collection

Howard,
Make sure your team gets all that salt/water off—we had to replace the struts on our ‘classic’ ‘94 Saturn after driving it over treated LI roads, the day before a snowstorm! All best wishes for the Beast!
Regards,
Corey

From The Alco Black Beast racing on the Jersey Shore and highlights from TROG (The Race of Gentlemen)

Hugh Nutting:

Hi Howard,  I contacted a friend at the Collier Collection. This car was not in the Cunningham Collection they bought. Likely Briggs sold it when he got a 1911.  Hugh

From Mystery Foto #40 Solved: An 1888 De Dion, 1902 Gardner-Serpollet, 1904 Mercedes and 1908 American Underslung from the D. Cameron Peck Collection

Greenwich Concours is scheduled for October 23 and 24. I have been to nearly every single year of the Concours. The first year it cost $5.00 to get in and hat included a BOX LUNCH!!!
Now the cost is $45 for pre sale tickets or $50 at he gate. I know some Concours’ cost mch more than this. (Don’t ask me about Pebble Beach). I want to go to Greenwich again but that will be $90 or $100 if my wife goes. Rather costly for a guy on fixed income like me. Does anybody know of any discounted tickets or passes and if so how do we get them? I feel like events like this across the country are gradually pricing the common man/enthusiast out of luck… why is it necessary to keep increasing the price of admission while excluding a large number of lifetime car lovers.

From The Alco Black Beast racing on the Jersey Shore and highlights from TROG (The Race of Gentlemen)

Mystery Foto # 40…
Automobile A is an 1884 DeDion steamer.
It sold at auction for 4.6 million in 2011.
Automobile B is a 1902 Gardner Serpollet Model F,
Victoria body by Kellner. Steam power.
Automobile C may be an OPEL. Can’t be sure.
Automobile D is a 1909 American Underslung, Model 50 roadster.
An Underslung raced in 1910 Vanderbilt cup and placed 26th.

From Mystery Foto #40 Solved: An 1888 De Dion, 1902 Gardner-Serpollet, 1904 Mercedes and 1908 American Underslung from the D. Cameron Peck Collection