Vanderbilt Cup Races

Walt, Didn’t Henry Austin Clark acquire the plates at a car show in Port Washington many years ago,....and cheaply ?

From 1958-1967 tours of the Long Island Motor Parkway #4: Garden City

Bill, Was at Raymond Court last week, the parking field street lights have been put up.

From 1958-1967 tours of the Long Island Motor Parkway #4: Garden City

Regarding the picture “view looking west…”: This is not the location described. From the shadows on the ground, it appears to be looking east. The scene in the distance is not that of Garden City at any time, east or west. There appears to be a new sump on the far side of the roadway that the parkway once passed over. So the challenge is to locate the proper scene location.

A word on the Stewart Field parking area that the GC Village overlaid on the parkway to our dismay: no more work has been done there. As Village Historian, I have not been able to get a response from them so far on any future clearing to be done. I have also not yet received a response to my inquiry about where visitors to see the LIMP are supposed to park when the parking area gate is closed. The turnaround at the head of Raymond Court is presumably still to be a no-parking area, as it was put there originally for the benefit of school buses, garbage trucks, and such.

From 1958-1967 tours of the Long Island Motor Parkway #4: Garden City

Yes, another great year of Long Island History! I know Art is very humble, but his role here is much appreciated.

From The Top 30 VanderbiltCupRaces Posts of 2020

*ID the 2 men and their accomplishments-  James Rathmann ( at wheel ), pro race car driver. He was the winner of the 1960 Indy 500. He was born as Richard. He and his older brother ( also a pro ), swapped their driver licenses due to Richard being too young for stock car racing. They just kept this way then on.

Carroll Shelby - WW 2 pilot, race car driver, entrepreneur, car manufacturer ( Shelby ), philanthropist.

*When, Where, Why photo was taken - This was a public relations photo prior to the 6/19/60 Cornelius Vanderbilt Cup race held at Roosevelt Raceway. Locomobile and other vintage cars were present for a pre race parade. Henry Carter won the Cup with his Stanguellioni Formula Junior car.

*Special link with Howard Kroplick- Howard, who owns a Shelby Mustang, attended The Rolex Vintage Fall Festival along with his wife Roz on 9/5/2005. Carroll & Cleo Shelby were also present for a Meet & Greet, as well as for their foundation. Howard & Roz were delighted to meet the Shelbys, greet them with a kind offering, and Carroll signed Howard’s sun visor from his Mustang.

From Mystery Foto #1 Solved: Jim Rathmann and Carroll Shelby at the 1960 Vanderbilt Cup Race

This is a very nice set of photos of an iconic race. Although a part of these are known photos, there are several which are new to me. A few corrections. In the first part the driver of the 90hp Mercedes with nr. 27 was Baron de Caters, a famous Belgian car pioneer. In the second part the car with nr. 26 was a (Georges) Richard-Brasier, driven by Georges Richard himself. Georges Richard got seriously hurt after hitting a tree near Angouleme trying to avoid a spectator, and ending in a ditch. It seems that this accident caused the split between Georges Richard and Charles-Henry Brasier, the former leaving his firm to start a new one: Unic. Also William Vanderbilt was reported having ended up in a ditch, but I never have seen photos of this incident.
I can only confirm Tim Helck’s assumption about the Peter Helck drawings. The Gabriel’ Mors with nr. 168 is very realistic and seems to have been drawn on the basis of existing photos, but the other car as well as both wrecks seem to be phantasy. The blue car has a realistic appearance, but there was no car in the race with the side lid of the hood removed in this way, and with the short exhaust pipes visible like here. Also the accidents have no resemblance with any of the known accidents. Most of these were photographed and this photographic evidence would have been the only source for those who had not watched the race in person. For a moment I thought the blue car could have been a sort of Turcat-Méry impression, but in the book ‘Great Auto Races’ a drawing is present of the Turcat-Méry. This image is clearly different from the blue car.
Another drawing by Peter Helck appeared in an article by Ken W. Purdy with the title “Classics of the Road”, but I have no idea when and in which magazine it was published. The car on this drawing seems to be the De Dietrich of Stead. Compare the drawing with the added picture of Stead in La Vie au Grand Air, and it is clear that he has drawn a faithful copy of the car. But also here I cannot relate the accident of the red car on the left to any of the cars in the race.
So it is also my impression that Peter Helck caught the atmosphere of the race based on existing reports as well as on his vivid imagination. The result: beautiful drawings!

Finally I’d like to wish every fan of this site a happy and above all healthy 2021!

From Kleiner's Korner: Part 2 - The Race that Brought Willie K. "Racing" to America"

Great photos Howard throughout the year
And great information about everything
Keep up the good work

From The Top 30 VanderbiltCupRaces Posts of 2020

He said he made a few visits to The Garden City Toll Lodge

From 1958-1967 tours of the Long Island Motor Parkway #4: Garden City

Mr. Ernest, allowed him to drive through the portico to take the picture of the car up there
And the 6 Motor Parkway plates we donated to the Garden city Chamber of Commerce by Austin Clark
He felt it would be better there for everyone to view and enjoy

From 1958-1967 tours of the Long Island Motor Parkway #4: Garden City

Well it appears to be a staged photo ALA telephone booth in the background, looks like CARROL Shelby as the pumper
Hope you had a happy new tear
Tony g

From Mystery Foto #1 Solved: Jim Rathmann and Carroll Shelby at the 1960 Vanderbilt Cup Race

That’s Jim Rathmann on the left and Carroll Shelby on the right. Rathmann won the 1960 Indy 500 race and Shelby (along with partner Roy Salvadori) won the 1959 LeMans 24 Hour Endurance Race. The photo was taken on June15, 1960 at Roosevelt Raceway, probably as a promo for the upcoming 1960 Vanderbilt Cup Race (at that venue) in which both were entered. In addition to that V.C.R. connection, there’s the obvious 1908 Locomobile, winner of the 1908 V. C. R. with George Robertson driving.  The Howard Kroplick link took place on Sept. 5, 2005 at Lime Rock, CT when Carroll Shelby autographed the sun visor from Howard’s 1966 Shelby Mustang GT 350-H.

From Mystery Foto #1 Solved: Jim Rathmann and Carroll Shelby at the 1960 Vanderbilt Cup Race

As far as I know there were two white model 10 Buick touring cars on long island both in Nassau County. Austin Clark had one and Martin Haughey of Albertson had the other one. I believe Al is correct that the 6 LIMP plaques were a gift from Austin Clark.

From 1958-1967 tours of the Long Island Motor Parkway #4: Garden City

Mystery Foto #1… The two drivers are Jim Rathmann and Carol Shelby. Rathmann won the Indy 500 in May 1960 and Shelby won LeMans 24 hrs in an Aston Martin in June 1959. Photo taken at Roosevelt Raceway, Westbury in 1960. Here the drivers were promoting the revival of the Vanderbilt cup Races for the small engined 1100cc Formula Juniors race cars. 
We can link Shelby to Howard because Howard was able to get Shelby to sign the sun visor on his Shelby Mustang GT350H on September 5, 2005 at the vintage race program held at Lime Rock Park, CT.

From Mystery Foto #1 Solved: Jim Rathmann and Carroll Shelby at the 1960 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Jim Rathmann and Carroll Shelby in Old 16 for a PR shot at the 1960 Vanderbilt Cup Race. Apart from meeting Shelby in person, Howard has a couple of Shelby Mustangs.

From Mystery Foto #1 Solved: Jim Rathmann and Carroll Shelby at the 1960 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Dave, Regarding memorabilia at the Garden City Lodge, they do have some. first thing that comes to mind is the collection of six Motor Parkway plates. Believe they were a gift to the Chamber from Henry Austin Clark. Last time I was there, not on display.

From 1958-1967 tours of the Long Island Motor Parkway #4: Garden City

Frank, Brian, I’m guessing that the Buick got on the parkway from underneath the portico, thats after removing some of the bushes from the north side of the portico that are blocking access to the Parkway.

From 1958-1967 tours of the Long Island Motor Parkway #4: Garden City

Think the last 2 photos are the same location. As Frank pointed out, the Buick is backed up to the embankment. They must of have been able to access the LIMP on the north side.

Happy New Year!

From 1958-1967 tours of the Long Island Motor Parkway #4: Garden City

More spectacular photos Howard! Amazing collection of photos obtained. The Buick drove up to the embankment drop without a wall protector. This embankment today remains unguarded. These unidentified photographers did a terrific job documenting the Motor Parkway at the time.

From 1958-1967 tours of the Long Island Motor Parkway #4: Garden City

Howard,  The photos with the 1910 Buick, they show the Parkway surfaces in exceptionally clean condition, no overgrowth, debris etc. especially the one at the Garden City Lodge, not even a leaf in sight. Did a cleanup take place at the time ?    How did the Buick get up on the Parkway?

From 1958-1967 tours of the Long Island Motor Parkway #4: Garden City

I’ve been MIA. Happy Holidays everyone.

This series, these pictures are awesome. Love it. How could this couple be unidentified? Where did you get these pics? Are they just choosing to be anonymous or do you really not know who these people are?

Cool pic looking west on Clinton Bridge. I can’t believe the current houses weren’t built yet. Current pic of same view attached, along with whats left of the wall.

I’m sure some of you have been to the GC Lodge now? They have some memoribilia there? How is it? Anything cool there?

From 1958-1967 tours of the Long Island Motor Parkway #4: Garden City