Vanderbilt Cup Races

I’m a little confused over something…
My guess for the date was based on the ALCO racing first in the Cobe Trophy Race, Indianapolis, Indiana, July 4, 1910, as car #27, and then as car #6 Elgin National Trophy Race, Elgin Road Race Course, Indiana, August 27, 1910.
I incorrectly thought that maybe they were still in Indianapolis in September to practice for the upcoming Vanderbilt Cup Race on October 1,1910 (with the number 18 on the car in preparation for the race)...

I noticed that faded 5 on the radiator also, and it threw me off a bit at first. (Maybe it could have been a radiator from another race car?) But that photo’s caption asks; “Did the Alco race bewteen October 1910 and May 1911?” and there’s where my confusion is, I didn’t assume the photo was practice for the 1911 Indy 500 because according to the Beast’s bio page on VCR, the ALCO raced as car #7 in the American Grand Prize, in Savannah, Georgia, on November 12, 1910. Wouldn’t the ‘remnant’ number left on the car from the previous race be a 7 and not the 18?

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: The Alco Racer Practicing at the Indy 500 Track

Howard,
    I spent much of my younger years (late 50’s - early/mid 60’s) riding my bicycle on the original dirt path from Massapequa Park to Bethpage Park with my neighborhood friends. We had to avoid many concealed traps left for us along the way in the Farmingdale area of the ride!
    The familiar paved pathway that exists today used to be a gravel police/fire road back then, too loose for us to pedal our bikes through. When I ride through there today I feel like I’m on a pedestrian superhighway!
    Thanks again for all your efforts regarding our Long Island history. I hope the Chrysler is coming along, and look forward to seeing you and John with the ALCO racer again in the future.

From Then & Now: The Bethpage Bikeway Section of the Motor Parkway in Old Bethpage

From Ariejan Bos:

It is obvious an Alco at Indianapolis (recognizable by the bricks and the grandstands). Probably we see the Alco before the Inaugural 500 Mile Indianapolis race, held in May 1911. The driver is of course Harry Grant. The mechanician is Frank H. Lee, who joined him in both Vanderbilt Cup races of 1909 and 1910. During the Elgin National Trophy in August 1911, Lee would drive an Alco himself, and Geo Babcock would join Grant (in his last race for Alco) as mechanician. The number 18 apparently is a remnant of the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup race, because the Alco wore number 19 during the Indy race.

The curious thing is that there is an official photo from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway circulating with the Alco wearing number 18 . This photo shows a kind of starting line up, is clearly shot at Indy (the bricks!), but it cannot be the main event because of the number18 (Eddy Hearne on Benz had this number)!?

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: The Alco Racer Practicing at the Indy 500 Track

All I can get out of this is that It’s #18 and looks like Hempstead Plains by the way the grandstand looks. The race I think was in 1910 on Oct 1. As for the driver and mechanician,this I"m not sure of either Grant and Lee and I also think they won the race. I might of mixed it up with another race. Probably batting O aren’t I?

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: The Alco Racer Practicing at the Indy 500 Track

What more can I say,but thanks for the fabulous update you give us

From Then & Now: The Bethpage Bikeway Section of the Motor Parkway in Old Bethpage

Howard,
I loved the article about the bikeway.  It’s a terrific way to keep the Motor Parkway in existence and also inform the public about the significance of the parkway.
Thanks for the great illustrations.
Roger Price

From Then & Now: The Bethpage Bikeway Section of the Motor Parkway in Old Bethpage

What a nice presentation!  Your usual great job.  Thanks!

Ken

From Then & Now: The Bethpage Bikeway Section of the Motor Parkway in Old Bethpage

During summer vacation in college in the late 1940s, I became interested in the Motor Parkway because it ran not far from my family’s house in Lake Success and with a friend from Great Neck High (what is now North), a friend, Edward S. Miller, I tracked its remnants as they ran over the Northern State Parkway on a bridge (since demolished) and then east through Nassau County.  A few years later, as a copyboy for the Daily News, I wrote an article about it for the Lincoln-Mercury Times, which their artist illustrated with watercolors.  I retain my interest, though I now live in Manhattan.  Miller lives in Washington, DC.  <[email protected]>

From Then & Now: The Bethpage Bikeway Section of the Motor Parkway in Old Bethpage

Harry could use some new Non-Skid tread tires.  Interesting shocks originally used.

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: The Alco Racer Practicing at the Indy 500 Track

-Identify the racer
1909 Alco-6 ‘BLACK BEAST’

-Identify the driver and mechanician
Harry Grant & Frank Lee

-Identify the track. What features helped you to identify the track?
Indianapolis Motor Speedway- Gotta be the bricks! Of course the grandstands help with an ID too.

-What month and year was this photograph taken?
Purely a guess, but maybe in September, 1910

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: The Alco Racer Practicing at the Indy 500 Track

Unless I’m way off base, it sure looks like Harry Grant along with mechanician Frank Lee driving the Alco Black Beast during a test run prior to the first Indy 500 in May, 1911. The brick roadway helped with the track ID.

From Mystery Foto #39 Solved: The Alco Racer Practicing at the Indy 500 Track

Great sporatic and detailed images covering the races!  The many photos are spectacular and interesting to see the changes of time. Thanks for sharing the fun

From Happy 105th Anniversary- The 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Really enjoying this series on the bridges Howard. I remember seeing some remains of the bridge at the intersection with Salisbury Park Drive back in the 1960’s. There was also a small section of LIMP roadbed still there at that time. My guess is that the bridge was demolished in the early 1950’s. Thanks for the great photos!

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #38: Westbury Road Bridge in East Meadow

You certainly know how to pick them Howard. I wouldn’t know what to pick for my favorite,because everything about it is my favorite,it’s a challange for the cars and drivers.everything about it is amaziing,how things happen during the race,you never know what’s going to happen next

From Happy 105th Anniversary- The 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

As always you keep us all informed about anything to do with the Vanderbilt Cup Races. Thanks for these photos and short race clip

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: 1915 Vanderbilt Cup Race Officials, Committee & Drivers in San Francisco

I didn’t get a chance to try to answer this one. I knew I’ve seen the person with his hand in his pocket,but didn’t know his name

From Mystery Foto #38 Solved: 1915 Vanderbilt Cup Race Officials, Committee & Drivers in San Francisco

From Harley N.

“Thank you as always for your research and passion for the LIMP.

But special thanks for shining a spotlight on Marty Himes; I have been through his museum and we discussed what will happen with this incredible collection down the road.  I hope a proper museum will accept his historic treasures.”

From Chrysler’s Chrysler Chronicle V: Summer's Progress

Nice write up Walt! Very informative and great pictures. Keep the updates coming, I can’t wait too see what’s next.
-Frank

From Chrysler’s Chrysler Chronicle V: Summer's Progress

Ron
To answer your questions - the car is receiving a total restoration. everything, all chassis components, engine etc will be gone through and restored as necessary. the main thing to prevent trapped moisture in the future is to keep the car in a space where there is little, and it is dry . For 50+ years the car was housed in damp concrete garages near a large body of water (Long Island Sound), there was never enough air circulating to dry out the moisture. It was cold and damp or warm and humid. The car is low mileage, so excessive wear in the engine isn’t anticipated, and it was running before it went into the shop for the work you see. being done.

From Chrysler’s Chrysler Chronicle V: Summer's Progress

I have one thing to say,which I don’t like to say and I think some of you know what I’m talking about. Thiings weren’t organized about the rout we were taking,the police escort,I think didn’t do such a good job,they didn’t wait for all the cars to go past before going to the next point,so some cars had to stop for red lights,whick included me and about three others plus John in the truck,so we all rushed thru the traffic to try to catch up,which couldn’t be done,they were to far ahead and made a turn and I didn’t know where to go,lucky I had directions,I found my way,passing right by you at the firehouse and hooked up with them again.There were cars trying to get in front of us,make turns,cross the intersections and we had our flashers and headlights on,they saw a gap between cars and went for it,not in front of me their not,gave them the horn and kept going.Hope I didn’t bore you but I thought you should know about it for the next time.There just wasn’t enough police for this Motor Parkway Drive

From Relive the Long Island Motor Parkway Sweepstakes This Sunday Throughout Nassau County