Vanderbilt Cup Races

Oh. As a researcher, I suppose it would have been allowed to research the questions on the internet. Duh. Anyhow, I suppose the faux pas on the plaque which required the re-engraving of Thery’s name is lost in time. I usually try to bury my mistakes which are legion. Thanks for a good brain twister. I am guessing the gentleman in the second image is Károly Méhes. If not it would be a real stumper.

From Mystery Friday Foto #17 Solved: The Gordon Bennett Cup

Lyndy - glad you were able to save some relics.  Enjoy!

From Kleiner's Korner: A Return to the Long Island Motor Parkway (Part 1)

Howard, you’ve educated many of us regarding the Races and Long Island.  And given us many great photos and videos!

BTW, love the up close of the motometer!

From Sportshistoryweekly.com: Recalling Long Island’s Vanderbilt Cup Races A vintage car collector preserves a bygone era

That’s Herb Lytel driving the the number P42 Isotta. Lytel drove in more Vanderbilt Cup Race events than any other racer having participated in six different races. This photo shows him in the Motor Parkway Sweepstakes on October 10, 1908 which he won with an average speed of 64.25 MPH.

From Mystery Friday Foto #18 Solved: Herb Lytle winning the 1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes

Thanks for sharing the info and the pictures.  I picked up a couple of pieces today.  I used your pictures to help identify that what I was grabbing were part of the road.  Both my pieces had the thin metal rebar so I guess that confirms it.  Thank you again Art.

From Kleiner's Korner: A Return to the Long Island Motor Parkway (Part 1)

This is Herb Lytle winning the Motor Parkway sweepstakes held on September 10th 1908.  He is driving #P42 Isotta (Italy).  He came in first place with an average speed of 64.25 mph.  This driver was unique in the fact that he was the only driver to participate in two race “firsts”:  The first Vanderbilt Cup Race (1904), and the first Indy 500 race (1911).  He also drove in more races associated with the Vanderbilt Cup Races (6) than any other driver.  Three VCR races (1904, 1905, 1908), two American Elimination Trials, (1905, 1906) and winning the Motor Parkway Sweepstakes in (1908).  He came in second place in the 1908 VCR.  He also switched teams in 1908 to drive for Italy which I would say is also “unique”.  The picture in this week’s mystery photo seems a tad blurry.  I don’t know if that was intentional to throw us off but the blog from November 3rd, 2018 has this same picture but a lot clearer, which helped me to better solve this week’s questions.

From Mystery Friday Foto #18 Solved: Herb Lytle winning the 1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes

Incredible selection of classics auctioned off…Probably still a part of someone’s cherished collection…

From Greg O's Garage; Henry Austin Clark Jr's 1955 Automobile Auction PART 3

Glad light is shinning your way Howard. I wouldn’t have know anything about the Vanderbilt Cup Races if not for your website…

From Sportshistoryweekly.com: Recalling Long Island’s Vanderbilt Cup Races A vintage car collector preserves a bygone era

Mystery Foto #17 Addendum… Part two of my answer is that the car depicted on the trophy is a racing Panhard steered by the Genius of Progress with the Goddess of Victory upright upon the seat.

From Mystery Friday Foto #17 Solved: The Gordon Bennett Cup

Mystery Foto #17…The trophy is the “Gordon Bennett Cup,” crafted by the jeweler Aucoc.  It is the allegorical trophy of Progress. Today it decorates the wood paneled Gordon Bennett salon, on the mezzanine level of the Automobile Club de France building, located on the Place de la Concorde in Paris. In the early twentieth century, its conquest brought the European nations together, while setting them against each other, in an annual motor race with considerable repercussions. This major event—the beginnings of motor racing—was also the beginning of motoring. Gordon Bennett, before settling in Paris in 1877, on the other side of the Atlantic he became the youngest commodore of the New York Yacht Club, and won the first transoceanic race in 1866. Once established at the head of his father’s newspaper, The New York herald, his first editorial project was mounting Stanley’s famous expedition to Africa in 1869 to find Dr. Livingstone.

From Mystery Friday Foto #17 Solved: The Gordon Bennett Cup

That’s the Gordon Bennett Trophy awarded to the winner of the Gordon Bennett series of annual races that were run from 1900 through 1905. The automobile on the trophy is a Panhard which won the the inaugural race. Designed by Andre Aucoc, it shows the Panhard being driven by “The Genius of Progress” with “Nike”, the “Goddess of Victory”, as the co-driver. Along with the artwork “Thery Winning The Gordon Bennett Race” by Frederick Gordon Crosby, the trophy is in the Louwman Museum in The Hague. Possible links to Vanderbilt include: the Gordon Bennett races were an inspiration for Willie K. to establish his Vanderbilt Cup Races;  a Panhard won the first race of both series; Joe Tracy drove a Locomobile in the 1905 Gordon Bennett and several V. C. race events. 

From Mystery Friday Foto #17 Solved: The Gordon Bennett Cup

It was my honor to have worked on the Black Beast with Sam Greco (RIP) and to have met the man (you)keeping these automobiles alive. THANK YOU!

From Sportshistoryweekly.com: Recalling Long Island’s Vanderbilt Cup Races A vintage car collector preserves a bygone era

This is the Gordon Bennett trophy.

From Mystery Friday Foto #17 Solved: The Gordon Bennett Cup

Excellent pics!

From Mystery Friday Foto #12 Solved; The Oyster Bay LIRR Bridge Williston Park & East Williston Abutment

Nice to see it unmarked, only the winter brush.

From Current Views of the Old Bethpage Motor Parkway Bridge

So what was soldered up and recut “Thiery” on the plaque? I never could get a straight answer.

From Mystery Friday Foto #17 Solved: The Gordon Bennett Cup

The Gordon Bennett Trophy. 1901-1905. Plate inscribed with the races and winners. When I saw it, I did not ask for the other details you require.

From Mystery Friday Foto #17 Solved: The Gordon Bennett Cup

Awesome article Howard… congratulations

From Sportshistoryweekly.com: Recalling Long Island’s Vanderbilt Cup Races A vintage car collector preserves a bygone era

This is the Gordon Bennett cup race trophy.  The car shown is a Panhard and it is steered by the Genius of Progress with the Goddess of Victory standing on the seat.  It was designed by the jeweler Aucoc.  Today it is located at the Gordon Bennett salon at the Automobile Club de France building, located on the Place de la Concorde in Paris.  The Gordon Bennett race helped established the idea of a “closed circuit” race which links the types of races that William K. Vanderbilt Jr. organized.

From Mystery Friday Foto #17 Solved: The Gordon Bennett Cup

Looks great Frank.  Nice job showing us this improvement to the Motor Parkway.  You are an asset to our cause.  For the record I want you to know that i constantly refer to the Motor Parkway interactive map you created.  A constant treasure trove of fascinating information.

From The Femenias Report: Repaving of the Motor Parkway In Alley Pond and Cunningham Park