Vanderbilt Cup Races

Howard, The photos are great and the movie.
You are truly the right person to have this
car, because you let others have fun with it!

Take care,  Cathy Ball

From The Alco Black Beast: 2010 Smiles and Thumbs-Up

From Roger P:

Wonderful pix of young and old enjoying your Black Beast, Howard…thanks for sharing it so generously with others.

From The Alco Black Beast: 2010 Smiles and Thumbs-Up

Long Islanders have to find a way to bring the trophy back to Long Island and to the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum for permanent display—-or even a temporary display——if not this year—-then in 2014 for the 110 anniversary of
Willie K’s land speed record. Who has the contact at the Smithsonian ?? Let me know and I will give it my best effort to make it happen.

From Upclose: The Vanderbilt Cup Trophy in 2002

Howard:
What a beautiful work of art.  Thank you for sharing.  Happy Holidays to you and your family!

From Upclose: The Vanderbilt Cup Trophy in 2002

Congratulations, Howard…on your generous assistance with the REO.  Maybe one of these days, we will see you driving it too, if you can tear yourself away from La Bête Noire!

From Vanderbilt Museum Announces New Automobile Addition to Its Exhibit

Interesting as always - are there any more photos of the Lincoln. As it has non-factory fenders, It must be a one-off custom. Thanks again Hugh

From Vanderbilt Museum Announces New Automobile Addition to Its Exhibit

This is the update from our efforts

http://libn.com/blog/2010/11/19/left-turns/

  Please join and remember spread the word & stay united…
  http://www.limotorsports.org

From LI Business News "LI Votes for a Race Track" & Film "LI Drag Racing"

Hi Howard,
What a big surprise to see the erroneous first name engraved on the cup for Hémery! It’s a funny point of the history that I didn’t know! Thanks a lot!

From Upclose: The Vanderbilt Cup Trophy in 2002

Kathryn W:

Hi I am writing to you from England UK.
I have been tracing my family tree and Herb Lytle married my 3x great aunt Gertrude Fanny Harbord. I see that her son is still alive, please could you pass on my e mail to her son and ask if he would contact me.
Kind Regards

From A Request from the Son of the Winner of the First Motor Parkway Race: Herb Lytle

The rich heritage of Long Island and motorsport is now all but forgotten. The idea to REV UP the East End again would be amazing!
I saw my first race ever at Bridgehampton and IT was the root of my current fascination and fixation for CARS.

From LI Business News "LI Votes for a Race Track" & Film "LI Drag Racing"

Howard, thank you for the Newsletter - What a great idea! It’s the perfect place because of Long Island’s extensive Motorsports history -

Our company Gilbert Art has been involved in three Concours d’Elegance in Bridghampton and created the original art for the last Event Program Cover in 2007 - we have always hoped for a revival of premier car racing in LI -

Of course the track should be built to host F1, Indy, Nascar, Concour’s and Vintage road races - this will attract the largest possible fan base from New England to FLorida -

Plus it would need to host winter events, such as Arts & Culture programs beyond sports - and it should become an active and interested entity in the concerns and aspirations of the local communities

Finally, it will need to attract the diversity of urban demographics - including people of color women, seniors, and the digital natives - 

FYI - In 2011, the city of Baltimore will host an IZOD Indycar race - a good start in attracting an east coast urban population -

I’m sure the planners will consider the expertise of the preeminent racetrack designer - Architect,Paxton Waters in Carmel, Indiana - 317 566 8332 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Thanks again Howard - keep me in the loop -

Linda Jones
President, The Gilbert Art Group, Inc.

From LI Business News "LI Votes for a Race Track" & Film "LI Drag Racing"

Hi Ken:

Great observation!

A condition of competing in the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race was as follows:

“That no car shall be allowed to compete for the cup whose weight shall exceed 2,204 pounds, or under 881 pounds. Each car must carry two persons seated side by side, whose weight must be at least 132 lbs. each.”

Howard

From Old 16 Fun Facts from the Henry Ford Museum

Reading about the Old 16 notice its weight of 2204 lbs. Wonder if there was a 1000 kilo maximum weight as that weight is exactly equal to 1000 kilos or is it just a coincidence?

From Old 16 Fun Facts from the Henry Ford Museum

From Annette P: Thank you for this newsletter, I read it along with my husband.

I would be in favor of a motorsports complex. My husband was one of the last groups to take the Skip Barber racing course at Bridgehampton. So much history there!  Whenever he races it’s such a schlep.

Our favorite racetrack is Lime Rock..I think those making this decision should look to that racetrack and see how well they work with the community and it IS beautiful up there. The revenue alone would help Long Island economy and perhaps help out local merchants ( restaurants, hotels, tanger, etc).

I sincerely hope the decision for this property is something unique and not another stupid mall.

best wishes

From LI Business News "LI Votes for a Race Track" & Film "LI Drag Racing"

Hi Howard, I was at both auctions and what I often found worthwhile and amusing where Austin’s descriptions of the various vehicles in the auction catalogs.  I will look up a few humorous ones and send them to you.

From Classic Memories of The Long Island Automotive Museum II The 1963 & 1980 Auctions

Your question as to the Melville lodge in respect of the foto.  Don’t know, because if this building is off Baylis or Duryea Roads, it might be the little old school house in Melville, that is if there is also a full set of windows on the far side of the buildidng from those which are partially covered—like two school rooms?.
Any other fotos of the LIMP going East or of the immediate area?  There was an orphanage for girls on Ruland Rd, St. Rose Industrial School, and the nuns used to take the trolley to Farmingdale, and we had a small farm just South of Ruland Rd on West side of Broad Hollow Rd. 
Edith

From From the Ron Ridolph Collection- Then & Now: Motor Parkway Lodges

Hi Rick:

Here are some links to information on the two “999"s:

http://www.mshf.com/museum/999.htm

http://www.diecast.org/diecast98/html/asp/list_reviews/xq/ASP/id.EX88040/qx/reviewpix.htm

Howard

From Detroit Road Trip: Old 16, the Ford Quadricyle, 999, Ford Factories and the Jets!

Great to see these pictures, hope more will keep coming.

From Memories of Henry Austin Clark, Jr.

I was so glad to see these pictures, Mr. Henry Austin Clark was a man way ahead of his time! His forethought for the preservation of early automobilia, should have kept going. I wish the L.I. Automobile Museum never closed, but had gotten larger and and more people could have had the vision the that he had. There is so much interest and so many people on Long Island have embraced the hoby of antique car, hot rods, and specialty vehicles that this would have ben a perfect place to gather and learn. There is barely a weekend now on Long Island when there are not Car Shows of some kind all over the Island. I was fortunate to have met Henry many times in the mid 1970’s, and listened to many stories of unique cars, and a bygone era over a drink in Locust Valley. Thank you for posting those pictures, it brought back a lot of fond memories.

From Memories of Henry Austin Clark, Jr.

From Paul E:

Howard;Your emails are Fantastic. I would think this is a lot of work, but I would think, you think it is worth it or you would not do it.  I am sure You have gotten THANKS from anyone who gets the emails.  Please keep up the great work.
Stay well and THANKS.

From 1997 Exhibit and Film "Old 16- An American Legend"