Vanderbilt Cup Races

From the New York Times Blog:
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/1909-alco-6-race-car-still-roars/#comment-112463

The success this ALCO - 6 Race Car had in the Vanderbilt Cup Races in 1909 and 1910 is such a wonderful piece of history for Long Island. This is truly a must see for any automobile or history buff!

— Frank Krawiecki

From New York Times Wheels Blog "1909 Alco-6 Race Car Roars"

From the New York Times Wheels Blog:
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/1909-alco-6-race-car-still-roars/#comment-112299

This machine must be seen to be appreciated. It is truly massive and a work of art. Strangely, owner Howard Kroplick appears to have been born behind the wheel at speed yet.

— Guy Frost

From New York Times Wheels Blog "1909 Alco-6 Race Car Roars"

From the New York Times Wheels Blog:

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/1909-alco-6-race-car-still-roars/#comment-112447

Dan, you really captured the experience of driving the Black Beast!

The misspelled “Bête Noir” logo was placed on the racer for the 1911 Elgin National Trophy Race, the last major race in which it competed:
http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/blog/article/saturday_march_14_2009_the_alco_black_beasts_last_great_race

Enjoy,

Howard

From New York Times Wheels Blog "1909 Alco-6 Race Car Roars"

I own an Effyh as pictured.  I acquired it in 1976 in Southern Illinois. The engine & gearbox were removed when it was owned and raced by Bill Rutan. in New England…I purchased them from him in about 1978 and the numbers matched those on the nameplate.  With the exception of missing suspension covers, the car appears to be identical, down to the rollbar details.

Does anyone have the data on the car shown, or its history after Kotchian?  Bill may be able to shed some light on this…where he got it and who it went to next.  1951 to 1976 owners are missing.

From Grand Prix Motors Mystery Solved!

Crowd control was non-existant in those days; it looks almost like a crowd at a modern bicycle race.

From Three More Spectacular 1904 Photos

Please ask Robin Kotchian if she has any recollection of what happened in the years following Fitch at Brlidgehampton in 1951. An Effyh (which I’ve owned for many years) was resurrected from the horse barn at Brynfan Tyddyn in 1954 by Jack DuPont and I purchased the car from Senator Wood’s estate after he did a major rebuild.

From Grand Prix Motors Mystery Solved!

Hi Robin:

Thanks for checking in. Do you have any more details or photos of your father’s wonderful tow-car?

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/blog/article/wednesday_july_15_2009_the_futuristic_tow-car_in_bridgehampton_in_1951

Enjoy,

Howard

From Grand Prix Motors Mystery Solved!

Do we know what time the AutoX will start this Sunday?

From Update on Second Annual Vanderbilt Autocross and Concours on Sunday, July 26th

This is beyond cool.  Always wanted a pic of my dad in one of his cars.  Thanks!

From Grand Prix Motors Mystery Solved!

Yes, EMRA (http://www.emraracing.org) still owns the rights to the V. Cup name. The licensing to Champ Car was not transferrable, so when it was acquired by Indy Car, the license ended. Indy Car has expressed an interest in licensing but has never come up with a substantial proposition.

From A CART Vanderbilt Cup Sighting in 2007

to hell with the effyh, what is the tow car???

From The Racer on the Trailer at Bridgehampton in 1951

tfman54 writes:

As a veteran of several Bridgehampton Historic Rallys….we run a lap over the old road course at every event it was great seeing one of the original races of the fifties. wish I could have been there but had to settle for the race circut events of the 1960s Thanks again for this excellent AUTOMOBILIA

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: Film "The Bridgehampton Cup Race June 9, 1951"

Howard…Like Topsy, this thing is growing.  Jim McAllister was a dear pal, and a wonderful driver during his VSCCA days.  I remember when I was president of the VSCCA, I used to worry about such an old guy driving such hot cars…particularly the Maserati.  Now that I am in that age bracket, it doesn’t seem very old at all.  He was indeed a Ferrari dealer, and imported I believe the first Boxer into this country.  It was a totally illegal car, as it didn’t comply with emissions or safety requirements, so he couldn’t sell it. But he used to love to slap dealer plates on it, take it on the LIE at about three in the morning, and just open ‘er up.  It is nice to know that his son, a VSCCA member, runs the tug company, and was at the helm of one of his tugs when it recently nudged the totally refurbished USS Intrepid back into its birth on Manhattan’s Hudson River.

From In Search of "Grand Prix Motors" and Its Amazing Tow-Car

Hi Howard, Thank you for digging up information on the film! It’s all very interesting.  Regards,  Walter

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: Film "The Bridgehampton Cup Race June 9, 1951"

Howard:  Congrats!!!  Be well. Tom

From First Edition of "Vanderbilt Cup Races of Long Island" Sells Out

Hi Whitney:

I would suggest contacting the Manhasset Library and the Greentree Foundation for more information on your family.

Name: Greentree Foundation
Street: 220 Community Drive
Manhasset, ny 11030-3814
Phone: (516) 627-0801

http://www.nassaulibrary.org/manhass/

Enjoy,

Howard

From Six Degrees of Separation: The Vanderbilt Cup Races and the New York Mets

Huntley:

The Locomobile factory was taken down in 1967 and became a powerplant. It is now part of the Bridgeport Energy LLC complex:

http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF-8&q=Bridgeport+Energy+LLC&fb=1&split=1&gl=us&cid=12385107294103545942&li=lmd

Here is the 1946 film of the Jubilee:

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

Enjoy,

Howard

From Joe Tracy and Old 16's Last Great Victory

Hi John and Gene:

Thanks for your positive comments!

FYI, pieces of the Motor Parkway and several concrete posts are still near the Clinton Road Bridge location. The Garden City Lodge has been preserved and has been relocated to Seventh Avenue in the village of Garden City.

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

Enjoy,

Howard

From Then & Now: The Motor Parkway Around Roosevelt Field

Hi Jim:

I am sure they do. You can contact the organizer Jay Corn at 1-516-829-6419 .

Enjoy,

Howard

From The Alco-6 Racer will be Featured at the 25th Annual Great Neck Plaza Festival

Hi Guy:

Thanks for the information. The owner of that EFFYH is the handsome gentleman in the photo in this post:

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/blog/article/thursday_july_16_2009_the_racer_on_the_trailer_at_bridgehampton_in_1951

Enjoy,

Howard

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: Film "The Bridgehampton Cup Race June 9, 1951"