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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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1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes race held on Oct, 10. The race was the christening of the newly built Motor Parkway (1908-1938) by the AAA Race Commission. Photo was taken looking west in between the Levittown Grandstand and Official’s Stand/Press Box (1908-1910). The Italian #42 Isotta driven by Herb Lytle finished in 1st place with an average speed of 64.25 mph, meaning this racer had periodically achieved speeds in excess of 70 mph throughout the course. Very impressive for a 1908 vehicle!
Herb Lytle (Lyttle) participated in more Vanderbilt Cup Races than any other driver.
Extensive coverage of this race here—> https://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/races/story/1908_motor_parkway_sweepstakes
From Mystery Friday Foto #18 Solved: Herb Lytle winning the 1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes
Mystery Foto #18… The car pictured was #P42 Isotta as driven by Herb Lytel.
And this driver participated in more races associated with the Vanderbilt Cup than any other driver. The race was the 1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes held on October 10. Herb Lytel took the big Isotta to victory in that race at an average speed of 64.25 mph. And two weeks later would finish second in the Vanderbilt Cup Race.
From Mystery Friday Foto #18 Solved: Herb Lytle winning the 1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes
The booklet on the Gordon Bennett races notes “research by Michael Sedgwick” . Mike Sedgwick was a great friend of mine as we were both active in the Society of Automotive Historians decades ago. He was the man in charge of the library at the National Motor Museum - Beaulieu . He contributed considerably to that book. After he left his position at Beaulieu he lived in Midhurst , West Sussex. He had his office in the attic of a 17th/18th century building on the main road in Midhurst that you accessed by a narrow flight of crooked stairs, 4 stories up! It was Mike that introduced me to his friend Peter Moore of Pulborough , West Sussex and that is how I acquired most of my archives of European and British auto sales literature, motor show programs ,coach builders photographs and catalogs , car mascots, toys etc all pre war . Peter Moore acted as my agent to find things for me and also ran a great auction catalog of automobile material that came out 6 times a year. When Mike Sedgwick passed away I was in England soon afterwards and helped remove the contents from his office and purchased a fair amount of it that I still use in my research. It is amazing how active the sales of American cars were in England and Europe pre WWII and also that sales material printed and developed there on American cars showing European coachwork was part of what was produced. Some totally outstanding material with incredible art. Most American collectors have no idea that this stuff exists or was even produced. Much of it disappeared in WWII.
From Mystery Friday Foto #17 Solved: The Gordon Bennett Cup
Oh. As a researcher, I suppose it would have been allowed to research the questions on the internet. Duh. Anyhow, I suppose the faux pas on the plaque which required the re-engraving of Thery’s name is lost in time. I usually try to bury my mistakes which are legion. Thanks for a good brain twister. I am guessing the gentleman in the second image is Károly Méhes. If not it would be a real stumper.
From Mystery Friday Foto #17 Solved: The Gordon Bennett Cup
Lyndy - glad you were able to save some relics. Enjoy!
From Kleiner's Korner: A Return to the Long Island Motor Parkway (Part 1)
Howard, you’ve educated many of us regarding the Races and Long Island. And given us many great photos and videos!
BTW, love the up close of the motometer!
From Sportshistoryweekly.com: Recalling Long Island’s Vanderbilt Cup Races A vintage car collector preserves a bygone era
That’s Herb Lytel driving the the number P42 Isotta. Lytel drove in more Vanderbilt Cup Race events than any other racer having participated in six different races. This photo shows him in the Motor Parkway Sweepstakes on October 10, 1908 which he won with an average speed of 64.25 MPH.
From Mystery Friday Foto #18 Solved: Herb Lytle winning the 1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes
Thanks for sharing the info and the pictures. I picked up a couple of pieces today. I used your pictures to help identify that what I was grabbing were part of the road. Both my pieces had the thin metal rebar so I guess that confirms it. Thank you again Art.
From Kleiner's Korner: A Return to the Long Island Motor Parkway (Part 1)
This is Herb Lytle winning the Motor Parkway sweepstakes held on September 10th 1908. He is driving #P42 Isotta (Italy). He came in first place with an average speed of 64.25 mph. This driver was unique in the fact that he was the only driver to participate in two race “firsts”: The first Vanderbilt Cup Race (1904), and the first Indy 500 race (1911). He also drove in more races associated with the Vanderbilt Cup Races (6) than any other driver. Three VCR races (1904, 1905, 1908), two American Elimination Trials, (1905, 1906) and winning the Motor Parkway Sweepstakes in (1908). He came in second place in the 1908 VCR. He also switched teams in 1908 to drive for Italy which I would say is also “unique”. The picture in this week’s mystery photo seems a tad blurry. I don’t know if that was intentional to throw us off but the blog from November 3rd, 2018 has this same picture but a lot clearer, which helped me to better solve this week’s questions.
From Mystery Friday Foto #18 Solved: Herb Lytle winning the 1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes
Incredible selection of classics auctioned off…Probably still a part of someone’s cherished collection…
From Greg O's Garage; Henry Austin Clark Jr's 1955 Automobile Auction PART 3
Glad light is shinning your way Howard. I wouldn’t have know anything about the Vanderbilt Cup Races if not for your website…
From Sportshistoryweekly.com: Recalling Long Island’s Vanderbilt Cup Races A vintage car collector preserves a bygone era
Mystery Foto #17 Addendum… Part two of my answer is that the car depicted on the trophy is a racing Panhard steered by the Genius of Progress with the Goddess of Victory upright upon the seat.
From Mystery Friday Foto #17 Solved: The Gordon Bennett Cup
Mystery Foto #17…The trophy is the “Gordon Bennett Cup,” crafted by the jeweler Aucoc. It is the allegorical trophy of Progress. Today it decorates the wood paneled Gordon Bennett salon, on the mezzanine level of the Automobile Club de France building, located on the Place de la Concorde in Paris. In the early twentieth century, its conquest brought the European nations together, while setting them against each other, in an annual motor race with considerable repercussions. This major event—the beginnings of motor racing—was also the beginning of motoring. Gordon Bennett, before settling in Paris in 1877, on the other side of the Atlantic he became the youngest commodore of the New York Yacht Club, and won the first transoceanic race in 1866. Once established at the head of his father’s newspaper, The New York herald, his first editorial project was mounting Stanley’s famous expedition to Africa in 1869 to find Dr. Livingstone.
From Mystery Friday Foto #17 Solved: The Gordon Bennett Cup
That’s the Gordon Bennett Trophy awarded to the winner of the Gordon Bennett series of annual races that were run from 1900 through 1905. The automobile on the trophy is a Panhard which won the the inaugural race. Designed by Andre Aucoc, it shows the Panhard being driven by “The Genius of Progress” with “Nike”, the “Goddess of Victory”, as the co-driver. Along with the artwork “Thery Winning The Gordon Bennett Race” by Frederick Gordon Crosby, the trophy is in the Louwman Museum in The Hague. Possible links to Vanderbilt include: the Gordon Bennett races were an inspiration for Willie K. to establish his Vanderbilt Cup Races; a Panhard won the first race of both series; Joe Tracy drove a Locomobile in the 1905 Gordon Bennett and several V. C. race events.
From Mystery Friday Foto #17 Solved: The Gordon Bennett Cup
It was my honor to have worked on the Black Beast with Sam Greco (RIP) and to have met the man (you)keeping these automobiles alive. THANK YOU!
From Sportshistoryweekly.com: Recalling Long Island’s Vanderbilt Cup Races A vintage car collector preserves a bygone era
This is the Gordon Bennett trophy.
From Mystery Friday Foto #17 Solved: The Gordon Bennett Cup
Excellent pics!
From Mystery Friday Foto #12 Solved; The Oyster Bay LIRR Bridge Williston Park & East Williston Abutment
Nice to see it unmarked, only the winter brush.
From Current Views of the Old Bethpage Motor Parkway Bridge
So what was soldered up and recut “Thiery” on the plaque? I never could get a straight answer.
From Mystery Friday Foto #17 Solved: The Gordon Bennett Cup
The Gordon Bennett Trophy. 1901-1905. Plate inscribed with the races and winners. When I saw it, I did not ask for the other details you require.
From Mystery Friday Foto #17 Solved: The Gordon Bennett Cup
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