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
Art - As per Brian, ditto, another great find. Thanks!
Brian - Wading River line? Never heard of it. So much hidden stuff
From Mystery Foto #1 Solved: Locust Grove Section of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race Course
Hi I too am tracing my family tree. Herb was my gt gt uncle. I am related to Gerturde Fanny Harbord, his first wife. I would love to be out in contact with Claude if at all possible. Love this page have been following Herb and his racing for a while! Thanks
From Herb Lytle's Great-Great-Grandson Takes a Ride in the Alco Black Beast
Nice pics for us old car buffs!
From From A Grandfather's Photo Album: The Durant Special on the Motor Parkway in 1923
Nice job, Art! I was looking around for an old image, glad you located one. See that this branch was named Wading River. Know the LIRR abandoned the service east from Port Jefferson and the rest is history
From Mystery Foto #1 Solved: Locust Grove Section of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race Course
I believe this photo is looking north with RR track curving slightly on the east side. If true, the only possibility is Jerusalem Ave, Hicksville with auto heading south. The 1904 VCR was the only event that passed through here. If not looking north, my answer is incorrect.
Impossible to guess photo’s location without the Vanderbilt race course hint, but what a fantastic view of old Long Island as it was. Great stuff! Thanks Howard.
From Mystery Foto #1 Solved: Locust Grove Section of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race Course
Not being a location expert, I would like to say only something about the subject in the photo which is my expertise, which is the car and which appears to be a 1907 Garford touring car. Probably the same car features on another photograph in an album on the building of the bridges of the Motor Parkway, which appeared on this site some time ago. Unfortunately the resolution of both pictures is not high enough to get a clear view of the logo or script on the radiator, so I hope a better scan can be shown of this car to see what it looks like. The presence of this car on the mystery photo probably places the scene in (the summer of) 1908.
From Mystery Foto #1 Solved: Locust Grove Section of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race Course
Correct me if wrong, but the ban on public road racing in NY State was after spectator injuries at Watkins Glen and a driver fatality at Bridgehampton. That led to the building of those two closed courses, so it wasn’t all bad.
From Updated: 1937 Vanderbilt Cup Race Photos From the NYC Municipal Archives
Auto A is a ‘54 Dodge, possibly a Coronet.
From Roslyn Grist Mill Mystery Automobiles
1908 cup race, crossing central park X’ing
James ryall number 7 matheson car
From Mystery Foto #1 Solved: Locust Grove Section of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race Course
Identify the exact location of the Mystery Foto:
Looking east, LIRR crossing Jericho Turnpike in Syosset (Locust Grove)
Which Vanderbilt Cup Race(s) was run on this section of the course?
1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes and the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race
Which race car caught fire in this section:
Actually two - Foxhall Keene’s #18 Mercedes (Finished 11th) and Emil Stricker’
s #3 Mercedes (Finished 6). Maybe there should have been a Mercedes recall due to the fires.
From Mystery Foto #1 Solved: Locust Grove Section of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race Course
The Automobile A is 1954 Dodge Coronet/Royal? V-8 2-dr Club Coupe.
The Automobile B is 1929 Ford Model A Sport Coupe.
From Roslyn Grist Mill Mystery Automobiles
Update: Close-ups of the spectators’ automobiles were added.
From Updated: 1937 Vanderbilt Cup Race Photos From the NYC Municipal Archives
Update: The description of the #5 and #14 racers were corrected.
From Updated: 1937 Vanderbilt Cup Race Photos From the NYC Municipal Archives
Happy New Year to All,
Here’s the Google Maps link to an elevated satellite view of the scene from the above photo captioned “View looking east towards Creedmoor… (March 3, 1932).”:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.740609,-73.7337802,99a,35y,97.32h,73.26t/data=!3m1!1e3
(Nerd Note: I found that, on my laptop, the Microsoft Edge browser loads the Maps link in an oddly delayed, ‘special effects reveal’ stop-motion manner, which shows how the complete image is composed of many separate photo segments; perhaps you can experience the same effect.)
From Mystery Foto #52 Solved: The Creedmoor Motor Parkway Bridge in 1928
Two small mistakes in the captions:
Car no. 5 is an Alfa Romeo 12C-37 entered by Scuderia Ferrari. Tazio Nuvolari was out at lap 17 of 90.
Car no, 14 is an Alfa Romeo 8C-35 sold to Jim White by Scuderia Ferrari after the 1936 Vanderbilt and modified in the US to be faster and more reliable than the Scuderia’s 1937 Alfa Romeos.
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Howard Kroplick
Aldo, good catches! Thanks.
From Updated: 1937 Vanderbilt Cup Race Photos From the NYC Municipal Archives
Real clear pictures, thanks for sharing.
From Long Island Motor Parkway Photos From the NYC Municipal Archives
Not fair if I answer this one, but let me know if nobody else gets it!
From Mystery Foto #1 Solved: Locust Grove Section of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race Course
Wonderful pictures. Thanks! One correction, Tazio’s number 5 is an Alfa Romeo 12C-36.
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Howard Kroplick
Tobey, good catch. Thanks!
From Updated: 1937 Vanderbilt Cup Race Photos From the NYC Municipal Archives
The first photo ; interesting cars parked at the side lines that brought their owners to see the race. A bit difficult to see clearly due to the NYC GOV archives logos but the second car from the left in that first photo at the bottom is a new Packard 5 pass coupe that appears to have the chauffeur standing on the right side running board. Image to small to determine if it is a Eight, Super Eight or Twelve cylinder. GREAT STUFF. Thanks!!!
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Howard Kroplick
Walt, great observation! I have added close-ups of the spectators’ automobiles.
From Updated: 1937 Vanderbilt Cup Race Photos From the NYC Municipal Archives
That barbed wire fence was undoubtedly to keep crowds from running onto the track as had happened in the past, resulting in a fatality leading to NY State’s ban on racing on public roads.
From Updated: 1937 Vanderbilt Cup Race Photos From the NYC Municipal Archives
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