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The six Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island from 1904 to 1910 were the greatest sporting events of their day, and the first international automobile road races held in the United States. The races had a far-reaching impact on the development of American automobiles and parkways. This site provides comprehensive information on the races, the Long Island Motor Parkway and current Long Island automotive events, car shows and news.
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Co-Founder and Writer: Howard Kroplick
Co-Founder: Dana Kroplick
Website by Eric Miller Design
Site maintained by Hop Studios
Recent Comments
Revised answer: Roadways - Northern State Parkway with the Motor Parkway in the background.
From Mystery Friday Foto #27 Solved: The Motor Parkway Bridge over the Northern State Pkwy Under Construction
Lakeville Road Motor Parkway Bridge - the circular structure was used to form the curvature of the bridge. A crane was used to lift material into place.
The photo is the bridge west of Lakeville Road.
Lakeville Road
1931
From Mystery Friday Foto #27 Solved: The Motor Parkway Bridge over the Northern State Pkwy Under Construction
Robert Moses at work during the Great Depression in the early 1930s. Construction for Lakeville Road’s stone-arch bridge is underway. In the distance is Motor Parkway at grade level just 230 ft to the west. Motor Pkwy will get its own bridge as well. Northern State Parkway will be paved below grade after completion of the bridges. The photo year is just before 1933.
From Mystery Friday Foto #27 Solved: The Motor Parkway Bridge over the Northern State Pkwy Under Construction
Dear Howard
Regarding the Challenger.
I forwarded your story to a great Ford enthusiast.
He responded as follows
“Fascinating stuff. One reservation is the claim that they had a heavily-modified 289 in a car and ready to race by November 1962, when the 289 wasn’t out until 1964 - maybe it was a pre-production development.”
Can you confirm this?
Regards
Robert
From The Howard & Roz Kroplick Collection: Updated January 9, 2025
We are looking northeast in Greenvale as Felice Nazzaro makes a left turn from Northern Blvd. onto Glen Cove Road heading south in the #8 Fiat. This was during the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup race with the Bulls Head Inn in the background. Nazzaro, along with his mechanician, Antonio Forgnano (or possibly Fagnano), finished 6th. in this race.
From Mystery Friday Foto #26: Nazzaro Takes the Turn
Looks like Powell’s Hotel at Jericho corners! Hard to see on my phone. Will check again on my computer in a few days.
From Mystery Friday Foto #26: Nazzaro Takes the Turn
I’ll be 78 soon. I remember well when I was taken for a drive in what was a brand new 1964 and1/2 Mustang convertible with the 289 V-8. Wow!
From Autoevolution.com: Holman-Moody Challenger III: The Race-Bred Ford That Fought Ferrari Before the GT40
Marvin Panch drove in the NASCAR races at Bridgehampton in the mid ‘60s and I remember seeing his car, which had “Pancho” written above the driver’s door instead of his name.
From Autoevolution.com: Holman-Moody Challenger III: The Race-Bred Ford That Fought Ferrari Before the GT40
A wonderful story of some very special cars that deserves wider circulation.
Many thanks.
From Autoevolution.com: Holman-Moody Challenger III: The Race-Bred Ford That Fought Ferrari Before the GT40
Regarding Bill Bellmer’s recent passing, I never had the opportunity to meet him. His contributions in early advanced technology, and later, historic preservation of his hometown on Long Island has laid an educational path for future generations to experience and learn from. I would have called him friend. My condolences to the Bellmer family
From Sad News: Garden City News 6/18/26: William A. Bellmer: The Engineer Who Preserved a Village’s Memory
Regarding Bill Bellmer’s recent passing, I never had the opportunity to meet him. His contributions in early advanced technology, and later, historic preservation of his hometown on Long Island has laid an educational path for future generations to experience. I would have called him friend. It’s a sad time indeed, my condolences to the Bellmer family
From Historical Exhibits Featured at the Garden City Toll Lodge on Friday and Saturday
1. Harriet Quimby
2. Matilde Moisant
Moisant Aviation School, Garden City, about 1911. The Garden City Lodge was built in 1911. Not sure if it was built yet to appear in this sketch, or purposely left out.
https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/first-american-women-flight
From Mystery Friday Foto #25 Solved: The Planned Moisant School for Aviators Near Clinton Road, Garden City
Wow Brian! Great memory you’ve got there! It was my Grandfather who did indeed work for Sperry as a gyroscope engineer. I wondered the same thing when I read that, but sadly, there’s no way to confirm it now as both are gone.
I’ve met Bill a few times, most recently, about 4 years ago when he came to the waterfront to meet up with Howard and myself when we had uncovered some Camp Mills blueprints we wanted to give him. A nicer guy you would not meet! He will be missed. R.I.P. Bill.
https://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/greg_os_garage_newly_discovered_blueprints_of_camp_mills
From Sad News: Garden City News 6/18/26: William A. Bellmer: The Engineer Who Preserved a Village’s Memory
I also didn’t personally know Mr. Bellmer. Wow, he’s been a resident of Garden City for 85 years. I always looked forward to his shared knowledge here. We’ve a good group of minds here. He worked for Sperry. Recall Greg O. mentioning his father worked at Sperry. Possible that they knew of each other. May Mr. Bellmer RIP.
From Sad News: Garden City News 6/18/26: William A. Bellmer: The Engineer Who Preserved a Village’s Memory
Greg, The drawing is from 1911. It had to do with the appearance of the Moisant Aviation School at Roosevelt Field later that year. Founded by Alfred Moisant. the odd configuration of the the runways was due to Moisant had initially planned circular runways but that did not happen. Thats a pretty good picture of the Motor Parkway over Clinton Ave. at the bottom of the drawing. The first woman to receive a pilot license in the U.S. was Harriet Quimby who learned to fly at this field as did the second woman, Matilde Moisant. both in 1911. Harriet Quimby was first connected to the Vanderbilt Cup Races in 1906.
From Mystery Friday Foto #25 Solved: The Planned Moisant School for Aviators Near Clinton Road, Garden City
Not certain on this but here goes:
The concept drawing and year: Moisant School of Aviation, 1911
The Aviator behind the project: John B. Moisant, possibly brother Alfred
Any roads. Is the Motor Parkway in the drawing?: lower portion
First Female Aviator: Harriet Quimby: rode a Vanderbilt Cup Racer prior to the 1906 race
From Mystery Friday Foto #25 Solved: The Planned Moisant School for Aviators Near Clinton Road, Garden City
Concept drawing for Moisant Aviation school by John Moisant?
1911 was when the school opened.
I believe we are looking over Garden City/ Roosevelt field at the Old Country Road and Clinton road intersection on the left. The motor parkway is on the right, crossing over Clinton road.
The first female to receive a pilot’s license was Harriet Quimby, who after riding in a Vanderbilt Cup racer wrote an article about her experience in the magazine Leslie’s Illustrated weekly
From Mystery Friday Foto #25 Solved: The Planned Moisant School for Aviators Near Clinton Road, Garden City
That drawing was done by Vernon Howe Bailey in 1910 as a proposal for an oval runway in conjunction with the Moisant Aviation School. It was probably at the request of Alfred Moisant, the aviator behind the school. The LIMP runs from lower left to upper right with its curved bridge over Clinton Road. It’s posible that the black line running parallel to the LIMP on the right could be Stewart Avenue. Having learned to fly at the school, the first two women to receive a pilot’s license in the U.S. were Harriet Quimby (first) and Matilde Moisant (second), sister of Alfred.
From Mystery Friday Foto #25 Solved: The Planned Moisant School for Aviators Near Clinton Road, Garden City
I’ll take a stab at it and say its the Long Island Aviation Country Club. It was an exclusive private flying club that operated from 1929 to 1948 in what is now Levittown. I think Charles Lindbergh was a member and could have had something to do with its founding. One of the roads running top to bottom could be the Motor Parkway since it was adjacent to the field. Maybe Jerusalem Ave crossing under in the foreground?
From Mystery Friday Foto #25 Solved: The Planned Moisant School for Aviators Near Clinton Road, Garden City
I did not know Bill well, met him soon after he took on being the Garden City historian after my close friend Vincent Seyfried left that position. Vin and I were active in the Long Island Historians group and attended meetings together as I was (still continue to be) the historian for the Village of Floral Park. It was grand that Bill was able to digitize the Garden City collection as well as Vin Seyfreid’s post car collection. Thank you, Bill, for all your effort.
From Sad News: Garden City News 6/18/26: William A. Bellmer: The Engineer Who Preserved a Village’s Memory
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