Vanderbilt Cup Races

I can’t find an early pic I took of the steps but they were quite visible/accessible ca. 1980-90.  Great work -as always, Dave and Sam!  Sam, III

From Sam & Dave's Excellent "Lost" Motor Parkway Adventure IV: The Eastern Terminus of the Motor Parkway

Impossible without the hint but this could be the Oct 1, 1910 Massapequa Sweepstakes-6 car race with Bill Knipper driving the #54 Lancia, and after overshooting the Massapequa Turn, struck a telephone pole fracturing his leg. A spectator also suffered a fractured leg. If true that would make the highway bridge in the photo the Massapequa/Hicksville Rd bridge (Rt 107) in Bethpage. Photo would be looking NW. The Massapequa Lodge should be in view here, about 3 blocks down on the right side of the road, but I don’t see it. 
In the larger panoramic photo on the right side in the distance appears the shape of Mount Corona ash dump (future site of ’39 Worlds Fair and later Flushing Meadow Park). That would be a whopping 18mi away, and the mound I think should be on the left side of photo. Any clues what it is? It’s definitely not a LIMP bridge. Thank you Chuck for a challenging mystery.

From Mystery Foto #4 Solved: A View of #54 Lancia Crashing at the Massapequa-Hicksville Road Turn in 1910

From Ricard K:
I simply had to respond to your Newsletter!  As a fellow member of the Peconic Car Club. And having watched you give kids an opportunity to sit in the Black Beast, so often at the Hallockville car show! I had to say how much i enjoy, what you do to promote not only old cars, but also the Long Island Motor Parkway!  I was born and raised in Farmingdale!  And all my life I have had encounters with the few remains of the Motor parkway!  Unfortunately many traces have been
lost over the years!  I worked for the Town of Oyster Bay, Both in the Engineering dept. and the Building Dept. And this gave me so many chances to catch glimpses of the Parkway. During my years with Oyster Bay!  Sadly far too many people have lost the significance of what Mr Vanderbilt gave to Long Island , over his years of FUNDING, that wonderful roadway!  (Speedway)

I am now 75 years old, And please let me say how much I admire your wonderful efforts to give that information to The current generations of people, who are not aware of your messages here!  We now live on Shelter island (in the Summer months) and Florida (on an airpark in the winter). And as an owner of a 1946 Ford pick up truck and a 1956 Ford Crown Victoria, I also am a old car collector.  I have visions of someday acquiring an old Midget racer, to team up on a trailer, with the 46 pick-up!  My Father loved midget racers!  AND I have such wonderfull memories of watching and Smelling castor oil , Dirt etc. At Freeport race track and Islip race track as a kid!  Sadly the kids today will never know the glory of experiencing those thrills as I did! 

I must congatulate you on what you do!  Please keep up all the fantastic efforts, that you do, in keeping Long islands history alive, for people to enjoy!

And thank you for your wonderful newsletter!

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

Tobey R:

Congratulations on the purchase of the Tucker! We were all so happy to see it go to you where it will have a great home.

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

Great shots. I have numerous photos of the deep green Tucker from the Stahl Collection which I shot at the Ford Estate for my forthcoming book.  (Damsels In Design, from Schiffer Books features pioneering women designers from 1939-1959. ) Of course, the David Cammack collection at the AACA Museum is the best.

From Images of the Tucker 1044

Identify the location of the photo and the Long Island Motor Parkway bridge.
Hicksville- Massapequa Road and the Wantagh Avenue Bridge. 

Identify the date of the photo and the race Hint: The caption on the back of the photo reads: “the crowd running over to the accident of the 54”.
October 1, 1910 as part of the Massapequa Sweepstakes.  Car 54 was a Lancia driven by Willie Knipper with mechanician Guishard.  The car was wrecked in the 7th lap.  Lancia at the time was entered by the Hol-Tan company which for one year previously manufactured autos but later ended selling other makes, including the Lancia and Delaunay-Belleville. 

From Mystery Foto #4 Solved: A View of #54 Lancia Crashing at the Massapequa-Hicksville Road Turn in 1910

Howard,
Great photos of that Tucker.  Where will the Tucker be located?  Can we see it?
Rog
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Howard Kroplick

Rog, until the fall, the Tucker will be in the Waterfront at Roslyn garage. I will be having a few “Tucker” days.

From Images of the Tucker 1044

Looking at the entrance to Austin Clark’s Automotive Museum, I can’t help but wonder what ever happened to that curved dash Oldsmobile that stood above the entrance.  Just wondering.
Rog
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Howard Kroplick:

Great question!

From Helck Family Collection: Old 16 at the Opening of the Bridgehampton Race Circuit in 1957

Hello Sam & Dave:
I was in that old looking house with the stone wall around it last summer when the owners held a moving / yard sale. It’s probably not all that old, maybe 1950’s or so. I have no answer for the posts, however. Keep up the good work. I love your adventures.

From Sam & Dave's Excellent "Lost" Motor Parkway Adventure IV: The Eastern Terminus of the Motor Parkway

I believe the photo shows spectators standing on the Massapequa-Hicksville Road bridge at the place where a temporary turn-off was built for the racers to leave the parkway and head north on today’s Route 107. This was the site of the Massapequa Lodge, which appears to be faintly visible on the right hand side of the un-cropped photo.  The date would be October 1, 1910 when the #54 Lancia (driver = William Knipper; mechanician = August Guishard) crashed into a telephone pole during the Massapequa Sweepstakes.

From Mystery Foto #4 Solved: A View of #54 Lancia Crashing at the Massapequa-Hicksville Road Turn in 1910

Mystery Foto #4… The photo was taken at the Massapequa turn of the Motor Parkway in Plainedge. Photo shot from the Massapequa-Hicksville Motor Parkway bridge.
This was on October 1, 1910 during the Massapequa Sweepstakes. The car (#54) was a Lancia. The driver was William Knipper with mechanician August Disher. As a result of the crash driver Knipper sustained a broken leg but mechanician Disher was uninjured.

From Mystery Foto #4 Solved: A View of #54 Lancia Crashing at the Massapequa-Hicksville Road Turn in 1910

I think this is the Eastern end LOL. Very cool article though. I remember “exploring that area in the 70s, remember that little house and the wall. Surprised there is that much left. Used to drive the parkway from Lake Ronkonkoma to the part where it ends at Fox Lane in Dix Hills.
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Howard Kroplick

Steve, good catch!  It is the western terminus for people living in Riverhead 😊

From Sam & Dave's Excellent "Lost" Motor Parkway Adventure IV: The Eastern Terminus of the Motor Parkway

As always,you’ll never know what you’ll find and you guys do it every time and it’s amazing what you find after so many years that you can still identify it. Don’t know about that wall that wraps around,it could be original. What about that piece of porcelain they found in 2015? I wonder what else there’s to be found?

From Sam & Dave's Excellent "Lost" Motor Parkway Adventure IV: The Eastern Terminus of the Motor Parkway

From Robert R.

I remember it well.

Austie had some cars there, and Charlie Adams toured sedately in an open Brass Era with a mysteriously veiled lady at his side.

Seems like yesterday.

From Helck Family Collection: Old 16 at the Opening of the Bridgehampton Race Circuit in 1957

Great Job of digging for info on an incredibly low volume vehicle. About 40 years ago I had seen an ad for a Tucker radio in Hemmings for I believe $100. Who knew?

From YouTube of the Week: A Look at the 1948 Tucker '48

Looking southwest from the Hicksville Road bridge during the 1910 Massapequa
Sweepstakes.  Billy Knipper in the #54 Lancia overshot the turn near the Massapequa
Lodge and went over the embankment and crashed.

From Mystery Foto #4 Solved: A View of #54 Lancia Crashing at the Massapequa-Hicksville Road Turn in 1910

Nice job-keep up the good work.  I wish my dad had been interested in the motor parkway when we moved to Long Island in 1952.

Ken Harris

From Sam & Dave's Excellent "Lost" Motor Parkway Adventure IV: The Eastern Terminus of the Motor Parkway

Howard, I recently photographed that car in Auburn Hills, Michigan.  It will be featured in my next book, due out in June.  Tom
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Howard Kroplick

Tom, Super! I really am looking forward to next wonderful book.

From Images of the Tucker 1044

I think the basic parts for the dash cluster are the same as the 1940 and 1941 Lincoln Zephyr with different graphics. The Steering wheel is 1942 Lincoln with a Tucker horn button. Also note the shift gate is very much like the 810 Cords.

From Images of the Tucker 1044

Congratulations Howard, A NEW cap and shirt, green? with the name TUCKER on it?

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale