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
Site maintained by Hop Studios
Recent Comments
This is very exciting news. So glad to see VCR getting the recognition it deserves!
From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: Then & Now of the 1936 Course- A Request from the Tazio Nuvolari Museum in Mantua, Italy
The location and orientation:
Directly over Roosevelt and Mitchel Fields. North is the image top.
Year- provide a rationale:
Between 1936 and 1940. The evident Roosevelt Raceway Auto
racing track opened in 1936, and the Harness racing track
opened on the same site in 1940.
The Motor Parkway and all Motor Parkway structures within the frame:
Clinton Road (Glen Cove Road) Parkway Bridge 1909 - 1939
Garden City Lodge Ramp
Garden City Lodge 1909 - 1989
Long Island Motor Parkway Headquarters (Second Location) 1914 - 1938
Roosevelt Field Highway Bridge Underpass 1909 - 1940’s.
Meadow Brook Lodge 1908 - 1960s
Meadow Brook Lodge Ramp
Merrick Avenue (Whaleneck Avenue) Parkway Bridge 1908 - 1940s
Newbridge Avenue (Bellmore Road) Parkway Bridge
{Meadow Brook Bridge} 1908 - 1947
Stewart Avenue Highway Bridge Underpass 1908 - 1947
Flying Field(s):
Roosevelt Field
Hazelhurst Aviation Fields or Mitchel Field
Golf courses:
Salisbury Country Club Re Course
Other non-Motor Parkway structures/items:
Roosevelt (automobile) Raceway (1924-1938)
Meadow Brook Hunt Club Main Polo Fields and grandstand
Central Railroad Bridge at Meadow Brook Hunt Club
Kudos question: How many Vanderbilt Cup Races occurred within this frame?
Two. 1936 and ‘37 (I suspect this is a trick question)
If anyone knows the identity of the green oval top left of the image please let me know.
From Mystery Friday Foto #12 Solved: A 1938 Aerial...In Color!
Howard,
Thank you for your contibutions on all of your collectable cars. You have been a leader in keeping history moving forward. It is always a pleasure to share car stories and local history with you and your followers. Your collection and your website is just a tribute to your success.
Thank again!
From Old Cars Weekly Article: "Quality Over Quantity -The Small But Mighty Collection of Howard Kroplick"
We are over Westbury with north at the top of the photo. I’m thinking the date is 1938 because both the 1936 and 1937 Vanderbilt race courses can be seen and the LIMP bridges are still intact. The limp runs from upper left, then south before curving east through the middle of the photo. Both Roosevelt and Mitchell fields can be seen. LIMP structures include bridges at Old Country Road, Clinton Road, two at Roosevelt field, Merrick Avenue, Newbridge Avenue/Bellmore Road, and Stewart Avenue. Also the “Mayan Ruins” and Meadowbrook Lodge. Golf clubs include Salisbury Links, Meadowbrook GC and the course near the Clinton Road brdge whose name escapes me. We can also see the Meadowbrook Polo Club. At least some of the courses for the following Vanderbilt Cup races can be seen: 1904, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1936, 1937, and 1960 for a total of seven.
From Mystery Friday Foto #12 Solved: A 1938 Aerial...In Color!
Wonderful story of great cars, owned by a terrific preservationist! Congratulations Howard!
From Old Cars Weekly Article: "Quality Over Quantity -The Small But Mighty Collection of Howard Kroplick"
SO nice to read, I hope it makes the general car enthusiast perhaps realize and appreciate what it takes to see what some of us go through to get the cars we have back to period correct original condition without any current trendy personalization.
From Old Cars Weekly Article: "Quality Over Quantity -The Small But Mighty Collection of Howard Kroplick"
I can make out some of it. Looking due north. Bordering the left side is the N/S Motor Pkwy with its turn to head due East, which parallels Stewart Ave. Then farther south is E/W Hempstead Tpke, with Mitchell Field abutting it on the North. Then farther east along Hempstead Tpke is the golf course that became part Eisenhower Park. However, there is no Meadowbrook Pkwy or any of the housing developments bordering Old Country Rd, which is visible at the top border of the photo. Plus all the other incidentals, the Motor Pkwy bridge over Clinton Rd, etc. The lead photo of today’s issue shows the 1936 race. Regardless, the photo is obviously pre-War II and, without my knowing when the race course was built, after 1930 anyway.
From Mystery Friday Foto #12 Solved: A 1938 Aerial...In Color!
Great article Howard ! Congratulations. And thank you for all you do for the hobby.
Gerry Duff
From Old Cars Weekly Article: "Quality Over Quantity -The Small But Mighty Collection of Howard Kroplick"
Great Feature!
From Old Cars Weekly Article: "Quality Over Quantity -The Small But Mighty Collection of Howard Kroplick"
Amazing, Howard you and your team have come a long way! Ann
From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: Then & Now of the 1936 Course- A Request from the Tazio Nuvolari Museum in Mantua, Italy
The location is Roosevelt Air Field and Roosevelt Raceway in Westbury, NY. The top of the picture is north. The year is most likely 1938 because of the existence of the short oval race track that hosted a Midget car race in 1938 only. The following year in 1939 a 1/2 mile oval was built to host a Midget car race, and the larger oval track does not appear in the picture. Vanderbilt Motor Parkway can be seen running east/west just south of the Roosevelt Field property, and it runs parallel to Stewart Av. which is the next major roadway south of Motor Parkway. Salisbury Country Club in East Meadow, later renamed Salisbury Park in 1949 and then renamed Eisenhower Park in 1969, can be seen east of the Roosevelt Field property.
Vanderbilt Cup races were run on Motor Parkway from 1907 through 1911, and were run at Roosevelt Raceway in 1936 and 1937.
From Mystery Friday Foto #12 Solved: A 1938 Aerial...In Color!
We are directly over Mitchell field (Garden city). Orientation is: North=up. This is August 1938. The new NW to SE runway is completed but to the right of it the NE to SW runway isn’t built yet. Roosevelt airfield is operating in upper left in pic. Salisbury golf club is near right side. In the middle (left to right) is the LIMP. Meadowbrook lodge just west of Merrick ave. I’ll guess 4 Vanderbilt cup races within this frame. 1904, 1908, 1909, and 1910.
From Mystery Friday Foto #12 Solved: A 1938 Aerial...In Color!
Roosevelt Field Area. Mid 1930’s, with the revival of the Vanderbilt Cup Races. I see LIMP under Old Country Rd, the Mayan Ruins, over Clinton Ave, the two side by side Roosevelt Ave bridges, the Meadowbrook Lodge, bridge over Merrick Ave, and both bridges on the far side of Eisenhower Park.
From Mystery Friday Foto #12 Solved: A 1938 Aerial...In Color!
That is correct
That is not the Massapequa lodge as I was there daily until its demolition in 1967.
Its a duplicate only flipped around
Please find a partial copy of the Massapequa lodge deed that was transferred to my grandparents from Mr. Vanderbilt and the LIMP
Notice the great price of $100 LOL
Sorry for not a complete scan as it is fragile and do not want to tear
From Mystery Friday Foto #11 Solved: The Meadow Brook Motor Parkway Lodge Under Construction
Facebook Comments:
Howie Schneider
Congrats Kroplick
Meredith Jaffe
I will detail the cars!
Edward Raabe
Congratulations on a great article in Old Cars Weekly!!
Rob Ida
Awesome!
JeRita Trapani
Congratulations Howard and Roz
From Old Cars Weekly Article: "Quality Over Quantity -The Small But Mighty Collection of Howard Kroplick"
Location: Westbury/Uniondale area. North is at the top. Year: 1939, as you can see both configurations of Roosevelt (auto) Raceway at the top of the Foto, and no Meadowbrook Parkway north of the Southern State.
Lots to see here. From top to bottom: Old Country Road, Motor Parkway, Stewart Avenue, Central RR, and Hempstead Turnpike. Merrick Avenue on the right. West of Merrick Avenue: Roosevelt Raceway, Mitchel Field, Meadow Brook Polo Club, and one of the Salisbury golf courses. East of Merrick Avenue: Two more Salisbury golf courses and the Ladenburg property. Barely visible is the Meadow Brook toll lodge.
Two VCRs were run at the Roosevelt Raceway, in 1936 and 1937.
From Mystery Friday Foto #12 Solved: A 1938 Aerial...In Color!
Art, Try AbeBooks.com
From Old Cars Weekly Article: "Quality Over Quantity -The Small But Mighty Collection of Howard Kroplick"
Nice, will be looking for my own copy - any idea where it can be found?
From Old Cars Weekly Article: "Quality Over Quantity -The Small But Mighty Collection of Howard Kroplick"
Congratulations! Great article about our favorite cars and our favorite collector!
From Old Cars Weekly Article: "Quality Over Quantity -The Small But Mighty Collection of Howard Kroplick"
What a beautiful, historic photo!
From Update:Mystery Friday Foto #9 Solved: The Beautiful Long Island Village of Roslyn
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