The Vanderbilt Cup was the first major trophy in American auto racing .
60-546: An international event, it was founded by William Kissam Vanderbilt II in 1904 and first held on October 8 on a course set out in Nassau County on Long Island, New York . The announcement that the race was to be held caused considerable controversy in New York, bringing a flood of legal actions in an attempt to stop the race. The politicians soon jumped in, holding public hearings on the issue. Vanderbilt prevailed and
120-590: A decline in attendance at all the state's racetracks, which was then exacerbated by the opening of the Meadowlands Racetrack in 1976, which was located much closer to Manhattan, and had regular buses to and from the Port Authority, compared to a single "track bus" that ran once or twice an evening each way. In the case of Roosevelt Raceway, commercial growth outside the raceway brought new attractions that diverted people to other interests. In
180-597: A distance of 48 miles (77 km). The 1908 race was held over parts of the new highway and much to the delight of the large crowd on hand, 23-year-old local hero George Robertson from Garden City, New York became the first American to win the event driving the American Locomobile , which was the company's first gas-powered car and designed by famed engineer Andrew L. Riker (built in Bridgeport, Connecticut) (in 1908, George Robertson (wearing #16) took
240-672: A former wife of Barclay Harding Warburton II and an heir to the John Wanamaker department store fortune, waited discreetly away from the media at a home in the Parisian suburb of Passy , France . When the divorce was final, the couple were married at the Hotel de Ville (city hall) in Paris on September 5, 1927. Vanderbilt became a legal stepfather to Barclay Harding Warburton III once they wed. Vanderbilt died on January 8, 1944, of
300-528: A group of investors (Roosevelt Raceway Associates) led by incumbent raceway president Bill Hopkins and investor Charles L. Evans, via $ 54 million in tax-free bonds issued by the Town of Hempstead Industrial Development Agency. At the time of purchase they promised " . . to successfully operate the Roosevelt Raceway in its existing location and to preserve a traditional source of enjoyment and revenue for
360-693: A heart ailment. He was interred in the Vanderbilt Family Cemetery and Mausoleum on Staten Island, New York . In 1931, Vanderbilt had the Krupp Germaniawerft in Kiel, Germany, build for him the 264-foot diesel yacht Alva . The Alva was donated by Vanderbilt to the U.S. Navy on November 4, 1941. The Alva was converted to a gunboat and commissioned as the USS Plymouth (PG-57) on December 29, 1941. The Plymouth
420-601: A new land speed record of 92.30 mph (148.54 km/h) in a Mercedes-Benz at the Daytona Beach Road Course at Ormond Beach, Florida . That same year, he launched the Vanderbilt Cup , the first major trophy in American auto racing . An international event, designed to spur American manufacturers into racing, the race's large cash prize drew the top drivers and their vehicles from across
480-547: A new motor yacht, also named Tarantula . On May 9, 1917, the United States Navy commissioned the second Tarantula at Brooklyn Navy Yard as a patrol boat , with the hull number SP-124, and appointed Lieutenant Vanderbilt as its commander. The Navy chartered the yacht from him for the duration of the war. He was assigned to patrol duty in the waters of the 3rd Naval District , and escorted convoys in waters off New York and New Jersey. On October 1, 1917, he
540-474: A new race, the Inaugural U.S. 500 , to be held at Michigan International Speedway the same day. In an attempt to enhance the prestige of their new event and in recognition of William Kissam Vanderbilt's place in automotive racing history, CART had a facsimile of the original Vanderbilt Cup created as the winner's trophy for the 1996 U.S. 500 . After only one running, the U.S. 500 on Memorial Day weekend
600-489: A trust fund and from his income as president of the New York Central Railroad Company, on his father's death in 1920 Willie inherited a multimillion-dollar fortune. Although he developed an interest in horse racing and yachting , he was particularly fascinated with automobiles. At age 10, during a stay in the south of France he had ridden in a steam-powered tricycle from Beaulieu-sur-Mer
660-691: A way to solve the safety issue as well as improve attendance to his race. Vanderbilt formed a company to build the Long Island Motor Parkway , one of the country's first modern paved parkways that could not only be used for the race but would open up Long Island for easy access and economic development. Construction began in 1907 of the multimillion-dollar toll highway, to run from the Kissena Corridor in Queens County over numerous bridges and overpasses to Lake Ronkonkoma ,
SECTION 10
#1732779958886720-669: A wealthy heiress whose father, James Graham Fair , had made a fortune in mining the famous Comstock Lode . They spent their honeymoon at the Idle Hour estate but disaster struck when fire broke out and the mansion burned to the ground. Before their separation and divorce, Vanderbilt and his wife had a son and two daughters, the younger of whom was named for his sister: The Vanderbilts separated after ten years of marriage but did not formally divorce until 1927 when he wanted to remarry. Divorce proceedings were handled by his New York lawyers while he and Rosamund Lancaster Warburton (1897–1947),
780-718: Is part of the Hempstead Plains , located in an unincorporated area of the Town of Hempstead , within the Westbury 11590 Zip Code. It is located near where the first English Governor of New York, Richard Nicolls , established the "Newmarket Course", the first horse racing track in North America (and the first organized sport of any kind) in the territory that would become the United States , in 1664. Following
840-537: The Atlantic Ocean who had competed in Europe 's Gordon Bennett Cup . Held at a course set out in Nassau County on Long Island, New York, the race drew large crowds hoping to see an American car defeat the mighty European vehicles. However, a French Panhard vehicle won the race and fans would have to wait until 1908 when 23-year-old George Robertson of Garden City, New York , became the first American to win
900-797: The Bridgehampton Sports Car Races were billed as the Vanderbilt Cup. Upon conclusion of the SCCA-sanctioned Bridgehampton event in 1968, the Vanderbilt Cup name disappeared for 28 years. In 1996, the sport of Indy car racing had become embroiled in a "Split" between Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) and the Indy Racing League (IRL). Tony George , the owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and
960-578: The Champ Car World Series (CCWS), continued using the Vanderbilt Cup copy. After the bankruptcy of the CCWS in 2008 its assets were purchased by the IRL, unifying the most prestigious level of American open-wheel racing under a single sanctioning body. Tony George expressed an interest in having the Vanderbilt Cup copy replace the IRL's then-current Indy car National Champion's trophy, known as
1020-525: The Galapagos Islands . By 1922, Vanderbilt had commissioned the construction of a single-story building on his Long Island estate to serve as a public museum, and less than a decade later a second story was added on to accommodate the growing collection. William Belanske, who had accompanied Vanderbilt on his Galapagos voyage, was employed as the full-time curator of this museum. In 1913, Vanderbilt traded in his steam turbine yacht Tarantula for
1080-608: The Roosevelt Field airport , and was the site of the runway from which Charles Lindbergh took off in the Spirit of St. Louis . The track for the 1936 event was twisty and bumpy, not quite suited to the big-bore big- BHP racecars of the day, and a number of the drivers did not like the track. The layout for the 1937 event was faster, with fewer corners and longer straights. Despite these adaptations, no Indy car races were held there afterwards, although Roosevelt Raceway
1140-562: The Sir Thomas Lipton Cup in 1900 with his new 70-foot (21 m) sailing yacht he had named Virginia in honor of his new bride. In 1902, Vanderbilt began construction on his own country place at Lake Success on Long Island that he named " Deepdale ." In 1903 he bought Tarantula , the first turbine -powered steam yacht in the World. However, sailing took second place to his enthusiasm for fast cars. In 1904, Willie set
1200-517: The 1960s, in an attempt to "leverage the legacy" the of Vanderbilt Cup history and name, the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) sanctioned several events featuring tertiary levels of competition, with the exception of the 1960 event, which drew two notable drivers: Jim Rathmann and Rodger Ward . Sponsored by Cornelius Vanderbilt IV , the 1960 race was run as a Formula Junior event and held again at Roosevelt Raceway. In 1965, 1967, and 1968,
1260-453: The 7 kilometers to Monte Carlo . As a twenty-year-old, in 1898 he ordered a French De Dion-Bouton motor tricycle and had it shipped to New York. Soon, he acquired other motorized vehicles and before long began to infuriate citizens and officials alike as he sped through the towns and villages of Long Island, New York , en route to Idle Hour , his parents' summer estate at Oakdale . A skilled sailor, he took part in yacht racing , winning
SECTION 20
#17327799588861320-464: The Festival of Hope. The 2-day festival featured performances by Ike & Tina Turner , Sly & The Family Stone , Jefferson Airplane , Chuck Berry , James Brown , The Shirelles , Sha-na-na , Billy Preston , Dr. Hook , Looking Glass , Bo Diddly , Stephen Stills , McKendree Spring , Elephant's Memory , The James Gang , and Commander Cody . The promoters expected to raise $ 300,000 for
1380-564: The IRL, announced that the top 25 entries in IRL points standings would be guaranteed starting positions in the 1996 Indianapolis 500 . That would leave only 8 "at-large" spots for the CART-based teams. On December 18, 1995 CART teams, convinced they were being deliberately locked out from the 1996 Indy 500, and the victims of a "power grab" by Tony George, announced their intentions to boycott that event. The owners, along with CART president and CEO Andrew Craig, jointly announced plans for
1440-630: The Nassau Society for Crippled Children and Adults, but the attendance was estimated at only 20,000 to 40,000, much lower than the expected 80,000. The most notable event was a rock concert; "Summersault '74", which drew a crowd of 75,000 (and featured performances by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young , Joni Mitchell , Jesse Colin Young , and the Beach Boys ). The introduction of off-track betting in New York in 1971 coincided with
1500-540: The Naval Reserve until he was transferred to the Honorary Retired List on January 1, 1941, for physical disability. In 1925, he traded the luxury yacht Eagle for ownership of Fisher Island, Florida , a place he used as a winter residence. He built a mansion complete with docking facilities for his yacht, a seaplane hangar, tennis courts, swimming pool, and an eleven-hole golf course. This home
1560-492: The Raceway was in dire straits (again) and about to be evicted from the premises for $ 70,000 back rent, Mr. Levy bargained to purchase the land for the meager sum of $ 950,000 (satisfied on May 17, 1956). On November 8, 1963, only two horses finished following a mid-race crash. The race was declared official, which angered many of the 23,127 fans in attendance that night, setting off a riot. First throwing bottles and other debris,
1620-600: The Silver Cup. However, no change was made. Since the 2011 season the IRL - rebranded as the IndyCar Series since 2012 - has awarded National Champions the Astor Challenge Cup . William Kissam Vanderbilt II William Kissam Vanderbilt II (October 26, 1878 – January 8, 1944) was an American motor racing enthusiast and yachtsman , and a member of the prominent Vanderbilt family . He
1680-440: The Vanderbilt Cup. The Vanderbilt Cup auto races repeatedly had crowd control problems and at the 1906 race a spectator was killed. Seeing the potential to solve the safety issue as well as improve attendance to his race, and with encouragement from AAA official A. R. Pardington , Vanderbilt formed a corporation to build the Long Island Motor Parkway , one of the country's first modern paved parkways that could not only be used for
1740-502: The cause and sponsored a 300-mile (480 km) race at the new facilities at Roosevelt Raceway . Once again, the Europeans were enticed by the substantial prize money and Scuderia Ferrari entered three Alfa Romeo racers. A lack of American competition and a less-than-exciting course layout saw the race run for only two years, both won by Europeans. The original Cup is cast of silver and measures 2.5 feet (0.76 m) in height. It bears
1800-461: The citizens of Hempstead and surrounding communities." But Raceway Associates closed the track in 1988, and became embroiled in a controversy over the bonds, that would lead to an investigation that would include New York Senator Alfonse D'Amato . No one would be found guilty of any legal wrongdoing. At the time of closure, the property was valued at approximately $ 200 million. Neither the investment group nor other developers were able to develop
1860-524: The county governments in lieu of the $ 80,000 due in back taxes. His new high-speed road complemented a train service that allowed a rapid exit from Manhattan. Becoming the first suburban automobile commuter, in 1910 Willie began work on the much more elaborate and costly " Eagle's Nest " estate at Centerport, Long Island . An avid collector of natural history and marine specimens as well as other anthropological objects, he traveled extensively aboard his yacht as well as overland to numerous destinations around
Vanderbilt Cup - Misplaced Pages Continue
1920-466: The end of the Great Depression , George Washington Vanderbilt III , George Preston Marshall and Eddie Rickenbacker raised money to build a home for a revived Vanderbilt Cup , which had been dormant since its last running in 1916. 1908 Vanderbilt Cup winner George Robertson was hired to oversee construction of the facility. The land was acquired by lease of the land that was "Unit 2" of
1980-512: The end the new "Dream Track" (as it was nicknamed) cost $ 20 million. (The various tote boards alone cost approximately $ 800,000.) The new "plant" consisted of five levels with suspended security levels between floors. It boasted a 14-bed hospital with a fully functional operating room, radio and television broadcast rooms and two restaurants run by Harry M. Stevens, Inc. A new synthetic track was constructed and more than 105,000 watts of light lit its homestretch. Closed-circuit television of each race
2040-407: The end, Roosevelt Raceway's ticket sales could barely support its daily operating costs. In addition, the land value began to skyrocket, making Roosevelt Raceway a target for developers with purposes of demolition and development attempts were opposed by citizens of Nassau County citing loss of jobs. In 1984 the site was sold by Madison Square Garden , at the time a subsidiary of Gulf+Western , to
2100-413: The fans then began jumping over the railing, smashing the tote board, and then attacking first the judges booth and then the police who attempted to interfere. After the fans began to set fires, arriving firemen set their hoses on the rioters to push them back. 15 people were treated for injuries. In 1964 the largest twin double was hit for 172,726.80 for a $ 2 ticket by Robert and Mary Froner. The property
2160-634: The first Grand Prix motor racing event had been run on June 26, 1906, under the auspices of the Automobile Club de France in Le Mans . One of the competitors was American Elliot Shepard, the son of Margaret Vanderbilt-Shepard and a cousin of William Kissam Vanderbilt. Learning from his cousin about the success of the French Grand Prix and the rapid expansion of Grand Prix racing in other European countries, William Vanderbilt conceived
2220-488: The former parking lot. The site of the grandstand and track which lay vacant for years is now the site of a luxury condominium complex, Meadowbrook Pointe, which began operation in 2006. The shopping center and movie theater are located five minutes away from the Roosevelt Field Mall . The area to the east, now a Home Depot , was the location of the stables. The last plot of Raceway property was converted into
2280-481: The globe. He acquired a vast array of artifacts for his collection during his well-documented travels and after service with the United States Navy during World War I , he published a book titled " A Trip Through Sicily, Tunisia, Algeria, and Southern France ." A few years later, he engaged William Belanske, an artist from the American Museum of Natural History to take part with him in a scientific voyage to
2340-622: The image of William K. Vanderbilt II driving his record-setting Mercedes at the Daytona Beach Road Course in 1904. The trophy today is stored at a Smithsonian Institution storage facility and is not available to be seen by the public. The George Vanderbilt Cup is on display at Museo Nicolis in Verona . After the 1937 event, the Vanderbilt name would not return to the United States motor racing scene for more than twenty years. During
2400-655: The inaugural race was run over a 30.24 miles (48.7 km) course of winding dirt roads through the Nassau County area. Vanderbilt put up a large cash prize hoping to encourage American manufacturers to get into racing, a sport already well organized in Europe that was yielding many factory improvements to motor vehicle technology. The race drew the top drivers and their vehicles from across the Atlantic Ocean , some of whom had competed in Europe's Gordon Bennett Cup . The first Long Island race featured seventeen vehicles and
2460-508: The newspaper and poster art promotion drew large crowds hoping to see an American car defeat the mighty European vehicles. However, George Heath won the race in a Panhard and another French vehicle, a Darracq , took the Cup the next two years straight. Crowd control was a problem from the start and after a spectator, Curt Gruner, was killed in 1906, the race was cancelled. Meanwhile, in France,
Vanderbilt Cup - Misplaced Pages Continue
2520-422: The original Vanderbilt grandstands were burdened by excessive additions and dangerous decay. Within the next season the new clubhouse-grandstand "plant" replaced the old Vanderbilt track without interruption of the racing schedule. The new building was designed by Arthur Froehlich who designed other innovative modern structures. The architectural plans cost $ 400,000 and the building was proposed at $ 12 million. In
2580-410: The race but would open up Long Island for easy access and economic development. Construction began in 1907 of the multimillion-dollar toll highway that was to run from the Kissena Corridor in Queens County over numerous bridges and overpasses to Lake Ronkonkoma , a distance of 48 miles (77 km). However, the toll road was never able to generate sustainable profits and in 1938 it was formally ceded to
2640-573: The site has operated as the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum . Roosevelt Raceway (motor sports) Roosevelt Raceway was a race track located just outside the village of Westbury on Long Island , New York . Initially created as a venue for the 1936 Vanderbilt Cup auto race, it was converted to a ½-mile harness racing facility (the actual circumference was 100 feet shorter). The harness racing facility operated from September 2, 1940 until July 15, 1988. It
2700-430: The site, and as the facilities were not maintained, the grandstand and stables began to decay and the track removed. Although shopping centers were soon built on the former parking lots and stable areas, the grandstand would not be demolished until 2002. Little remains of Roosevelt Raceway, other than the name, which still graces a shopping center, known as Westbury Plaza, and an AMC Theatres movie theater located on
2760-425: The sport, Levy's track would race at night, with single heat races, in an attempt to bring the "hick sport" to the populous Long Island area. With World War II in progress, attendance and profit were minimal in the first few years. The track opened September 2, 1940 with a crowd of 5,000 which bet a total of $ 40,742 and saw the first race won by the horse "Martha Lee". One of the difficulties harness racing faced
2820-479: The track record and won $ 32,320. In 1957 a new, much larger grandstand was opened, which included such features as dining and air conditioned areas, as well as a new toteboard. The grandstand was known as the "Dream Track". On August 20, 1960 attendance was 54,861 for a racing card that included the International Trot , which at the time was the largest crowd to witness a horse race in the U.S. By 1956
2880-675: The win in this car, ahead of fellow Locomobile pilot Joe Florida in third, becoming the first United States-built car to win in international competition) . The Vanderbilt Cup was held successfully on Long Island until 1911 when it was showcased at Savannah, Georgia in combination with the American Grand Prize . The next year it moved to a racecourse in Milwaukee, Wisconsin , then for three years in California : Santa Monica in 1914 and 1916, San Francisco in 1915. The race
2940-566: Was born on October 26, 1878, in New York City , the second child and first son of William Kissam Vanderbilt and Alva Erskine Smith . His maternal grandfather was Murray Forbes Smith . Known as Willie K., he was a brother to Harold Stirling Vanderbilt and Consuelo Vanderbilt . Born to a life of luxury, he was raised in Vanderbilt mansions , traveled to Europe frequently, and sailed the globe on yachts owned by his father. Willie
3000-485: Was broadcast throughout the grandstand. On opening night (September 2, 1940) the horse, Miss June, collapsed and died on the track after winning the fifth race. In 1942, George Levy was saddled with mounting debt. He would have to raise $ 20,000 or forfeit the raceway. This loan would prove almost disastrous to Roosevelt Raceway when Levy came under investigation of the Kefauver Committee in the 1950s. In 1944
3060-625: Was called Alva Base and the architect was Maurice Fatio . In addition to this property, and his Long Island estate, Eagle's Nest , which was designed by Warren & Wetmore , Vanderbilt also owned a farm in Tennessee and Kedgwick Lodge, a hunting lodge designed for his father by architect Stanford White , on the Restigouche River in New Brunswick , Canada. In 1899, Vanderbilt married Virginia Graham Fair (1875–1935),
SECTION 50
#17327799588863120-515: Was canceled after the United States joined the Allies in World War I in 1917. Some of the drivers who participated in the Vanderbilt Cup became famous names, synonymous with automobiles and racing such as Louis Chevrolet , Vincenzo Lancia and Ralph DePalma . The Vanderbilt Cup was not held again until 1936 when William Kissam Vanderbilt II's nephew, George Washington Vanderbilt III picked up
3180-582: Was discontinued. The U.S. 500 name was instead used for the July race (formerly known as the Michigan 500 ). After serving as the U.S. 500 winner's trophy through 1999, CART designated the Vanderbilt Cup as its series championship trophy in 2000. Names of U.S. 500 winners from 1996 to 1999, and the CART series champions from 2000 on-wards, were to be etched into the new Cup. Upon CART's demise in 2003 its successor,
3240-597: Was educated by tutors and at St. Mark's School . He attended Harvard University but dropped out after two years. While a great part of his life was filled with travel and leisure activities, Willie's father put him to work at the family's New York Central Railroad offices at Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan . As such, in 1905 he joined other Vanderbilts on Fifth Avenue , building the William K. Vanderbilt House at 660 Fifth Avenue . Already extremely wealthy from
3300-571: Was primarily employed as a convoy escort on the East Coast and in the Caribbean and was sunk by a torpedo from a German U-boat on August 5, 1943, at 21.39 with the loss of 95. By the 1940s, Vanderbilt had organized his will so that, upon his death, the Eagle's Nest property along with a $ 2 million upkeep fund would be given to Suffolk County, New York , to serve as a public museum . Since 1950,
3360-631: Was released from active duty and given a temporary leave of absence to resume his duties of vice-president of the New York Central Railroad . A few months later, he was elected president of the New York Central Railroad and acted in this capacity for the remainder of the war. After the war, Vanderbilt was promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander in the Naval Reserve on May 17, 1921. He remained in
3420-574: Was the original home of the Messenger Stakes , part of the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers . The raceway hosted the event until it closed. It was also the first track to use the now universal " mobile starting gate ". The operation was sold in 1984 on the condition it was to remain an operating racetrack, but the facilities deteriorated, attendance dropped off, and the plant was no longer profitable. The site of Roosevelt Raceway
3480-485: Was the site of the 1939 National Midget auto racing championship. The track has been recreated in at least two racing games, Spirit of Speed 1937 and the Grand Prix Legends racing simulation. The property was leased in 1939 by a group of investors (Old Country Trotting Association) led by George Morton Levy with the intention of opening a harness racing track. However, unlike previous incarnations of
3540-420: Was the start of races, which usually required multiple restarts to make sure each entrant had an equal chance. On May 24, 1946, Levy introduced the mobile starting gate , which eliminated most restart-related delays. Attendance quickly boomed. On June 30, 1956 the track would host the inaugural Messenger Stakes , part of the new "Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers". The race was won by Belle Acton, who tied
3600-614: Was utilized by several organizations for other events. After Roosevelt Raceway closed in 1988, the Plain and Fancy Shows, Inc used the facility as a flea market. Roosevelt Raceway was the first race track to be accepted by the American Stock Exchange (1956). In August 1972, Nassau County 's first major rock festival took place at Roosevelt Raceway when the Nassau Easter Seals Society presented
#885114