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
Keep up the good work!! Check with pros to maybe get some padding affixed onto those wheels for under the knee, so it doesn’t get rubbed sore when you get to ‘drive’ longer distances? Be well soon!
From Update Sunday, 6/29/2025: Rehab Update: Rehab at 90% Healing
ErnieM - your red circle is pointing towards Poppy Lane in Levittown. That’s just one block from the Motor Pkwy! I agree living in the community this close to the historic parkway was a child’s exploration adventure! I wonder how far on the abandoned Motor Pkwy you were able to reach before hitting a dead end? That would be most interesting!
From Mystery Friday Foto #12 Solved: A Levittown Aerial
1962 Ford Falcon - the Holman Moody Challenger III
Nassau, Bahamas
Driver: Marvin Panch
December 9, 1962
Finished 52nd after becoming disabled after 17 laps.
#3 - Ferrari Dino 268 SP
#93 - Cooper Monaco T57 Climax
#106 - AC Cobra
From Mystery Friday Foto #13 Solved: The Holman Moody Challenger III on the Race Track
Holman Moody Challenger at the 1962 Bahamas Speed Week.
Driver Marvin Panch
DNF Blown engine
Cobra, Ferrari
I went to several of these races but probably not this one do not remember the rain
From Mystery Friday Foto #13 Solved: The Holman Moody Challenger III on the Race Track
Howard,
All the best for a speedy recovery!
May you back on your “Wheels” at full speed son.
Mike Esposito (Pfizer/Roerig 1981-1983)
From Update Sunday, 6/29/2025: Rehab Update: Rehab at 90% Healing
Great article Greg, very informative writing.
And thanks to the late Marty Himes for holding on to those pictures
Hope you feel better, Howard
Keep up the good work guys
From VanderbiltCupRaces.Com exclusive: Images of the 1937 Vanderbilt Cup Race from the Marty Himes Collection
Your shorty Ford leading Ferrari SWB. Shelby Cobra on the right. Ferrari 1961 Shark Nose Testa Rosa on left. Looks like Grand Bahamas.
From Mystery Friday Foto #13 Solved: The Holman Moody Challenger III on the Race Track
That’s the 1962 Holman & Moody Ford Challenger III (in the center) being driven by Marvin Panch at the Nassau Trophy Race in Nassau, Bahamas on December 9, 1962. Panch did not finish due to overheating caused by a broken fan belt during the race. To the left of the Challenger III is a Dailu MKI with a 289 Cobra on the right. Behind the Cobra is a Ferrari. All of this info (and additional photos) were obtained from the attached article.
From Mystery Friday Foto #13 Solved: The Holman Moody Challenger III on the Race Track
The car was the Holman Moody Challenger III, the driver was Marvin Panch.
The race was held on December 9th, 1962.
Records indicate that Challenger III competed in five separate events as part of the 1962 9th Annual International Bahamas Speed Weeks, which was hosted at the 4.5mi (7.2km) Oakes Field course in Nassau, Bahamas. The car ran under in #26 livery with NASCAR veteran Marvin Panch at the wheel throughout. Results were mixed, beginning with a class win (5th place overall finish) in the 5-lap Preliminary Nassau Tourist Trophy on 2 December 1962, followed later the same day by an underwhelming 34th place in the 25-lap Nassau Tourist Trophy proper. Similarly, on 7 December 1962, Panch pushed the Challenger III to a 9th place finish in the 5-lap Preliminary Governor’s Trophy, but only 28th place of 42 cars in the 25-lap Governor’s Trophy proper [08].
Challenger III at the Nassau Trophy Race between a Dailu MKI and 289 Cobra, with a Ferrari tailing lose behind; Challenger III was leading the event until it suffered a mechanical failure [05]
From Mystery Friday Foto #13 Solved: The Holman Moody Challenger III on the Race Track
The center front car looks the same as Howard Kroplich’s eight-cylinder race car he purchased. It was a very light weight race car, built in the 60’s or 70’s.
From Mystery Friday Foto #13 Solved: The Holman Moody Challenger III on the Race Track
Holman-Moody Challenger III at the 252-Mile Nassau Trophy race in the Bahamas on Dec. 9, 1962. Driver was Marvin Panch. The car finished 52nd out of 63. After only 17 laps out of 56, it had to drop out due to a snapped fan belt and overheated engine. No. 3 is a Ferrari Dino, and no. 106 is an AC Cobra.
From Mystery Friday Foto #13 Solved: The Holman Moody Challenger III on the Race Track
Get well soon. The good news is you can continue to write your wonderful newsletter.
From Update Sunday, 6/29/2025: Rehab Update: Rehab at 90% Healing
Wow, and I thought I was young when I first started driving a 1933 Pontiac at age eleven. What a great story for an old car lover like me to read.
From Hagerty.com: Rob Ida Discovered DIY at Age 7 and Hasn’t Looked Back
I must have missed the submit button Sunday, here’s what I wrote:
The location and orientation of the photographer
High above Levittown, looking east
The Date; provide a rationale
1947, Phase I is complete, some 2,000 cape houses.
Note nothing is north of Orchid Road. These were build in the next Phase.
Also note Orchid does not continue onto Newbridge as it does today.
Identify any Motor Parkway structures and/or other identifiable structures
If any Motor Parkway structures, when were they removed?
The two overpasses were removed in 48, I cannot see if they are there in
this image. Pintail and Laurel Lane schools were built early on the ROW (after
this image), the remaining ROW was fairly intact until the 2000’s when major
sections were developed.
It made a good place for a kid to play.
Major roads
See image.
This was a really easy one for me as I have spent most of my life living in the circled house.
From Mystery Friday Foto #12 Solved: A Levittown Aerial
Get well soon Howard. Hang in there. God bless! Gene Perry
From Update Sunday, 6/29/2025: Rehab Update: Rehab at 90% Healing
Hoping for a speedy recovery Howard.
Robert from Delux Transportation
From Update Sunday, 6/29/2025: Rehab Update: Rehab at 90% Healing
The Levitt houses construction (1947-1951) in Levittown, NY - looking east in mid to late ‘40’s, with empty Wantagh Pkwy near completion. I see ruins of the Newbridge Rd parkway bridge (1908-1948), ruins of the Jerusalem Av highway bridge (1908-1948), Bloomingdale Rd highway bridge (1908-1948) appears intact, N Wantagh Av bridge (1908-1940s) - hard to tell its condition, Massapequa Lodge (1908-1967) is there but difficult to see. I’ll pinpoint this photo’s date sometime in 1948. LIACC Country Club airport and hangars (1929-1948) are visible, and just across the parkway was location of the former Grandstand during the 1908-1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races. Levitt would later expand housing in Levittown, PA (1952-1958), Willingboro Township, NJ (1958), and Levittown, Puerto Rico (1963). This photo also confirms location of the Motor Parkway’s RoW through the houses on the west side of today’s Carnation Rd
Major roads
From Mystery Friday Foto #12 Solved: A Levittown Aerial
Update: Monday, March 24, 2024: Thanks everyone for the wonderful get-well wishes! Day #4 of healing- Feeling zero pain. Learning to move around with knee walkers and installed stairlifts. I am up for the challenge of a 4-6 month rehab!
Enjoy,
Howard
From Update Sunday, 6/29/2025: Rehab Update: Rehab at 90% Healing
Speedy recovery Howard, pedal to the metal!
From Update Sunday, 6/29/2025: Rehab Update: Rehab at 90% Healing
Howard,
So sorry to hear about your accident. Hope you’re mending well and hope to see you soon. All the best.
Rog
From Update Sunday, 6/29/2025: Rehab Update: Rehab at 90% Healing
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