About
The six Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island from 1904 to 1910 were the greatest sporting events of their day, and the first international automobile road races held in the United States. The races had a far-reaching impact on the development of American automobiles and parkways. This site provides comprehensive information on the races, the Long Island Motor Parkway and current Long Island automotive events, car shows and news.
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Co-Founder and Writer: Howard Kroplick
Co-Founder: Dana Kroplick
Website by Eric Miller Design
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Recent Comments
Wonderful report on a terrific auto show event!
From Highlights of Chrysler's Chrysler at the Chattanooga Motorcar Festival 2023
Lee, the color version of Christie’s racer,... 2 tires on the front right wheel ?
From InstaGRAM Report: Peter Helck Vanderbilt Cup Races Paintings Part 2
I say go for it as long as the pizza oven still works!
From Greg O's Garage: Rare 1985 Domino Tritan A2 Pizza Delivery Vehicle Up For Auction in November
This movie tells a story that goes far beyond one model of car, but to the long time resistance of the industry to real innovation, let alone safety, and the willingness at times for government to protect the status quo, rather than what’s right.
From LUCASFILM Celebrates 35 Years of TUCKER: THE MAN AND HIS DREAM
It’s so hard to imagine these races despite some photos and written descriptions; these images help bring it to life!
From InstaGRAM Report: Peter Helck Vanderbilt Cup Races Paintings Part 2
In my last comment, I don’t know why there are question marks there,
I meant to say only ( ” Very Nice Fine “) only
From Tucker 1044 gets Brand New Tucker Seat Covers
very nice fine????
like all collectors say: keep the box it came in….. lol
but really, that’s great
From Tucker 1044 gets Brand New Tucker Seat Covers
I was 18 in 1985, and seeing one of these coming down the road would’ve definitely stopped traffic. Still very cool to this day.
From Greg O's Garage: Rare 1985 Domino Tritan A2 Pizza Delivery Vehicle Up For Auction in November
Vanderbilt Cup Race held on October 30th, 1909. In the foreground is Harry Grant driving the #8 Alco. In the distance might be Spencer Wishart driving the #16 Mercedes. The Alco is on lap 22 and the Mercedes would be on lap 17. Assuming this is one of the final shots of the Alco in the homestretch right before it crossed the finish line winning the race. So I’m going to say that the photographer is positioned just west of the finish line with the grandstand out of view behind him. VIP parking for spectator vehicles were offered near this area and we can see some them on the other side of the Parkway. The black spots in the sky are advertising balloons that were flown between Newbridge road and the grandstand. Visible for fans disembarking the train that dropped off passengers in the area.
From Mystery Friday Foto #42: Solved: The #8 ALCO Black Beast and the #9 Chalmers-Detroit Battling it Out in the 1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race
Wow! Always nice to find unobtainable parts!
From Tucker 1044 gets Brand New Tucker Seat Covers
Thank you, Art! Glad you illustrated Fred’s picnics! There wasn’t enough room to include those images in the 100-page Nomination, edited from my original draft that had a full biography on Fred, plus details of every event he hosted and participated in nationwide while living in Smithtown. Fred’s home was adjacent to the 1909 home (now with an historic inventory I prepared with pictures from the picnics and filed with NYS) of William and Annie Spurge, owners until 1908 of the Riverside Inn. The Inn was the destination for dinner hosted by Fred for the ‘first’ Smithtown outing in 1911 (before Fred’s home was built) and LI Auto Club tours run by his future neighbor A.R. Pardington in 1905 and 1911. Fred and A.R. also appear to have been responsible for the first auto dealership (extant for now) built in Smithtown in 1911 and according to my research, photographed at the time of the 1912 picnic. That story is in my Facebook posts and ST News article at https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=700009381503955&set=pcb.700011258170434 and https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=709913797180180&set=p.709913797180180&type=3 and https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=709913797180180&set=p.709913797180180&type=3
From Kleiner's Korner: Fred Wagner Hosting a 1915 Party
Thanks Corey. Congratulations on having Fred Wagner’s home listed on the National Register, of which I’m happy we were able to help (especially Howard!). With so many posts on vanderbiltcupraces.com its hard to keep up with all the information provided. But its good to go back and revisit as one never knows what new bits of data will be revealed. And often times I forget what I’ve already researched and reported on. Thanks for the providing the link back to 2018 which refreshed my memory of Wagner.
From Kleiner's Korner: Fred Wagner Hosting a 1915 Party
Art, missed your great post in the summer of 2020 during the pandemic and Just (2023) came across it. Fred Wagner’s picnics ‘happened’ in Smithtown at his 1912 home, Sunnybrook Farm, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2019 after I identified it as owned by the famous Fred Wagner and ‘rediscovered’ its architect as Gustav Stickley, facts previously unrecognized in Smithtown. See Vanderbilt Cup Races (2018) at https://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/the_residence_of_the_starter_of_five_vanderbilt_cup_races_rediscovered_in_s
From Kleiner's Korner: Fred Wagner Hosting a 1915 Party
Driver was Ferenc/Francois Zsisz.
He drove in the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup, finishing 5th.
He drove in the 1st French Grand Prize in 1906, finishing 1st with his mechanic M. Marteau. This was his most memorable event.
He drove in these events for Renault.
From Mystery Foto #41 Solved: Hungarian Ferenc Szisz driving the #10 Renault in the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race
Peter Helck made two drawings of Walter Christie in his front drive race cars. I am fortunate to have the original color version shown below.
From InstaGRAM Report: Peter Helck Vanderbilt Cup Races Paintings Part 2
The driver is Francois Szisz. The mechanician is George Dimietrievitch. The car is the Renault (#10). He finished 5th in the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race. His greatest accomplishment was winning the first Grand Prix at Le Mans.
From Mystery Foto #41 Solved: Hungarian Ferenc Szisz driving the #10 Renault in the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race
I remember referring to this book for a past Mystery Foto, at the Half Hollow Hills Library in Dix Hills. A nice surprise is that The Checkered Flag book the library has was signed by Austin Clark himself, dated 1974. Really appreciate Mr. Helcks Artwork.
From InstaGRAM Report: Peter Helck Vanderbilt Cup Races Paintings Part 2
Excellent article. I love seeing these scans of the artwork and finding out the context behind them.
From InstaGRAM Report: Peter Helck Vanderbilt Cup Races Paintings Part 2
Id also like to note that the soundtrack by Joe Jackson is truly sublime, reinforcing the exuberance of the era with a wonderful attitude of swing and ambition.
From LUCASFILM Celebrates 35 Years of TUCKER: THE MAN AND HIS DREAM
I’m so intrigued by his artwork and graphic documentary of the Vanderbilt race experiences. I see the book available with some pricey but affordable opportunities on eBay. Helck’s art was recently featured in an issue of Illustration magazine but not focused on his racing passion. Proud of the research and writing you’ve done here Gram. Keep up the great strides.
From InstaGRAM Report: Peter Helck Vanderbilt Cup Races Paintings Part 2
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