Vanderbilt Cup Races

fantabulous to have such cars in 1900’s

From Question of the Day: Searching for Willie K's Oldest Surviving Car

Hi Howard,
This is Tom from the Bridgehampton Motoring Club. I just discovered your website here. Great stuff!
I went to the Vanderbilt Cup Races this past sunday. Very cold but a nice day indeed. I believe I spotted your GT350. It looked great. It’s been awhile and I did not spot you around the car though.
This site is great and I will have to spend some time looking through it all.
Thanks,
Tom M.

From Newsday Publishes Special Pullout on the Long Island Motor Parkway: October 20, 2008

Rob:

You are 100% correct.

For the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race, a large section of the course was on a newly-built Hempstead Turnpike. Last Wednesday night, Barack Obama and John McCain were on the very same road as the 1904 drivers in order to reach their debate site at Hofstra University.

Enjoy,

Howard Kroplick

From Question of the Day: What do Barack Obama and John McCain have in common with the 1904 drivers?

The answer: Barack Obama, John McCain and the drivers of the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race needed to use the Hempstead Turnpike to reach their October destinations. Right?

Rob H.

From Question of the Day: What do Barack Obama and John McCain have in common with the 1904 drivers?

I purchased an oil painting from Alfred Gabali West Denis on Cape Cod in 1954.  The artist wrote on the back of the picture “The Last Race between Vanderbilts Defender and Sir Liptons’ Shamrock in 1914.  Is this of value to you?

From Premium Vanderbilia Estimated Market Values

Joe:

Thanks for the post and your information on the mystery sign. Your signed book will be complimentary of Al and myself. See you at Book Revue in Huntington on October 30th!

Enjoy!

Howard

From Long Island Motor Parkway Suffolk County Mystery Photo

I’ve seen a picture with a sign like that and a smaller sign under it in another picture that was taken at a different angle further away which was at Wicks Road in Suffolk County dated about 1917 to 1920.
Great new book. See you at the book signing.
Regards,
Joseph

From Long Island Motor Parkway Suffolk County Mystery Photo

Judi:

Great to hear from you. Hope to see you at the Book Revue. Wine and cheese will be served!!

Enjoy,

Howard

From Long Island Motor Parkway Suffolk County Mystery Photo

Where do you find these things?  I do love the goggles!
Trying to get to Book Revue on the 30th
Best
Judi

From Long Island Motor Parkway Suffolk County Mystery Photo

George:

Please email me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or call me at 1-516-625-0123 and provide the details.

Enjoy!

Howard

From Film "The 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race"

Bernard Michael:

Wonderful post! I have a copy of the 1905 Ormond Beach film and will place it on the website in the near future. One link to the Shelby and the Vanderbilt Cup Races is that Carroll Shelby drove in the 1960 Cornelius Vanderbilt Cup Race held at Roosevelt Raceway.

Look forward to seeing you in October. I will be bringing my Shelby Mustang 1966 GT350H to the time trials at the Nassau County Museum of Art.

Howard

From Calling All Vanderbilt Cup Race Families

Hello Howard
Great to see the events before I miss them, I will try to get down this year and bring some of my collection of photos, and my GT350 proto-type!
I would love any photos and this web site is fantastic!! Great to see all the postings and excitement- my true love of motorsports, the people and the stories!- OH and the speed!!
Tell me how I could view the 1905 Ormond Beach film, See you in October!
Bernard Michael Shanley
PS - there seems to be a direct connection to the early VC racing and the Shelby GT350?? My best buddy Billy Andrews, is in Freeport, and has build more Shelby Cobra’s than any builder in the country!

From Calling All Vanderbilt Cup Race Families

Gerald:

Thanks for the comment. Check out the recent Old 16 video on the blog. After 100 years, Old 16 still can race!

Howard

From Old 16 Locomobile: The 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race Winner

Fascinating blend of Long Island history, geography and the “automobile” which is an integral part of American culture.  Unfortunately, I am travelling this wekend and the weekend of October 17, but will forward to my company’s professionals and staff who live on Long Island.

From Old 16 Locomobile: The 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race Winner

Richard:

I hope you enjoy it! The exhibit will be expanded with Vanderbilt Cup Race and Long Island Motor Parkway memorabilia, artwork and videos at the Nassau County Museum of Art on Friday,October 17th to Sunday, October 19th.

Howard

From New Exhibit on the Long Island Motor Parkway and Vanderbilt Cup Races at Roosevelt Field Mall

Looks really sharp.  I’m going to pay a visit this weekend, even tho’ I hate going to the mall.

From New Exhibit on the Long Island Motor Parkway and Vanderbilt Cup Races at Roosevelt Field Mall

The Long Island Motor Parkway Sweepstakes

To encourage as many cars on the course as possible for spectator excitement and involvement, three simultaneous races were run during both the 1909 and 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races; the Vanderbilt Cup Race, the Wheatley Hills Sweepstakes and the Massapequa Sweepstakes. The two sweepstakes were designed for smaller commercially-produced stock cars. The Wheatley Hills Sweepstakes cars were held to a minimum weight of 1,700 pounds and an engine displacement between 231 and 300 cubic inches. The Massapequa Sweepstakes cars were required to be at least 1,400 pounds with engine sizes ranging between 161 and 230 cubic inches.

The distance for the Wheatley Hills Sweepstakes was set for 15 laps or 189.6 miles while the Massapequa Sweepstakes was scheduled for 10 laps or 126.4 miles. Entry fees for both car categories were $250 with prizes of $1,000 for the winners. The Wheatley Hills Sweepstakes was scheduled to start an hour after the Vanderbilt Cup Race and the Massapequa Sweepstakes still another half-hour later.

The Massapequa Sweepstakes

The field for the Massapequa Sweepstakes was a mere five cars.

Billy Knipper, who drove valiantly in the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race, put his bright red Lancia, the only foreign car in the race, to good use. He leapt out to a minute lead over second place Bill Endicott’s Cole “30”  in the first lap.
The first lap was costly for Abbott-Detroit driver V. Padula, who hit a telegraph pole and added to the growing clutter of the Massapequa turn just after the Motor Parkway portion of the course. Padula was hospitalized for injuries and his car was severely damaged.

Knipper steadily widened his lead through the seventh lap when he accumulated nearly a 10-minute margin. But the Massapequa turn collected another victim when Knipper overshot the corner and slammed into another telegraph pole.  For the second time in a week, Knipper and mechanician, August Guishard, who were involved in the practice scrape with Bob Burman, were again launched from the seats of their Lancia. This time the landing wasn’t so easy on Knipper, who broke a leg in the fall. Adding to the event’s growing list of casualties, another spectator, Morris Levinson, was struck by the Lancia and suffered a broken leg as well.

With Knipper gone, Bill Endicott in the Cole “30” won by nearly 5 minutes over an Abbott-Detroit handled by Mortimer Roberts. A second Cole “30” driven by Louis Edmunds finished third. Endicott’s winning time was 2 hours, 18 minutes, 4 seconds for a speed average of 54.9 miles per hour.

From Vanderbilia: The 1910 Cole Plaque

Johannes:

Grandpa was Edward Parker who drove the #14 Fiat to a second-place finish in the 1909 Vanderbilt Cup. Here is an image of Parker driving during the race: http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/drivers/driver/parker .

This is also a link to Edward Parker’s driving record from 1909 to 1911: http://www.champcarstats.com/drivers/ParkerEdward.htm

I truly have a blast driving the 1966 Shelby Mustang GT350H and will bring it to the upcoming Centennial events on Long Island on September 14th and October 19th.

Enjoy!

Howard

From Calling All Vanderbilt Cup Race Families

Thank you so much for answering my question so quickly! Wow - you never know what you have. The book iteself is in perfect condition except for the cover and back (the cover came off, but I have it with the book). I will put this up in a safe place for my son when he gets older.

Thank you again!

Heather

From Vanderbilia Question: The 1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race Program Guide

Heather,

You have a beautiful piece of Vanderbilia and a family heirloom!

The “Official Program Score Card and Guide of the Second International Race for the William K. Vanderbilt, Jr., Cup” was published by the trade magazine The Automobile in 1905. The guide is distinguished by its 4-color cover featuring images of the Vanderbilt Cup and flags of the four participating countries; United States, France, Germany and Italy. It is very likely that your great-grandparent attended the 1905 race on Long Island and purchased the guide.

Originally sold for 25 cents, I estimate that this difficult to find 96-page guide would bring in $1,000 to $2,500 at an auction depending on its condition.

Howard Kroplick

From Vanderbilia Question: The 1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race Program Guide