Vanderbilt Cup Races

Hi Mitch:
Great catch! I have added the 1924 aerial and moved the “Northern State Parkway” aerial to its correct 1950 date. Thanks!

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series:#17 Old Courthouse Road Bridge- Manhasset Hills/North Hills

Montague Roberts was my great uncle.

From CSI Report:Montague Roberts and Robert Jardine in the 1905 American Elimination Trial

Year of the “1924 aerial” above is wrong (NSP didn’t exist in 1924).

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series:#17 Old Courthouse Road Bridge- Manhasset Hills/North Hills

hi

From Then & Now: The Annex to the Petit Trianon

I knew Pfund, he was a friend to the family for many years. I remember his Renault and his restoring of it.

From Walter McCarthy Collection: Ledyard Pfund's 1906/1907 Renault "Vanderbilt Racer"

The Lake Ronkonkoma Historical Society surely should have been aware of this travesty.

From Then & Now: The Annex to the Petit Trianon

From Billy:

“Thank you very much for the opportunity to be part of the history and preservation of the Vanderbilt Cup Races. As a second generation race driver and a student of auto racing history in particular sprint cars, midgets, champ dirt cars and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, my interest in the early American road racing history and auto racing history in general plays right in with the Vanderbilt Cup Races. Many great early automobile company’s and great race drivers of the era competed in these events. My interest in the Vanderbilt races stems from my interest in road racing and the two book Peter Helck wrote about the early road racing. These books are at my local library and I have checked them out often over the years and looks like I may be doing it again. I enjoyed thoroughly your site and thanks to my facebook friend I learned of your site. He recommended it. He and I are members of The Vintage Racer facebook site. I am looking forward to the newsletters and other information about this great American race. Yours for the sport and history. Billy

From Welcome to the New VanderbiltCupRaces.com!

From Rob:
“Howard, thanks for the update on the meeting my club was unable to attend do to charity event in PA this past weekend. Also I wanted to say how much I enjoy your site and seeing all the old pics of the motor parkway and how looking back I can’t believe that such an event was held right here on the island and how much things have changed. Thanks for such a great site”

From Over 150 Event Organizers Attend 2012 Presidents Car Club Council Meeting

From Dean H:

“Great work Howard, Class act all the way, we need more of this positive exposure!!!!”

From Over 150 Event Organizers Attend 2012 Presidents Car Club Council Meeting

From Art:

“Congratulations on the great purchase of the Chrysler.  Hope your garage has the room!  Does the car come with the license plate shown in the photos or any others?  I’m so glad someone with your integrity and commitment got it.”

From Press Release: Vanderbilt Museum Sells One-of-a Kind 1937 Chrysler

Hi John:

Good work!

As seen in this link, Billy Taylor may have driven an even different Alco in the California Races:

http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/images/dt6n.asp?un=2&pg=1&krequest=subjects+contains+Taylor,+Billy&stemming;=&phonic;=&fuzzy;=&maxfiles;=

From Can You Identify this Mystery Alco Racer?

From John Bayer:

Bill Taylor? 

California Alcos mentioned in the following links, the second mentioning a “Taylor” at Point Loma and San Fran in 1915:

http://books.google.com/books?id=1TwfAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA5-PA113&dq=alco+1910&hl=en#v=onepage&q=alco 1910&f=false (Page 10)
http://books.google.com/books?id=Mk4fAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA16-PA7&dq=alco+racer+1911&hl=en#v=onepage&q=alco racer 1911&f=false   (OCT 21, 1915, page 7 - Taylor, ALCO, Point Loma, 1915)


NOV 1914 Phoenix race and Taylor:

http://books.google.com/books?id=mfUiAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA928&dq=alco+racer+and+“los+angeles”&hl=en#v=onepage&q=alco racer and “los angeles”&f=false

Good coverage of the Point Loma race:

http://books.google.com/books?id=PIVMAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA77&dq=alco+and+taylor&hl=en#v=onepage&q=alco and taylor&f=false

FEB 11, 15, “William Taylor in the veteran ALCO”, page 14:

http://books.google.com/books?id=7UofAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA4-PA14&dq=alco+and+“william+taylor”&hl=en#v=onepage&q=alco and “william taylor”&f=false

Maybe some leads here?

John

From Can You Identify this Mystery Alco Racer?

I was given a Sandy Hollow NY badge back in the late 1970’s by a man who was smitten with me.  I have a brother who is a retired fire captain who served in Mayfield Hts. , Ohio.  That is why he gave me the badge; assuming I’d treasure it.  I don’t know the history.  Where can I find out about this badge?

From Austin Clark Jr's Sandy Hollow Fire Department Badges

I live around the block from this bridge.  Always went down there when we were younger and would ride our bikes along to Shelter Rock Road.  It is very overgrown today, but still standing! Amazing to see pictures from the 1920s, thank yoU!!

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series:#17 Old Courthouse Road Bridge- Manhasset Hills/North Hills

From Ken P:
“Howard - Fascinating article, but no mention of the Vanderbilt races on Long Island among the road races at the time. While not a pure speed competition, the crowds that they attracted certainly had to be among the competitors to the beach races. Do you know how big the crowds were at the other races mentioned (Savannah, Milwaukee, etc)

From The Dawn of Speed: The Ormond-Daytona Automoble Races

CREAT PICTURES. THANKS HOWARD

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series:#17 Old Courthouse Road Bridge- Manhasset Hills/North Hills

The plate would be a 1911 NY issue stamped steel, white characters on maroon background. The 1910 plates had riveted characters, 1912 porcelain , and then stamped steel again from 1913 on. I’ve got a decent example of a similar plate 1911 mfg plate in my collection if someone would like to see a modern photo of such an example.

From The Alco Practicing for the 1911 Indy 500: The License Plate & Mystery Car

Hi James:

I added a 2003 photo showing the pavement and concrete extension near the bridge.

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series:#17 Old Courthouse Road Bridge- Manhasset Hills/North Hills

a very beautiful and unique automobile. Can’t wait to see completed photos of the restored car.

From Press Release: Vanderbilt Museum Sells One-of-a Kind 1937 Chrysler

I am far from an expert or even know what I am talking about but after reading the information and known history of the Alco and the mystery photo could be in the L.A. area is there a chance that perhaps this is a replica car as indicated and perhaps the location of the photo could be at one of the original Ascot Speedway’s? There was one around the 1910 era. Maybe the driver is not actually a competition driver but perhaps a ‘test driver’ or a sales rep for Alco? Just a thought from the ‘peanut gallery’.

From Can You Identify this Mystery Alco Racer?