Vanderbilt Cup Races

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• Dec 12 2023

  InstaGRAM Report: Interview with Rob Ida About the Black Beast

  Rob Ida shares what it’s like to work on the Black Beast and gives us an insider’s look into vintage automotive restoration

• Oct 24 2023

  Mystery Friday Foto #42: Solved: The #8 ALCO Black Beast and the #9 Chalmers-Detroit Battling it Out in the 1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race

  Did you identify the racers in this weekend's photo?

• Sep 05 2022

  Mystery Friday Foto #36 Solved: Harry Grant in an Alco at the 1912 Old Orchard Beach Meet in Maine

  Kelly Williams challenged you to solve this holiday weekend Mystery Foto.

• Feb 14 2022

  Mystery Friday Foto #7 Solved: A 1912 Alco Convertible Touring Car driven by Dick Hovey

  Did you solve this weekend's Mystery Foto?

• Sep 13 2021

  Mystery Foto #37 Solved:  The Allen-Kingston Racer during the 1909 Readville Races

  Jim Fahey of Rhinebeck, New York challenged you to solve this weekend's Mystery Foto auto.

• Sep 01 2021

  Greg O’s Garage: From the Helck Family Collection- The 1915 Panama-Pacific Expo and the 1915 Vanderbilt Cup Race

  The official Pan-Pacific Expo Program found in the Helck Family Collection archives provides insights into the Expo and the 1915 Vanderbilt Cup Races.

• Jan 01 2021

  Update From the Pickering Collection: Images of the Vanderbilt Cup Races and Long Island

  Roslyn resident William Pickering (1865-1929) was one of the earliest Long Island photographers documenting many of the people, buildings and events in Nassau County including the Vanderbilt Cup Races. In 2009, Catherine Pickering shared with me these photos and postcards taken by her grandfather.

• Oct 10 2020

  Automobile Quarterly: The Mighty Alco- A History by Beverly Rae Kimes

  The definitive article on Alcos was written by Beverley Rae Kimes in the 1973 Volume Number 2 issue of Automobile Quarterly.

• May 18 2020

  Kleiner’s Korner: Advertising Using the Vanderbilt Cup Races and the Long Island Motor Parkway

  As shown in previous posts, advertisers often mentioned the Vanderbilt Cup Races or the Long Island Motor Parkway as an endorsement of their products. Here are additional examples.

• Nov 13 2019

  Garden City Archives: The “Snake Turn” of the 1908-1910 Courses of the Vanderbilt Cup Races

  As a follow-up to Mystery Foto #45, my favorite co-author Al Velocci and I visited Garden City historian Bill Bellmer and reviewed the one-of-a kind 1908 Motor Parkway Construction Book. Below is documentation of the "Snake Turn" of the 1908-1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race courses.

• Jul 03 2019

  Los Angeles Herald October 2, 1910: Harry Grant and his ‘Black Beast’ Alco & Tonight’s Fireworks

  Chuck Camp has forwarded this October 2, 1910 Los Angeles Herald article documenting why Harry Grant's Alco was painted black.

• Jun 26 2019

  Hemmings Classic Car: The Vanderbilt Cup- America’s first internationally recognized road-race

  The August 2019 issue of Hemmings Classic Car features an excellent review of the Vanderbilt Cup Races by Jeff Koch with the assistance of photos from my collection.

• Feb 02 2019

  The Alco “White Beast” in 1909

  Ray Holmes has forwarded this never-before-published photo of Harry Grant in the Alco "White Beast". Based on 1909 articles also provided by Ray, the photo was likely taken before the Lowell Trophy Race held on the Merrimac Valley Course, Massachusetts on September 8, 1909.

• Jan 22 2019

  VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: From the Archives of Mechanician Emilio Jandelli

  Emilio Jandelli (1882-1919) was a riding mechanician for many of the leading auto races from 1913 to 1919 including the 1913 Indy 500 Race, 1914 Vanderbilt Cup Race and the 1915 American Grand Prize. His grandson James Jandelli has forwarded several photos from his family archives.

• Aug 07 2018

  Frank Lee’s Great-Grandson Visits the Alco Black Beast

  Rich Lee, the great-grandson of the Alco Black Beast's mechanician Frank Lee, traveled down from Maine to visit the Black Beast tonight at the Waterfront at Roslyn garage.

• Jul 04 2018

  When 1909 Alco “White Beast”  Raced on July 4th at Indy

  In celebration of the 4th of July, here is a holiday repost from June 2014.

• Apr 23 2018

  Mystery Foto #16 Solved: Harry Grant Driving the #1 Isotta During the 1914 Vanderbilt Cup Race

  This weekend's Mystery Foto featured a photo error in the 2016 book "The Gilded Age in New York (1870-1910)".

• Dec 18 2017

  Mystery Foto #50 Solved: Harry Grant at the 1914 Indy 500 Race

  Chuck Rudy Jr. needed your help to identify details on last weekend's Mystery Foto.

• Dec 02 2017

  VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: Charlie Chaplin and Mabel Normand at the 1914 Vanderbilt Cup Race

  These are the only known film scenes of the 1914 Vanderbilt Cup Race held in Santa Monica, California.

• Nov 11 2017

  Jalopnik.com: Today’s Race Car Divers Have it Easy

  Jalopnik.com editor Raphael Orlove describes his recent experience as the mechanician for the Alco Black Beast.

• Nov 08 2017

  Updated: Jalopnik:America’s First Great Car Race Happened On Roads People Still Use Every Day

  Jalopnik editor Raphael Orlove has posted this excellent article on the Vanderbilt Cup Races promoting tonight's 8:00 PM and 11:00 PM showings of "Car vs. America" episode on Fusion TV.

• Sep 13 2016

  From a Lodgekeeper’s Family Album: A View of the Massapequa Lodge

  Arthur Mauriello, grandson of lodgekeepers Thomas and Josephine Zinzi, has forwarded two photos of the Massapequa Lodge from one of his family albums.

• May 30 2016

  Mystery Foto #22 Solved: Harry Grant Preparing the Alco for the 1911 Elgin National Trophy Race

  Chuck Rudy, Jr. challenged you to solve this holiday weekend's Mystery Foto.

• Apr 09 2016

  Amazing Photos of the Alco Black Beast During the 1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race

  Brandon Sails, Art Director for the Saratoga Automobile Museum, has forwarded these previously unpublished photos of the Alco Black Beast during the 1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race. The photos are courtesy of the Alco Historical & Technical Society.

• Mar 07 2016

  Mystery Fotos #10 Solved: Road Testing the Motor Parkway During the Summer of 1908

  The Garden City Archives challenged you to identify this series of unique photos of three automobiles on a road test prior to the Motor Parkway's opening.

• Jan 23 2016

  The Race to a Doctorate: Michelin, Bibendum and the Vanderbilt Cup Races

  Professor Pau Medrano Bigas, Professor of Graphic Design at the University of Barcelona, has spent ten years researching Michelin's graphic history. In July 2015, Pau completed his doctorate thesis "The forgotten years of Bibendum: the American stage of Michelin in Milltown." Design, illustration and advertising at tire companies (1900-1930). .

• Jan 18 2016

  Mystery Foto #3 Solved: Harry Grant driving an Isotta in the 1913 Elgin National Trophy Race

  Stuart Middlemiss challenged you to solve this weekend's Peter Helck's "Mystery Painting."

• Jan 16 2016

  The Making of “Chrysler’s Chrysler: The Painting” Updated 1/18/16

  Automobile artist George Ellis has created a beautiful watercolor of the 1937 Chrysler LeBaron Town Car. George has provided this background on the making of "Chrysler's Chrysler: The Painting."

• Dec 08 2015

  New England Historical Society: Harry Grant Wins the Vanderbilt Cup

  The New England Historical Society has posted this profile of Harry Grant, the only driver of the Alco Black Beast.

• Sep 02 2015

  NewEnglandHistoricalSociety.com: Profile of Driver Harry Grant

  Utilizing information from VanderbiltCupRaces.com, the New England Historical Society has posted a profile of driver Harry Grant.

• Apr 20 2015

  Mystery Foto #16 Solved Again: Ralph Beardsley’s Simplex Practicing for the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race

  Chuck Rudy Jr. challenged you to identify this photo which he recently obtained.

• Feb 25 2015

  Starting Lineup: The 1911 Vanderbilt Cup Race, Savannah, Georgia

  For the first Vanderbilt Cup Race held outside of Long Island, a total of 14 entries raced on a 17.1 mile road course in Savannah and Effingham on November 27, 1911.

• Oct 22 2014

  Starting Lineup: The 1915 Vanderbilt Cup Race in San Francisco, California Updated: 10/10/2016

  The 1915 Vanderbilt Cup Race was held in conjunction with the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, California.

• Oct 11 2014

  Motorsportmagazine.com: The Vanderbilt Cup

  Gordon Kirby has written an article on the Vanderbilt Cup Races on Motorsportmagazine.com .The images in the article were courtesy of VanderbiltCupRaces.com .

• Mar 18 2014

  Video: “Black Beast Wins INDY 500…100 Years Later!”

  Chris Collora of Patch.com created this video of the Alco Black Beast's participation in the 2011 Indy 500 Pre-Race. ThIs nine-minute film features an extended interview with me describing my first Indy experience.

• Mar 12 2014

  Carlo Demand and the Alco “Black Beast” on Long Island

  In 2011, I met car rally enthusiast Steve McKelvie at the Lime Rock Historic Festival. I recently discovered two blog posts by Steve McKelvie concerning the Alco Black Beast. This SteveMcKelvie.com post focused on artist Carlo Demand's painting of the Alco Black Beast and the Corbin Cannonball during the 1910…

• Jan 28 2014

  Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #43: Massapequa-Hicksville Motor Parkway Bridge in Plainedge

  The 43rd bridge in the series documenting the 60 bridges built by the Long Island Motor Parkway is the Massapequa-Hicksville Road Bridge in Plainedge.

• Dec 26 2013

  Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series#42:Wantagh Avenue Bridge in Hempstead Plains Updated:6/20/16

  The 42nd bridge in the series documenting the 60 Long Island Motor Parkway bridges is the "parkway" bridge over Wantagh Avenue in the Hempstead Plains (now Levittown).

• Dec 21 2013

  The Vanderbilt Cup Race Fantasy Team

  Wiliam K. Vanderbilt Jr loved competitive sports and was a member of his St. Mark's Preparatory School's football team (first row, far right).

• Dec 18 2013

  Wharton Magazine “The Black Beast and The Blue Pill”

  Editor Matthew Brodsky of Wharton Magazine has posted this online article "The Black Beast and The Blue Pill" .

• Dec 11 2013

  The Motor Parkway Toll Collection Structures: #11 Massapequa Lodge in Plainedge

  Going west to east, the tenth Motor Parkway toll collection structure was the Massapequa Lodge in Plainedge.

• Dec 02 2013

  Mystery Foto #44 Solved: The #7 Alco Shaft Drive 6- Cylinder Racer in Elgin, Illinois

  Last week's Mystery Foto featured a shaft driven Alco racer.

• Nov 30 2013

  Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #41: The Bloomingdale Road Bridge in Hempstead Plains

  The 41st bridge in the series documenting the 60 Long Island Motor Parkway bridges is the highway bridge built for the extension of Bloomingdale Road in the Hempstead Plains (now Levittown).

• Nov 23 2013

  Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #40: Jerusalem Avenue Bridge in the Hempstead Plains

  The 40th bridge in the series documenting the 60 bridges built by the Long Island Motor Parkway is the Jerusalem Avenue Bridge in the Hempstead Plains (now Levittown).

• Oct 28 2013

  Mystery Foto #39 Solved: The Alco Racer Practicing at the Indy 500 Track

  Hugh Nutting submitted this week's Mystery Foto, a previously unpublished photo of a race car.

• Oct 21 2013

  Mystery Foto #38 Solved: 1915 Vanderbilt Cup Race Officials, Committee & Drivers in San Francisco

  This week's Mystery Foto was a real challenge. Where in the world was the Vanderbilt Cup Trophy?

• Aug 13 2013

  Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #36:The Stewart Avenue Bridge in East Meadow Updated:2/18/16

  The 36th bridge in the series documenting the 60 bridges built by the Long Island Motor Parkway is the Stewart Avenue Bridge in East Meadow.

• Jun 25 2013

  Then & Now: The Westbury Old Country Road Turn at the 1909 & 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races

  Another crowd favorite to view the 1909 and 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races was the turn of Old Country Road on to Ellison Road (Avenue) in Westbury. Check out the "Then & Now."

• Jun 12 2013

  Then & Now: The Hicksville Old Country Road Turn at the 1909 and 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races

  One of the favorite locations to watch the 1909 and 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races was the Old Country Road Turn in Hicksville. Here is a "Then & Now" of the turn and another Vanderbilt Cup Race discovery.

• May 18 2013

  In Search of the Grandstand, Press Box/Officials Stand and Pits in Levittown

  From 1908 to 1910, the center of the auto racing world was a 200-yard strip of the Long Island Motor Parkway in the Hempstead Plains, now Levittown.

• Apr 23 2013

  Profile: Frank Lee, Mechanician for the Alco Black Beast

  Frank Lee was the mechanician for driver Harry Grant's Alco Black Beast for 15 of the car's 16 major races and all six major victories.

• Apr 01 2013

  Mystery Foto #8 Solved: Levittown/Bethpage on May 27, 1947

  Congratulations to Tim, Frank Scotty, Greg Tsistinas, Steve Lucas, Brian McCarthy, Frank Femenias, susansmoose, Gary Hammond, Art K., and Joe Oesterle for correctly identifying last Friday's Mystery Foto.

• Mar 23 2013

  Then & Now: Massapequa Road During the 1908-1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races

  The intersection of Massapequa-Hicksville Road and the Long Island Motor Parkway was a favorite location for watching for watching the 1908, 1909 and 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races.

• Dec 27 2012

  A View of the Vanderbilt Cup Races From the Massapequa-Hicksville Road Motor Parkway Bridge

  One of the most exciting spots to view the 1909 and 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races was from the Long Island Motor Parkway bridge over the Massapequa-Hicksville Road.

• Dec 01 2012

  Vanderbilt Cup Races Stats: Drivers, Cars and Manufacturers

  Here are summary stats for the Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island from 1904 to 1910.

• Oct 25 2012

  The Making of an Alco Black Beast Watercolor Painting

  Artist George Ellis has painted this beautiful watercolor painting of the Alco Black Beast at the Hicksville Turn during the 1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race. George has provided background information on the painting.

• Jul 14 2012

  Race Profile: 1915 Vanderbilt Cup Race in San Francisco, California

  In 1915 both the Vanderbilt Cup Race and the American Grand Prize were held in conjunction with the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, California.

• May 12 2012

  Then & Now: The Santa Monica Course for the 1914 and 1916 Vanderbilt Cup Races

  Both the 1914 and 1916 Vanderbilt Cup Races were held on the beautiful Santa Monica, California road course bordering on the Pacific Ocean. Check out the changes over the last 98 years.

• Apr 28 2012

  The Hempstead Plains Motor Parkway Bridge Near Bloomingdale Road

  Tim Ivers: "Howard, the 1932 Hagstrom Map shows an overpass over the LIMP (Bloomingdale Road extension) which connected with Hempstead Tpke. The overpass is about halfway between Jerusalem Avenue on the west and Wantagh Rd (Ave.) on the east. Are there any known photos of this overpass, or other information?"

• Apr 06 2012

  Fred Wagner- The Official Starter of the Vanderbilt Cup Races

  Fred Wagner was the official starter of all the Vanderbilt Cup Races with the exception of the 1904 race. Accordingly, Wagner, a resident of Smithtown, was the "Zelig" of early racing and captured in hundreds of photos. Here are my some of my favorites.

• Nov 10 2011

  May 7, 1911 The World :  Harry Grant Practicing on the Motor Parkway at 107.8 Miles Per Hour

  Margaret, George and Eric Vitale of Barn Find Antiquities recently purchased a vintage leather trunk. To their surprise, the bottom of the truck was lined with a May 7, 1911 edition of the newspaper The World including this article:

• Nov 01 2011

  Archives: Alco-6 Racing History (1909-1911)

  Index to posts related to the Alco-6 Racing History (1909-1911) Updated: December 1, 2011

• Oct 20 2011

  Anatomy of a Photo: Harry Grant Winning the 1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race

  One of my favorite photographs in the book Vanderbilt Cup Races of Long Island captured the moment Harry Grant and Frank Lee won the 1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race. A closer look of the photo is revealing:

• Jun 29 2011

  Favorite Images of the Vanderbilt Cup Races and the Long Island Motor Parkway

  Eric M: "Can you provide a sampling of your favorite Vanderbilt Cup Race and Long Island Motor Parkway images?":

• Jun 04 2011

  Exclusive Video: Emerson Fittipaldi Driving the Alco Black Beast During the 2011 Indy 500 Parade Lap

  This ten-minute "thrill of a lifetime" video documents two-time Indy 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi and Howard Kroplick driving the restored Alco Black Beast during the 2011 Indy 500 Race parade lap on May 29, 2011. Over the 2 1/2 mile lap, the racer averaged 45 mph with a maximum speed…

• May 24 2011

  Postcards from the Long Island Automotive Museum: Alcos

  The Long Island Automotive Museum offered a wide array of related merchandise including; jewelry, label buttons, photos, model car kits, china and series of postcards. As described in this brochure , provided by Walter McCarthy, there were over 500 cars postcards published featuring the cars of "Henry Austin…

• May 16 2011

  News Clip “The Beast is Back”

  An excellent news feature was produced today by reporter Greg Cergol and video journalist John Albertson on the restored Alco Black Beast and its upcoming trip to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

• Feb 04 2011

  Vintage Automobile Ad Series #1: American Locomotive Company

  The primary reason American and European manufacturers participated in the Vanderbilt Cup Racers and invested in race cars and racing teams was to publicize their automobile product lines. The winning company had a golden opportunity to promote the connections between their triumphant race car and their best-selling models. In the…

• Jan 22 2011

  Article “The ALCO Story: Distinctive, Durable, Doomed”

  In the early 1970s, author Howard L. Applegate wrote a history of the Alco in the tabloid newspaper Old Cars. Here is a pdf of the article The ALCO Story: Distinctive, Durable and Doomed.

• Jan 12 2011

  Update: The Alco Black Beast Racing History

  Alco-6 Black Beast's major races included two Vanderbilt Cup Races, the first Indianapolis 500, two Elgin Trophy Races, and one American Grand Prize Race. Here's the updated racing record with new images:

• Jan 11 2011

  Driver Profile: Harry Grant -Winner of the 1909 & 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races

  This is an updated profile of Harry Grant including several never before published photos:

• Jan 08 2011

  Drivers Who Raced in the 1911 Indy 500 and the Vanderbilt Cup Races (1904-1910)

  The decision of the Indianapolis Speedway to hold one major 500-mile race in 1911 with an unheard purse of $25,100 (equal to $571,000 today) attracted the best racing teams and drivers. Not surprisingly, many of the drivers who participated in the Vanderbilt Cup Races and its associated races also drove…

• Jan 07 2011

  The Alco “Black Beast” in the Inaugural Indy 500 Race

  Besides its two Vanderbilt Cup Race victories, the Alco-6 Black Beast's most famous race was the Inaugural Indy 500 held on May 30, 1911. To further celebrate this year's centennial, here is a comprehensive review of the Alco's performance as one of the 40 participants in this historic race.

• Jan 05 2011

  Indy 500 Centennial Celebration: Five 1911 Indy 500 Films

  To celebrate the upcoming centennial of the Inaugural Indy 500 Race, here are five films related to this historic race:

• Jan 03 2011

  The Alco “Black Beast” at the 1911 “Greatest of Auto Shows”

  From January 7th to 21st in 1911, the Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers organized the "Greatest of Auto Shows" at Madison Square Garden located at 26th and Madison Avenue.

• Dec 29 2010

  Neighborhood Journal Film Series: Part V: Racing Into History

  Cablevision's Neighborhood Journal has developed a five-part film series on the Vanderbilt Cup Races. The producer and narrator of the film is Bob Klement who is interviewed by host Joanna Venditto. The five parts of the series are:

• Dec 13 2010

  New Series- Rare Images #1: Vanderbilt Cup Race Drivers and Mechanicians

  VanderbiltCupRaces.com introduces today a new "Rare Images" series featuring rarely seen photos of Vanderbilt Cup Race personalities. We start off with this photo of Harry Grant and mechanician Frank Lee just prior to winning the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race.

• Dec 10 2010

  Images of the Six Vanderbilt Cup Race Finishes

  Photos of the exciting finishes of the six Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island:

• Dec 08 2010

  The Three Alco Racers at the 1911 Elgin National Trophy Race

  The 1911 Elgin National Trophy Race was the only major race in which American Locomotive Company supplied entries besides the Black Beast. The three Alcos in the race were serviced by a team of 12 drivers, mechanicians and mechanics. As captured in this photo provided by Lee Ferbin of…

• Dec 07 2010

  Harry Grant Describes His Last Great Race with the Alco Black Beast

  Harry Grant's last great race in the Alco-6 Black Beast Racer's was the 1911 Elgin National Trophy Race held on the Illinois course. Driver Harry Grant was shown here with his mechanician George Babcock prior to a practice run. This was the only major race in which mechanican Frank…

• Oct 30 2010

  National Speed Sports News “Black Beast Is Among Last Of A Unique Era of Racers”

  In the October 27, 2010 issue of National Speed Sports News magazine, an article by Ron Hedger Black Beast Is Among Last of A Unique Era of Racers" provides a summary of the Alco Black Beast.

• Sep 09 2010

  The Alco Practicing for the 1911 Indy 500: The License Plate & Mystery Car

  Prior to the 1911 Indy 500 Race, the #18 Alco conducted practice runs on the Long Island Motor Parkway. On these runs, a New York license plate M1067 was placed on the front of the car. (Post corrected on November 10, 2011- Original post indicated the Alco was practicing for…

• Sep 01 2010

  In Search of Alcos: #1 Alco-6 Black Beast Racer Archives

  Links to related posts on the Alco-6 Black Beast Racer on VanderbiltCupRaces.com (Updated: September 14, 2011):

• Aug 26 2010

  Times Union Blog:  “Serendipity and the Black Beast”

  Author and Schenectady County historian Don Rittner has written an article on his timesunion.com blog on his experiences last week with the Black Beast. Here are some highlights:

• Aug 21 2010

  The Black Beast Returns to Schenectady and Saratoga Springs

  It has been a wonderful two days in the Schenectady and Saratoga Springs area... great shows, friendly people, beautful weather, newspaper coverage and great fun!

• Aug 18 2010

  Film “The Black Beast’s Four-Mile Cruise to the Show”

  This seven-minute film documents the four- mile ride of the Alco "Black Beast" at the Nassau County Executive's 1st Annual Cruise to the Show Parade held on August 15, 2010. The "Black Beast" was the lead car of over 500 vintage and classic cars that participated. It covered…

• Aug 01 2010

  Archives: 1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race

  Links to related posts on VanderbiltCupRaces.com (Updated: January 31, 2012):

• Aug 01 2010

  Archives: 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race

  Links to related posts on VanderbiltCupRaces.com (Updated: December 31, 2011):

• Jul 31 2010

  Archives: Harry Grant

  Links related to Harry Grant on VanderbiltCupRaces.com (Updated: October 31, 2011):

• Jul 22 2010

  The 1911 Alco Dealership Photos

  To promote their 1911 Alco product line, American Locomotive Company provided four large photos to all their dealerships of their Vanderbilt Cup Race winner. In this dealership photo, the #18 Alco was making the Westbury Turn from Old Country Road to Ellison Road during the 1910 race. Click on the…

• Jul 06 2010

  Starting Lineup: The 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race

  A large field of 30 cars raced in the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race held on October 1, 1910. The race was run on the same course as in 1909- a total of 12.64 miles including 5.15 miles of the Long Island Motor Parkway. The winner needed…

• Jun 11 2010

  Mystery Photo Contest #2 Solved: 1911 Indy 500

  This is is a comprehensive listing of spring and summer automotive events scheduled to be held in the Long Island area over the next six months. Updated: June 17, 2010.

  
  
  
  

• Apr 29 2010

  The Eight Winning Drivers of the Vanderbilt Cup Races (1904-1916)

  Eight drivers won the 11 William K. Vanderbilt Jr. Cup Races held from 1904 to 1916. Three drivers, Harry Grant, Ralph DePalma and Dario Resta, were two-time winners.

• Mar 30 2010

  The Six Winners of the Vanderbilt Cup Races (1904-1910)

  These are the six winners of the Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island from 1904 to 1910:

• Mar 08 2010

  The Alco “White Beast” at the 1910 Worcester Dead Horse Hill Climb

  One of the earliest forms of automotive sports was competition against time over an uphill course. The "hill climbs" provided a natural venue for spectators and a challenge for the early automobiles.

• Dec 23 2009

  Promoting the 1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race Victory

  The primary reason for automobile manufacturers and their suppliers to build and equip expensive racers for the Vanderbilt Cup Races was the opportunity to promote a potential victory. As an example, these ads appeared in the November 2, 1909 issue of Horseless Age after the Alco-6 driving by…

• Dec 13 2009

  Article “Schenectady’s Contributions to the History of Automobiles”

  Don Rittner, author and historian, has written an excellent article in the Times Union serving the New York State Capital Region entitled "Schenectady’s Contributions to the History of Automobiles".

• Oct 29 2009

  Film “100th Anniversary of the 1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race”

  Today marks the 100th anniversary of the Alco-6 "Black Beast" winning the 1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race on Long Island. This two-minute and 48-second film celebrates this victory.

• Sep 20 2009

  Another Historic Gem from the Pickering Collection: The 1909 Alco Black Beast

  After viewing over a hundred vintage photos of Nassau County taken by photographer William Pickering in the early 1900s, Catherine Pickering and I found one more treasure last Wednesday: the "Black Beast"!

• Sep 10 2009

  The Alco Black Beast at the First Indy 500 Race

  One of the last major races that for the "Black Beast" was the Inaugural Indy 500 Race held on May 30, 1911. As published in the June 3, 1911 issue of Automobile Topics, this photo shows the #19 Alco-6 Racer taking the brick curve during the parade…