Vanderbilt Cup Races

Andy Hartwell… I know this blog is 6+ yrs old, but visit the “suffolkcountyny.gov” website ( imaps ). Motor Parkway E/O Old Nichols Rd specifically. I measured between property lines on either side of the parkway at various points, and 100 ft is the average distance ( which just happens to be the original width of the entire LIMP ROW ). Pretty much every house on either side of the parkway has anywhere between 30 to 40 ft extra front yardage in this area because the original LIMP ROW remained established. The imaps go back as early as 1947 and up to 2013. The parkway width appears original in 1947, and widened of course in 2013. In this area, I think the parkway wasn’t diverted from it’s original path.

From Then & Now: The Ronkonkoma Lodge

From Pamela Hirschhorn:

Happy New Year Howard,

Thank you for such an informative and fun newsletter ( my, am I showing my age! ).
I had the pleasure of coming of age on Long Island, enjoyed the 75th anniversary of the Vanderbilt Cup, had the pleasure of meeting Austie, and learning about brass from Les Cutting.

I am now living in Harrisburg, PA, right in between the hollowed grounds of Hershey and the very popular Carlisle. I have been hosting an online calendar of events, http://www.northeastwheelsevents.com for 6 years. The calendar encourages enthusiasts to explore more of their hobby through museums and events outside their normal interests. This is why we need people like you to reach out to new enthusiasts by posting your events, events which feature brass and pre-war history, and historic lectures. These listings are free.  In season, an average of 2,000 active enthusiasts visit the calendar. We need to get more of these people to look beyond their ‘57’s, muscle and tuners. As I am sure you know, look at the attention you get when you display your fine collection at different events.

Time is running out the pass our passions onto the next generation. Every post is important. List and share your 2017 events now so people can plan to attend.  Invite your friends to help pass the torch and list their events. Let’s get the next generation involved before all of our cars end up as specimens in a museum.

Thank you for your help in keeping our history alive,
Pam Hirschhorn
site manager

Go to http://www.northeastwheelsevents.com/events and click ” add “
Be sure to upload a photo and post your links.

From The Top Twenty-Five 2016 Posts on VanderbiltCupRaces.com

Howard,
This is a little late, but nevertheless sincere congratulations on your award.  Sheila and I wish you and your family a safe, healthy and happy New Year.
Rog

From The Roslyn Times: Local historian wins award

Wow, what a treat!!!!  I loved the last race of Joe Tracy and Old 16 not to mention the fantastic piano music.  Many thanks to Wally McCarthy and Howard Kroplick.
Rog

From Helck Family Collection: "The Most Thrilling Race I Have Ever Seen" by Barrett H. Clark, Jr.

Hi all,hope you had a great New Years. These pics are great,what memories they bring back of the past year and probably more to come this year,and will go on and on as always and will be remembered.

From The Top Twenty-Five 2016 Posts on VanderbiltCupRaces.com

Happy and Healthy New Year to all Motor Parkway and Vanderbilt Cup Races enthusiasts.  Glad to report I’ve generated some interest among some of my friends in our efforts and hope to do more info sharing in 2017.  Actually one member of my New Year’s Eve group mentioned he saw Howard’s post about my most recent tour and saw my name.  He’s been interested in the Parkway since being a LILCO foreman and used their survey maps for work related activities.  He’s traveled most of the right of ways in Nassau which he quickly realized an old road existed in many places and hence the interest.  His wife bought him Howard’s Motor Parkway book (Howard, she even got you to autograph it being sending it out) and has been a avid follower of the blog.  Too bad he doesn’t have access to the surveys anymore.

Sorry for the diversion, back to the mystery photo.
Who owned all three automobiles? How was he linked to the Vanderbilt Cup Races?
Willie K!  Obvious connection.

Identify the three automobiles and their significant accomplishments, if any.

on left - 60HP Mors - won the 1903 Eagle Hill Rock Climbing Contest in West Orange, NJ. Also broke the record for the one-mile hill climb.

on right - 1900 23HP Daimler Phoenix (“White Ghost”) - won 3 of the 5 mile races in Aquidneck Park, RI.

in middle - 1902 40HP Mercedes Simplex - Broke the kilometer speed record in 1902.

From Mystery Foto #53 Solved: A Rare Look Inside William K. Vanderbilt Jr.'s Long Island Garage in 1904

Mystery Foto# 53… The three auto shown were owned by Willy K who, of course, was the founder of the Vanderbilt Cup Races. The car to the left was a 1902 Mors, the middle car was a 1904 Mercedes 90hp and the car on the right was a 1904? Renault. Some or all of these cars were used as race cars, hill climbers and course patrol cars.
Here is a quote regarding the Mercedes.
“In the early hours of 27 January 1904, a Mercedes 90 hp car was racing over the flat sandy beach of Ormond-Daytona in Florida. After a small number of test runs William Kissam Vanderbilt jr., affectionately known in the media as “Willie K.”, had set off on a record-breaking trip across the sands. The millionaire from New York, had a good feeling at the wheel of his racing car supplied by the German Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG). The racing driver’s confidence was borne out when the eight timers clicked their stopwatches: 39 seconds for the flying mile was the official result. This corresponded to 92.3 miles per hour (148.54 km/h), marking an absolute world record for land vehicles”.

From Mystery Foto #53 Solved: A Rare Look Inside William K. Vanderbilt Jr.'s Long Island Garage in 1904

Well, let’s see: who would have been wealthy enough to own three racers in 1904 on Long Island and be able to store them inside a building? Can only think of one person: Willie K. himself, creator of the Vanderbilt Cup Races. The photo was probably taken at his Deepdale estate. I think car #1 is the 1902 70 hp MORS “Z” which Willie K. drove to a 3rd. place finish in the “Circuit des Ardennes Race” in July, 1902. Car #2 could be the 1903 MERCEDES that he used to establish the 1 mile land speed record at Ormond Beach in January, 1904. Car #3 looks like another MORS.

From Mystery Foto #53 Solved: A Rare Look Inside William K. Vanderbilt Jr.'s Long Island Garage in 1904

Love the film!  Nice seeing those “modern” 1940’s cars also.  Shows perspective.

From Mystery Foto #52 Solved: Old 16 at the 1946 VMCCA Jubilee Anniversary at the Mineola Fair Grounds

Howard,
Thanks for listing my Vanderbilt Cup Race Parking Ticket as one of your top 25 posts picks!  Quite an honor!  Hopefully this year will continue to bring on new and exciting discoveries - Wishing you and the rest of the Vanderbilt Cup Races family a Happy and Healthy New Year!

From The Top Twenty-Five 2016 Posts on VanderbiltCupRaces.com

In 1904 there were scant few folks who would have the means to own three automobiles and keep them in a quite stunning large garage.  One was Willie K, and after poking around it appears they were all throttled by him at one point.

The car on the left is the 1902 60-hp Mors automobile which he ran int he 1902 Paris-Vienna Race, finished third in the 1902 Belgian Circuit des Ardennes Race and won the Eagle Rock Hill Climbing Contest in West Orange NJ in 1903.

The middle auto is a Mercedes, I’d believe the 1904 Ormond Beach one mile LSR 90 h-p Mercedes which ran 92.3 mph on the sands and held the world LSR for a time.

The car on the right I’d at first thought was a Franklin, but Willie K never had such a beast.  It was his 1900 23 h-p Daimler “White Ghost” which he raced to an average 33 mph in several 1900 5 mile races.

So all are raced cars, though not necessarily race cars.

From Mystery Foto #53 Solved: A Rare Look Inside William K. Vanderbilt Jr.'s Long Island Garage in 1904

I grew up and still live about a quarter mile from “Hoeffner Corner,” the original sight of the “Noon Inn.”  I remember as a kid playing with family and friends around and even inside the inn, which I believe no longer had its front porch and had construction equipment out back.  Until now I had never seen photos of the building on its original sight and always wondered whether any existed.  Thanks for posting!
_______________________________________________________
From Howard Kroplick:
John, I was raised on Hemlock Avenue in East Meadow. My friends and I always thought the building was haunted!

From Hammond's History: A 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race Parking Space Ticket at Pratt's Farm in Westbury

Great stuff, Howard!

Here are a couple of First Super Speedway links with additional information featuring Eddie Hearne:

http://www.firstsuperspeedway.com/articles/remy-brassard-and-speedway-helmet-races

http://www.firstsuperspeedway.com/articles/hearne-wins-speedway-helmet-burman-take-gj-trophy

Happy New Year!

From Driver of the Week: Eddie Hearne (1909, 1910 and 1915 Vanderbilt Cup Races)

Looks like Willie K’s garage. The two on the left appear to be his 1902 60hp Mors, and his 1903 90hp Mercedes from the 1904 Ormond-Daytona races in the middle. Unsure about the car on the right. Maybe a Renault?

From Mystery Foto #53 Solved: A Rare Look Inside William K. Vanderbilt Jr.'s Long Island Garage in 1904

Happy Holidays to all, and a safe and healthy 2017. Keep on motoring!

From Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and a Wonderful 2017!

What a memorable race that was.Enjoying all these oldies but goodies,can never get enough of it

From Mystery Foto #52 Solved: Old 16 at the 1946 VMCCA Jubilee Anniversary at the Mineola Fair Grounds

I remember that coin changer,I used one when I was a driver for Good Humor Ice Cream,way back when?

From The Motor Parkway Toll Collection Structures:#19 and #20 The Ronkonkoma Toll Gate & Ronkonkoma Lodge

Howard, you’ve taught us and entertained us and we are very grateful to what you’ve brought to the table about Long Island and its great cars, and what it is like to restore a great car.  Have a very happy Chanukah!

Ron

From Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and a Wonderful 2017!

From:

From Ariejan Bos:

It took me a great effort to find out on which track the cars were racing, in which I succeeded finally by finding on the internet this tiny picture of the Mineola Fair race course. Only to find out next that all information about the event was on your website! Anyway:

This event was on June 8, 1946, but probably not because of the 50th Anniversary of the Veteran Motor Car Club of America, which was founded in 1938. 50 years of American automotive history (1896-1946) seems to be more likely.

The races were held at the Mineola race track and we see Locomobile Old No.16 with Joe Tracy at the wheel and Peter Helck’s son Jerry as his ‘mechanician’ (well, that’s my guess). The car on the left is the 1911 Breese Special, which won this race by the way.

I have no idea what has replaced race track, but I have two assumptions: 1. houses; or 2. golf course.

Too late to wish everybody a Merry Christmas, but in time to wish you all a happy and healthy New Year 😊

From Mystery Foto #52 Solved: Old 16 at the 1946 VMCCA Jubilee Anniversary at the Mineola Fair Grounds

This brings back memories to me. Dad had a 1937 Chrysler with that overdrive. We didn’t know it had overdrive until one day we tried to push start it. pushing it wouldn’t turn the engine. A friend told us to pull out that choke like knob to push start it. When it was in overdrive the car was (free wheeling). It would coast downkill.

From The 1937 Chrysler Automatic Overdrive