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.
All Content © 2026 VanderbiltCupRaces.com
Co-Founder and Writer: Howard Kroplick
Co-Founder: Dana Kroplick
Website by Eric Miller Design
Site maintained by Hop Studios
Recent Comments
Sam - It does line up. Lee’s house was located in the center of the semi circle where the red line travels through
From Kleiner's Kolumn: The Long Island Motor Parkway in Maps (Part I)
Brian - confirmed - yellow boxes are golf courses. See attached. The key to the map also denotes aviation fields, state parks, yacht clubs and cities, towns and places.
From Kleiner's Kolumn: The Long Island Motor Parkway in Maps (Part I)
This is Tucker #1034, formerly owned by Gene and Juanita Cofer of Tucker, GA. I first visited them there in the 80’s and Gene was kind enough to give me my first 100 mph ride in a Tucker. That same day I visited Tucker #1015 in nearby Stone Mountain, GA. Exciting day!
From Update: Mystery Saturday Auto #3 Solved: Tucker 1034 in the News
Lee - no need for GPS - see attached; they basically do NOT line up. Sam, III
From Kleiner's Kolumn: The Long Island Motor Parkway in Maps (Part I)
Art - a clue re Beau Sejour - “Hicksville 91”. Four digit numbers (without exchnges) were around by 1935 or so. Shouldn’t be too hard to find out when the 91 phased out. Sam, III
From Kleiner's Kolumn: The Long Island Motor Parkway in Maps (Part I)
Hmm. That is unmistakably my late baby sister (and I certainly should know her) except for one leetle detail - she was only born in 1941! She drove at an early age, but still - - - . Uncanny. Sam, III
From Mystery Foto #48 Solved: Marion Spooner Photographed at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race
Art, Frank, et al,
Yes it does help. It’s clear the extension of Commercial Avenue east of Oak Street led to the western entrance to the Base.
It would appear that Chestnut Street in East Garden City also continued eastward through the Base but likely changed its name after crossing Oak Street, most likely New York Street. Traveling eastward, that’s the street that bisected the yet to be created Parade Grounds as part of the 1927-1932 Base Reconfiguration with Miller Ave. running parallel to it to the north and Davis Ave. doing the same to the south of NY Street.
My next visit to LI, I plan on bringing a handheld GPS unit with me to verify which streets in East Garden City align with those on the Base.
From Kleiner's Kolumn: The Long Island Motor Parkway in Maps (Part I)
Hope y’all had a Happy! Re NH - :“Road guards out!” (military command to deploy traffic stoppers). Don’t have go up to NH; we see that around here outside Beantown, but without the road guard (and I always thought turkeys were stupid). Sam, III
From The Twelfth Annual Thanksgiving "Turkeys on the Road"
Could that be Consuelo Vanderbilt, almost 5 years old at the time and daughter of Willie K.? Maybe one of the Spooner and Wells photographers was related? Or maybe the photographer was Gladys Roosevelt? Maybe she was a distant cousin? All guesses and running out of time.
From Mystery Foto #48 Solved: Marion Spooner Photographed at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race
The photographer was her dad, Frank Spooner. Her name is Marian. I’m submitting a 1910 census record below that shows Charles Wells, a friend & coworker of Frank- ‘Spooner & Wells’, resided with the Spooner family in New Jersey. Frank’s occupation is ‘Manager of a Newspaper’, and Charles is ‘Agent’ of the Newspaper’.
From Mystery Foto #48 Solved: Marion Spooner Photographed at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race
Is Vince Gardner alive or has he pass on?
———————————-
Howard Kroplick
Vince Gardner is no longer with us.
From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: Vince Gardner Building the Mustang III Concept Show Car
...don’t know, but love the photo!
From Mystery Foto #48 Solved: Marion Spooner Photographed at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race
Would this be Rob Ida’s Tucker replica??
From Update: Mystery Saturday Auto #3 Solved: Tucker 1034 in the News
This is a 1948 Tucker 48, chassis number 1034. It will be up for auction at Gooding & Company’s January 2020 auction in Scottsdale, AZ
From Update: Mystery Saturday Auto #3 Solved: Tucker 1034 in the News
This ‘48 Tucker sold for $1,600,000.00 in an auction this year.
From Update: Mystery Saturday Auto #3 Solved: Tucker 1034 in the News
Love those postcard!
From Postcards from the Long Island Automotive Museum (#7-11)
This is Tucker # 1034. This Tucker was used as one of ten promotional cars that traveled the United States. Chassis 1034, was one of the few more-desirable examples that was actually assembled by the Tucker factory before it closed. Tucker # 1034 is one of only 12 finished in the attractive Waltz Blue Metallic. Tucker code #200 “Waltz” Blue. This highly original car has been driven fewer than 6,200 miles.This car still has its original interior upholstery, and has never required a comprehensive restoration.This car is going to Auction in Scottsdale Arizona. The auction will be held on January 17 and 18, and estimates say that this Tucker will fetch between $1.75 and $2.5 million.
From Update: Mystery Saturday Auto #3 Solved: Tucker 1034 in the News
This is Marion (on this photo misread as Marian) Spooner, the daughter of F. Ed. Spooner and photographed by her father at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup race. Spooner was a journalist and photographer, who like Nathan Lazarnick was one of the pioneers in capturing early automobilism in photographs. Starting from Chicago he was later on a partner with Wells to form the famous Spooner & Wells, Inc., located in Detroit and New York. Unfortunately it seems to be almost impossible to get insight in the life story of Spooner, who seems to have been an amateur cyclist before becoming a photographer. The role of Wells is also unknown to me, as only Spooner’s role comes up in all reports. Spooner was e.g. the passenger in the first Glidden Tour in 1904 with driver Dwight Huss, famous Oldsmobile pioneer driver. During the transcontinental race in 1905 between two Oldsmobiles, the Old Scout and the Old Steady, Spooner and Huss formed a team again and in the Old Scout they won in a time of 44 days, beating the Old Steady by a week. Spooner & Wells were active not only in car reports for journals and car magazines, but also in corporate publicity and advertisements.
Marion is sitting at the wheel of a Jackson, possibly the same car in which her father was present at the American Grand Prize. The car is probably the new 1909 model E tourabout.
Both attached photos from the DPL-archive.
From Mystery Foto #48 Solved: Marion Spooner Photographed at the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race
Checking out these never seen before photos of Mustang III prototype being built in the process. This car was built as a one of one. I think Vince knew it clearly at the time. That’s why he stole it to preserve it. Great stuff Howard!
From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: Vince Gardner Building the Mustang III Concept Show Car
Easily found by Google search. It’s Tucker 1034. It is newsworthy because it will be auctioned off by Gooding & Company in Scottsdale on Jan. 17-18, 2020.
It is one of the most desirable Tuckers because (a) it was completed at the factory before production halted; (b) it is one of only 12 painted Waltz Blue; (c) it has survived without needing a comprehensive restoration, and with its original upholstery; and (d) every one of its former owners is known.
From Update: Mystery Saturday Auto #3 Solved: Tucker 1034 in the News
Page 417 of 1021 pages ‹ First < 415 416 417 418 419 > Last ›