Vanderbilt Cup Races

Thanks all for the input.  And thanks to A. Haywood for clarifying the Thomas brother? situation.  Maybe someone can find the original Locomobile - would be a great story I’m sure!

From Kleiner's Korner: From the Helck Family Collection- In Search of the 1905 Locomobile Racer

I forgot to include, the former lodge entrance/exit ramp from Round Swamp Road, now resides on adjacent property north of the former lodge property (Sec47, Blk142, Lot25). The ramp now follows the fence line north of this property, north of the original lodge. As always, please respect owner’s privacy when exploring historic sites.

From Documenting the Location of the Bethpage Lodge

Amazing detailed 1960 lot survey revealed, pre house construction, which includes the former Motor Pkwy Bethpage Lodge property lines, and future environs post 1960. Great stuff Johnny, thank you for sharing this gem. The “existing house” up north, north of Motor Lane on lot 17, (Sec47, Blk139, Lot17) was once part of a larger property in 1960. This area likely was subdivided for additional houses. This house today, photo below, remains a cape, the only one of its kind in the area. I believe it’s the original, only modified somewhat.

As for the Bethpage Lodge absence in the
‘60s survey,, I believe it may been already slated for removal at the time. Its removal was sometime in the ‘60s

From Documenting the Location of the Bethpage Lodge

This one is out of my scope. I don’t even recognize the grandstand. Probably ouside NY. Looking forward to the answers

From Mystery Foto #30 Solved: Louis Wagner Driving a S74 FIAT at the 1911 American Grand Prize in Savannah

Art, I don’t believe Harold’s brother was the founder of the Thomas Auto Co. Harold had a brother by the name of E. R. Thomas but he was in banking. There is no connection with the car company listed in his obit. Also, Harold’s brother lived in N.Y. city while the Thomas Motor Company was in Buffalo, NY.

I do believe the 1905 car still exists, though I have no knowledge of where. Old race cars continue to be found, some hiding in plain sight. A pretty well know race car was found resting in the jungles of Brazil in the last few years.

Great article, by the way. There is a lot of information out there on this car. It is a shame it has been totally overshadowed by old 16. Both cars were exceptional works of engineering and proved themselves on the race track. When I was trying to do my research, people kept responding, “Yes, but old 16…” as if old 16 was the only car that mattered.

From Kleiner's Korner: From the Helck Family Collection- In Search of the 1905 Locomobile Racer

Wrong site to belabor #35 (I theenk) but do notice the tender beyond the loco (over the gooseneck) and then the tall structure behind that.  That should tell some sharp-eyed buff just where it is.  Billboards would indicate Hemp. Tpke. or some such.  Many similar pix of #35 going in and out of Salisbury.  Yes, Merrick at left in 1969 pic.  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: A 1966 Aerial of "Salisbury Park" in East Meadow and the Motor Parkway ROW

Rather humorous that while reciting incorrect information and improperly saying the Motor Parkway’s name, they also question the accuracy of Vanderbiltcupraces.com at the end….But at least it was a nice shout out to the site, so people can come here and learn the accurate, factual history of the Long Island Motor Parkway.

From Virtual Walking Tour This Saturday: The Long Island Motor Parkway in Queens

I’m having trouble deciding if the man at the wheel is Joe Tracy or Louis Wagner. I’ll answer the questions and see what happens.

*ID driver, racer, location: As far as I know, Joe Tracy never raced in a FIAT. Louis Wagner drove FIATS. So this is Louis Wagner in a FIAT, believe the location is Savannah, GA. Louis won the American Grand Prize Race - 11/26/1908. His car was #14 FIAT. This #41 FIAT is a mystery to me.There was a #41 Chalmers Detroit, 1909 Massapequa Sweepstakes and a #41 FAL CAR, 1910 Wheatley Sweepstakes. Neither Auto matches the mystery.

*Link driver to the VCR’s: Joe Tracy participated in 5 races affiliated with the Vanderbilt Cup years 1904 thru 1906. He placed 3rd in the 1905 VCR & placed 1st in the 1906 American Elimination Race. His mechanician was always Al Poole. The passenger in the mystery isn’t Al Poole.

Louis Wagner placed 1st in the 1906 VCR. The passenger in the mystery could be Louis Vivet, mechanician for Louis Wagner.

*Other/Outside activities & accomplishments: Joe Tracy - 1902 patent for Automatic Igniter for Automobile Engines, 1910 - invented Reaction Dynanometers for testing engines, 1926 - invented a Fluid Dynanometer. Louis Wagner - entered the aviation industry ( Aeroplanes Hanriot et Cie ). He became a pilot.

*Long Island link:  Joe Tracy worked for the Southampton Automotive Museum ( Austin Clark ). Joe is RIP in the Brentwood Cemetery. Louis Wagners link to Long Island is the races as far as I know.

*Broadway Link: Joe Tracy, Louis Wagner & Louis Vivet are all linked to the 1906 musical - The Vanderbilt Cup.

From Mystery Foto #30 Solved: Louis Wagner Driving a S74 FIAT at the 1911 American Grand Prize in Savannah

I never looked that close. In1966 all I wanted ro do was head for the door. I do remember the beautiful floors in the lobby.

From Mystery Foto #33 Solved: The World's Largest Map of Long Island Located at Mepham High School

That’s Louis Wagner driving a Fiat S74 during the 1911 American Grand Prix (11/30/1911) in Savannah , GA. He participated in the 1905 and 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Races. Among his many racing accomplishments were winning the 1906 V. C. Race and the first American Grand Prize in 1908 and the first British Grand Prix in 1926 (along with partner Senechal).  He was also an early aviation pioneer flying a Hanriot bi-plane. Awarded an Aviator’s Certificate in 1910 by the Aero-Club De France in 1910, he was one of the “Flying Men At Bournemouth” in 1910. The only Long Island link I could find was that he stayed at the Hotel Glenwood in Glenwood Landing as a member of the Darracq team. The Broadway link could be that he and several other Vanderbilt Cup Racers had box seats for the 1906 stage show “The Vanderbilt Cup” starring Elsie Janis.

From Mystery Foto #30 Solved: Louis Wagner Driving a S74 FIAT at the 1911 American Grand Prize in Savannah

Need info on Cuba shows - timing,where and year Thanks in advance
Walt

From Mystery Foto #9 Solved: A Bleriot Monoplane Racing a Vanderbilt Cup Racer in 1910/1911

Awesome shot Sam! Immense clean up/paint job realizing her size. That must be Merrick Av on the left edge. 

Below, locomotive 35 being trucked from the LIRR to Salisbury (Eisenhower) Park in May 1956, exact location not specified. Photo by Robert W. Gillespie

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: A 1966 Aerial of "Salisbury Park" in East Meadow and the Motor Parkway ROW

HOWARD:  THANKS FOR YOUR TNH SERVICE.  THE OLD COURTHOUSE BRIDGE MARKER IS GREAT FOR NEW HYDE PARK.  ARTIE.

From Newsday: Ready for HIS STORY

Any monster THAT big just HAS to be a FIAT!  ‘Ceptin’ it doesn’t appear on the FIAT racer blog page.  Hmm?  Seems to be a 1908 FIAT SB4.  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #30 Solved: Louis Wagner Driving a S74 FIAT at the 1911 American Grand Prize in Savannah

Nuts!  Keep forgetting to point out that the Salisbury Plains RR station is crystal clear at upper right in the lower of the two aerials just above.  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: A 1966 Aerial of "Salisbury Park" in East Meadow and the Motor Parkway ROW

OMG; look what just turned up coincidentally; me helping clean-up/paint #35 (in chinos and a white polo, no less) at Salisbury in 1969 (NOT 1960 / picture from page 11, The Pennsylvania News, Summer 2010).  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #29 Solved: A 1966 Aerial of "Salisbury Park" in East Meadow and the Motor Parkway ROW

Whadda monster!  Those mfg. pix are just fabulous!  Front axle machined from a forged billet - no wonder Riker was unpopular with the powers that be (were)!  Thanks (again - as always), Art!  Sam, III

From Kleiner's Korner: From the Helck Family Collection- In Search of the 1905 Locomobile Racer

I’ll stay out of this except to question the marked aerial at the top.  The horizontal (W-E) row of heavy shrubs just north of the Plainview maintenance building driveway-cum-parking-area marks a tall berm that was still there last I looked.  The lodge driveway would not have run up on the berm.  I can’t find my oldest pic of the berm but here’s one ca. 2002 looking NNW (pre-parking-area).  [See also 17
Sep 2014 Bridge Series #50.]  Sam, III

From Documenting the Location of the Bethpage Lodge

Foxhall Keene
Horse racing, polo player, football, shooting, golf, boxer
Best all around polo player in the US for 8 straight years
Entered in 1901 the Paris to Berlin race
Won gold medal for polo at the 1900 summer Olympics
Semifinalist in the 1883 US Tennis and quarterfinalist at the 1885 Tennis tournaments.
Drove in the 1905, 1908 VCRs, 1903 Gordon Bennett Race
Delmonicos in NYC named a dish after him - Chicken a la Keene
Cheered at by “Broadway Loafers”
Built a Long Island mansion named Rosemary Farm in Old Westbury

From Mystery Foto #30 Solved: Louis Wagner Driving a S74 FIAT at the 1911 American Grand Prize in Savannah

Brooklyn Life (Brooklyn, New York) · Sat, Feb 24, 1912 · Page 44
Owned a Stearns and 2 Simplex

From Six degrees of Separation: A Mystery Car, Motor Parkway, the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race & the Titanic