Vanderbilt Cup Races

Obviously the article attached to my comment was an incorrect attachment.  Watch for this in an upcoming Kleiner’s Korner.

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: A 1950's aerial view of the Motor Parkway Western Terminus in Fresh Meadows

We are looking northeast over Fresh Meadows in Queens with Cunningham Park on the right. Major roads include Nassau Blvd. (Horace Harding Blvd.), 73rd. Avenue, Union Tpke., 75th. Avenue, Francis Lewis Blvd. The LIMP structures are the 2 bridges over the old North Hempstead Tpke. and 73rd. Avenue. The complex is the Fresh Meadows Apartments. This complex was previously the location of the Fresh Meadow Country Club, the site of the 1932 US Open and 1930 PGA golf championships. Since it looks like the apartments have either just opened or are almost ready to open, the date should be around 1949.

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: A 1950's aerial view of the Motor Parkway Western Terminus in Fresh Meadows

I grew up on the other side of what was Horace Harding Blvd. I can see PS 162 at the intersection of 201 St. and 53rd Ave. I lived at 51st Ave and 199th St in a newly built house which is not shown. Given that we moved into it in June, 1953, with construction of the homes in the area taking about one year, the view looking Northeast is most likely from the early 1950s. Indeed, the overpass for the Motor Pkwy over what was N. Hempstead Tpke is visible. I used to start my bike rides on the Motor Pkwy at the point where it is today; south of what became PS 179 and its playground/park. The view shows the two hi-rises, which were the originals; the third hi-rise opened in 1964. And construction of what became the LIE through Fresh Meadows didn’t start until 1957-58, which I remember well. As for the sporting events, the only one I know of was the U.S. Open for the PGA at the original Fresh Meadows CC, which was bought by NY Life to build Fresh Meadows just after the War.  Nothing but vacant parcels are shown at the NW corner of the intersection between Horace Harding Blvd., Francis Lewis Blvd and Hollis Ct Blvd. The huge Penn Fruit supermarket opened in 1958 as part of a small shopping center, which included “Friendly Frost,” an appliance store chain where, among other things, window air-conditioners were sold. Four years later in 1962, both the Blue Bay Diner and Bishop Reilly (today’s St. Francis Prep) opened. Thanks for the trip home.

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: A 1950's aerial view of the Motor Parkway Western Terminus in Fresh Meadows

Thanks Howard Kroplick and the VanderbiltCupRaces.com for sharing this information. I have the drafts of the biography Story by Varley P. Young @ Mars Inc. 919 N. Michigan Ave.,Chicago, IL. along with notes from Barney on this bio called The Barney Oldfield Story which was never finished. Never knew that Barneys scrap books were never returned. My Aunt Bessie had donated some scrap books to the Helms Hall of Fame which is now the LA84 Foundation https://la84.org/. Barney Oldfield, Master Driver of the World & America’s Legendary Speed King. Keeping American Automotive Racing History Alive!

From Greg O.'s Garage: From the Helck Family Collection: Barney Oldfield on Ormond Beach in his own words

hello some pictures of the engine of the L76 winner at Dieppe 1912

From The Peugeot EX3- Winner of the 1915 Vanderbilt Cup Race in San Francisco

Fresh Meadows, Queens.  Photographer looking northeast.
Union Turnpike, 73rd Ave., Horace Harding Blvd. (North Hempstead Turnpike).
North Hemstead Turnpike and 73rd Ave. Bridges.
Fresh Meadows Housing Development, originally built by New York Life Insurance Company in 1947 on the grounds of the Fresh Meadows Golf Club.
1930 PGA Championship (see article from the NY Times of Sept. 7, 1930) and the 1932 U.S. Open (see screen shots from You Tube video clips).
1950/1951 - apartment complex, bridges intact .

1932 U.S. Open video clip showing more of the Fresh Meadows Golf Club
https://youtu.be/DREZDPMZmaI

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: A 1950's aerial view of the Motor Parkway Western Terminus in Fresh Meadows

Looking northeast towards Little Neck Bay this is a view of the Fresh Meadows apartment complex bordered by 188th St.,Horace Harding Boulevard,Francis Lewis Boulevard,and 73rd Ave. The North Hempstead Turnpike and 73rd Ave. bridges over the defunct Motor Parkway are visible. The Kissena Corridor Park is under development. The apartment complex was built on the site of a golf course which hosted - I believe - the US Open;the grove of trees in the middle of the complex is a remnant of the course. This picture probably dates to the early 1950’s.

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: A 1950's aerial view of the Motor Parkway Western Terminus in Fresh Meadows

A view of Fresh Meadows looking North East at the LIMP terminus. The North Hempstead Turnpike and 73rd Avenue Motor Parkway Bridges can be seen in the photo taken sometime around 1950/51 and probably part of the Thomas Airviews aerials series.
The NY Life Insurance Company constructed the apartment complex on the old Fresh Meadows Country Club property in 1946 bounded by Horace Harding Blvd on the North and Francis Lewis Blvd. to the West.
This photo, complex and entire area was well documented by mystery photo #2 on January 15th, 2018.

https://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/mystery_friday_foto_2_an_aerial_of_the_motor_parkway_right_of_way_in_queens

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: A 1950's aerial view of the Motor Parkway Western Terminus in Fresh Meadows

Excellent info, Art. Hope you & yours are enjoying the retired life. But know you can devote more time to hobbies & interests : )

No one wants Horses to be worked to death, but I think there was a big push to construct the LIMP in time for the 1908 races. With the contractors & workers paying fines for mistreatment of horses, I’d like to think that the LIMP corporation would either pay the fines or reimburse the workers.

From Kleiner's Korner: And Now For Something Completely Different: Part 5 (Motor Parkway - 1907 - 1929)

After some research, found out that the differential gear “was invented in 1827 by Frenchman, Onésiphore Pecqueur. It was used first on steam-driven vehicles and was a well-known device when internal-combustion engines appeared at the end of the 19th century.”

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: Working on a 1906 Locomobile in Lake Success

Thanks Greg.  Always like your new posts as well!  Lot of good information out there.

From Kleiner's Korner: And Now For Something Completely Different: Part 5 (Motor Parkway - 1907 - 1929)

https://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/do_not_post_kleiners_korner_the_1905_locomobile_racer

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: Working on a 1906 Locomobile in Lake Success

Randy-
The second, backup Locomobile continued to also race for 2 years after 1906 and was eventually driven by Jim Florida at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup along with George Robertson driving the first Locomobile, Old 16 (currently at the Henry Ford museum).
At the end of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup race, spectators and touring cars swarmed the course before the race was over. When Jim Florida raced towards the finish line, he avoided a spectator and crashed the second Locomobile into a touring car that was on the course at the finish line. It is unknown if the car was ever rebuilt afterwards, but most likely not.

https://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/chaos_at_the_finish_of_the_1908_vanderbilt_cup_race

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: Working on a 1906 Locomobile in Lake Success

Does anybody know which Locomobile actually did what and when? We know of the one car existing, but which one is it and what happened to the other one? Multiple cars in a team have always presented this problem for historical fact. The Bothwell Peugeot L45 is an excellent example. History isn’t always clear on this point which is understandable.

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: Working on a 1906 Locomobile in Lake Success

Great post Art!
It’s a bit far from the LIMP, but I especially like the tidbit about Huntington Station. I live here and didn’t know about the name change, nor how the building of Pulaski Rd after 1912 changed the street layout around the station.

From Kleiner's Korner: And Now For Something Completely Different: Part 5 (Motor Parkway - 1907 - 1929)

It looks like a differential gear laying down in front of the racer. I was unaware differential’s existed this early in automobiles.

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: Working on a 1906 Locomobile in Lake Success

This photo, taken at Briarcliff manor, NY on April 24th, 1908, was what became of the first Allen-Kingston racer during a pre-race accident. Driver, and Chief engineer for A-K, Albert Campbell, was racing with Ralph DePalma as mechanician when the car hit the end of a log that flew up into the radiator and caused the car to pole vault into the water below. Both survived, although Campbell could not drive in that race due to injuries. A-K sent a second racer and DePalma drove in the event.

Photo from Joel Finn’s 2012 book, The 1912 Milwaukee races.

From Mystery Foto #37 Solved: The Allen-Kingston Racer during the 1909 Readville Races

It’s notable to add to this post that the committee that was convened to look into Oldfield’s broken Winton was not done so for arbitrary reasons. Oldfield, in his typical showmanship fashion, used this exact strategy in his many early races and exhibitions to stir up more excitement in the event with his ‘rigged’ exploits.
Was the Winton truly broken at Ormond that day? Being one of Barney’s buddies stole the report, we may never know!

From Greg O.'s Garage: From the Helck Family Collection: Barney Oldfield on Ormond Beach in his own words

Hi Howard:
Check out this cool photo Joe Tracey/Al Poole in the 9.27.1906 The Automobile.

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: Working on a 1906 Locomobile in Lake Success

A backup Locomobile also #12, interesting.

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: Working on a 1906 Locomobile in Lake Success