Vanderbilt Cup Races

Last April, VanderbiltCupRaces.com helped solve an Oldsmobile photo mystery which appeared in the Lansing State Journal. As discussed, the photo showed two Oldsmobile entrants for the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race displayed in front of the Downey House Hotel in Lansing, Michigan. The fascinating story of this Oldsmobile continues:

 David Noran of Wilder, Kentucky, has a special interest in Oldsmobile racers and has provided this photo of  driver Joe Nelson in one of the twin 1910 Oldsmobile Racers.

David is currently building a 1910 Oldsmobile Racer and is looking for your assistance in this beautiful rebirth. If you have any other images of the Oldsmobile racers, especially of the exhaust side, please forward them to me at [email protected] .

Mark Stillman Riley, the great-great grandson of the 1910 Oldsmobile driver Harry Stillman, has added to the mystery of the twin Oldsmobile racers mystery with this information and photos:

I was very surprised recently when I discovered the article(s) regarding the Oldsmobile photo that the woman from Owosso had identified.

I too, have the same photo as Harry Stillman was my Great Grandfather as it was part of his 'things' passed down.

 

My photo, though is a little different.

For one, there is more image on the top and "Hotel Downey" is clearly legible (although mirrored).

Mine also has a typewritten addition to the lower left portion of the photo which reads:

 

HARRY M. STILLMAN, captain
Oldsmobile Racing Team
May, 1909
Hotel Downey, Lansing, Michigan

The interesting part is the date as you had stated the photo was from 1910 prior to that year's Vanderbilt Cup Race.

Mark, thanks for the information. My best guess is the photo may have been taken in May 1909 of the Oldsmobile team that was eventually entered in the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race. There were no Oldsmobile entrants for the 1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race held on October 30, 1909.

Links to related VanderbiltCupRaces.com posts:

VanderbiltCupRaces.com Helps Solve an Old Oldsmobile Photo Mystery in the Lansing State Journal

Starting Lineup: 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Entrants 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Archives: 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Archives: Vanderbilt Cup Races Starting Lineups (1904-1910)

Index: Archives on VanderbiltCupRaces.com