Vanderbilt Cup Races

Attended the Network Challenge show Filming in East Meadow Sonic on Saturday.
There were six classic cars on display for the filming of the reality show.
Had a great time, thanks Howard for putting the information out.

From Producer Dan Bonaventre is looking for 6-8 classic cars for a network challenge show

Looking east, over Garden City
The Motor Parkway is curving from left to right in the middle of the picture. 
Major roads - Old Country Road, Stewart Avenue, Osborne Road, Wertherill Road Airfield - Roosevelt Field
Buildings - Hangers, Curtiss Engineering Corp. 
Motor Parkway Clinton Road Bridge, General Managers Office, Garden City Lodge
1931
Keystone B-5 Bomber (my guess)

From Mystery Friday Foto #16 Solved: A 1918/1919 Historic Roosevelt Field Aerial from the Cradle of Aviation

Glad to hear you are coming around better, all the best to you Howard.

From Update Sunday, 6/29/2025: Rehab Update: Rehab at 90% Healing

Cool Stuff.
Marty knew my father and his brothers who all raced at Islip. He even tracked done some great pictures for me. It was fun to get to know him and hear the stories of the Tures Brothers.

From Marty Himes at the Vanderbilt Cup Races Grandstands in Levittown

Mystery Foto: Looking east on Stewart Av. in Garden City. Clinton Rd. crosses Stewart, going right to left in the picture. Roosevelt Field in the background.

From Mystery Friday Foto #16 Solved: A 1918/1919 Historic Roosevelt Field Aerial from the Cradle of Aviation

What a great picture. 

To start, the camera faces northeast.  First thing I seem to focus on in Pell Terrace in Garden City coming into Clinton Rd.  It is a bright looking undefined line from the middle left of the picture.  Just a hair above it is the LIMP.  It clearly crossed the Clinton Rd bridge, passing the LIMP manager’s office, and the Garden City Toll Lodge.  It continues to bend, soon straightening itself out for a direct run east towards the Meadowbrook Lodge.  Hazelhurst Field is the NE of the parkway.  There are so many buildings in this picture.  Further north we see the old hangers that were along Old Country Rd.  Just behind the wing of the plane taking the picture is Stewart Ave heading east. 

As a side note, I went to the Nassau County Land Records site.  They no longer have the 1926 ariel picture available to see.  I was going to use it to help me date this picture.  How disappointing !!!

I say this picture is old.  1920 ish.  Due to the fact the plane taking the picture looks like a bi-plane.  And the streets of Garden City are not yet developed.  And the runways at Hazelhurst or not yet clearly defined. 

Finally, if you have super duper eyesight, there is a bright spot on the picture at the exact spot of the “mayian ruins.”

Thanks again.

From Mystery Friday Foto #16 Solved: A 1918/1919 Historic Roosevelt Field Aerial from the Cradle of Aviation

Just read this…glad to hear the recovery is going well and all the best the rest of the way.

From Update Sunday, 6/29/2025: Rehab Update: Rehab at 90% Healing

Mark- you’ll understand the full story when I do the specific SSJ post. But Gable and Cooper both had supercharged J’s before EL Cord gave them both Duesenberg SSJ’s to help promote Duesenberg which was having a depression sales problem by that time. And yes, while Gable never did pay for his, Copper did finally pay for his.

There are well known stories of traffic light drag races between Gable and Cooper often getting challenged by Groucho Marx in his Mercedes SSK. Cooper had his modified to beat Groucho.

From Mystery Friday Foto #14 Solved: A Special Duesenberg SSJ

Great post.  Thank you.

From Checkmate Magazine: Days of Thunder- Long Island's Vanderbilt Cup Races

enough allready with the embargo!  when Fidel showed his devil horns we should of sent the marines in,saying he is worse than the guy he replaced.  But Eisenhower put a sugar embargo inviting Russia to influence Castro. this should of been done years before Bay Of Pigs when Castro was not established with his secret police, etc.  It would of been easy, right and Just.

From Two Videos: Mission to Cuba and The Classic Cars of Cuba

A correction! this is Clark Gable’s 1935 Model JN, maybe SJN.10 were made in 1935, if this was a supercharge model, it would be known as SJN model.
There was 2 SSJ models, the first was sold to Gary Cooper in 1935, the other was LENT by the company to Clark Gable a good customer in 1936.

From Mystery Friday Foto #14 Solved: A Special Duesenberg SSJ

Howard wonderful news Continued good vibes and looking forward to seeing you back on the road again soon Jerry and Rita

From Update Sunday, 6/29/2025: Rehab Update: Rehab at 90% Healing

Congratulations that’s the perfect and appropriate home for Tucker # 51 Hope to see it sometime JeRita

From Mike Tucker, Sean Tucker and Rob Ida's Newly Acquired Tucker #51

The track was called the 16th Street Speedway, located directly across from turn 2 of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The track closed in 1959 and no longer exists.
Hansen was nicknamed the “Firecracker Kid” because he loved to throw the explosive devices under chairs and behind people who were gathered in groups.
The “Crew Carwash” is on the location of the former “Johnny Williams Auto Company” located at 1219 North Merdian Street.
The poster was from 1947, it was a preview of the 1948 Tucker, which also did laps at the Motor Speedway.

From Mystery Friday Foto #15 Solved: A Vintage 1948 Race Poster

It is the thrill of my life to finally own a Tucker Automobile! I’m over the moon for my son’s, The Idas and myself.

From Mike Tucker, Sean Tucker and Rob Ida's Newly Acquired Tucker #51

This is the Clark Gable’s Dusey! Note, the bumper is different, a couple of hood scoops on each side, regular wheels with hubcaps, rear fender skirts. The Friday Mystery Foto Solved? Most likely Gary Cooper’s Duesy?

From Mystery Friday Foto #14 Solved: A Special Duesenberg SSJ

Wow what a full circle story.
Congratulations to the Tucker team on the purchase of #1051
Can’t wait to see it in person

From Mike Tucker, Sean Tucker and Rob Ida's Newly Acquired Tucker #51

The thing to remember about Duesenbergs is that they were basically all built less coach work in 1929. At that point there were no Super Charged cars, only the J model. Some of the early cars were fitted with Super Chargers later. Many at that point were customized or re-bodied. In California there were many Duesenbergs and after 1933 when Walter Murphy closed its doors many Murphy bodies were altered. Automobile styling had drifted away from the classic clam shell front fenders to the more modern shaped Cord 810 styled fenders. Like Rolls Royce, the Duesenberg out lasted there original styling. Hence shops survived updating the designs. There were still some of these active in 1960 when I started at Art Center School. It was great fun to visit them. It was about this time when Bill Harrah started bringing his classic cars to these old school craftsmen in So Cal to do the restoration work. It was kind of the best of two worlds in those days.

From Mystery Friday Foto #14 Solved: A Special Duesenberg SSJ

Sorry Howard, I don’t know nuffin. However the invitation is still on the table for you to send one of your cars to the Fort Bragg California’s, annual Father’s Day Car Show. Come join us.
Shawn

From Mystery Friday Foto #15 Solved: A Vintage 1948 Race Poster

That poster was (obviously) for the West 16th. Street Midget Raceway that was located directly across the street from turn 2 of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana. Sadly, the track closed in 1959 and was later demolished for a shopping center. There is a huge parking lot there today. Mel Hansen was known as the “Firecracker Kid” not for his racing ability but for often throwing lit firecrackers at people. 1219 North Meridian Street is now occupied by Crew Car Wash. The date of the poster is probably late 1947 or early 1948 because of the “Coming Soon” notation for the Tucker.

From Mystery Friday Foto #15 Solved: A Vintage 1948 Race Poster