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45-440: The original horse racing facility was opened in 1899 as Empire City Race Track by William H. Clark's 'Empire City Trotting Club. Clark died in 1900 and, with much litigation by his heirs over its proposed sale, the track remained closed for most of the next seven years except for special events. One such event occurred in 1902 when Barney Oldfield set a one-mile (1.6 km) record in an automobile at Empire City Race Track. Driving

90-495: A "Championship of the Universe", pitting Oldfield against another of his clients, aviator Lincoln Beachey . Oldfield raced his Fiat car against Beachey's biplanes in at least 35 matches, barnstorming the country. In the more remote areas, they raced at county fair horse tracks. The Championship was "extremely successful", and both Oldfield and Beachey earned more than $ 250,000 in their barnstorming. After being reinstated by

135-502: A $ 225-million renovation designed by EwingCole to put in more than 7,500 slot machines . The first phase opened on October 11, 2006, with 1,870 machines. Despite a " soft opening ", with no major advertising or promotional campaigns, Yonkers netted $ 3.8 million in revenue in its first week, outpacing its nearest competitor, Saratoga Casino and Raceway , by two-thirds. The second phase of the project, which opened on December 28, 2006, added 120,000 square feet (11,000 m) of space to bring

180-601: A daughter, Betty (who by his death was married to a Kelly). He was buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City , California. Oldfield starred as himself for ten weeks in the Broadway musical The Vanderbilt Cup (1906). He also appeared in movies, including the silent film Barney Oldfield's Race for a Life (1913), where he raced against a train to rescue a heroine tied to the train tracks. He

225-450: A different hotel. Every night he stored one hotel tenant's lightweight "Cleveland" cycle in the basement; he sometimes "borrowed it", riding it at night. At age 16, Oldfield began serious bicycle racing in 1894 after officials from the "Dauntless" bicycle factory asked him to ride for the Ohio state championship. Although he came in second, the race was a turning point. Oldfield was hired as

270-595: A harness track. Some of its feature races were taken over by other New York area racetracks. In 1950, William H. Cane , for whom the Cane Pace is named, headed a syndicate formed as the Algam Corporation which acquired Empire City and converted it to Yonkers Raceway . Its popularity having greatly declined since the 1960s (when crowds would occasionally reach 50,000), the entire property, according to some, had become an eyesore due to its owners leaving it in

315-586: A motorcycle racer rather than braking. It was a great victory for Ford and resulted in both Oldfield and Ford becoming nationally known. John Wilkinson , who designed an air-cooled engine for Franklin Automobile Company and was its chief engineer, raced against Oldfield in 1902. He won the state 5 miles (8.0 km) championship in a record time of 6:54:06. On June 20, 1903, at the Indiana State Fairgrounds , Oldfield became

360-545: A new gaming floor with nearly 700 slot machines; and two new restaurants. As of 2015, the casino hosts blackjack , craps , roulette , and baccarat tables in addition to the slot machines. The games are fully automated. Yonkers used to be the site of the Cane Pace , one of the legs of the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers . It is now the host track for another leg, the Messenger Stakes . Yonkers

405-511: A parts sales representative for the Stearns bicycle factory. There he met Beatrice Lovetta Oatis, his future wife; they married in 1896. By 1896, Oldfield was paid by Stearns, based in Syracuse , New York, to race on its amateur team. Oldfield was loaned a gasoline -powered bicycle to race at Salt Lake City . Through fellow racer Tom Cooper , he met entrepreneur Henry Ford , who was at

450-493: A state of disrepair. In 1972, the Rooney family acquired Yonkers Raceway. It underwent some cosmetic changes in the late 1990s. It was used as a flea market, and hosted the annual Westchester County Fair, sponsored by the county's Parks Department. In 1996, the finish line was relocated to the end of the stretch, increasing the length of the stretch from 440 feet (130 m) to the current 660 feet (200 m). The following year,

495-618: A subsequent role as Design Principal at Walker Group/CNI, Valgora opened his own Manhattan -based firm, STUDIO V Architecture, in 2006. Valgora's work through his own firm has focused on the transformation of New York's waterfront, and the validation of the East River as the city's “Next Central Park.” He is leading a team to design the Empire Stores on the Brooklyn waterfront, which will transform seven abandoned warehouses into

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540-463: A wreck during a race in Corona , California. Oldfield and Harry Arminius Miller , who developed and built carburetors and was one of the most famous engine builders, worked after that to design a racecar that was not only fast and durable but would protect the driver in the event of an accident. They built a racecar with a roll cage inside a streamlined driver's compartment, which completely enclosed

585-816: Is also home to the Yonkers Trot , one of the legs of the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Trotters . Due to the renovations at Yonkers, the Messenger and Yonkers Trot were moved to different racetracks for the 2004 and 2005 editions. The Messenger was moved to Harrington Raceway in Delaware in both years, and the Yonkers Trot was moved to Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney, IL in 2004, and Freehold Raceway in New Jersey in 2005. Yonkers Raceway ran

630-512: The 1880 United States Census , the Oldfields lived in Wauseon. In 1889, they moved to Toledo , where the father, Henry, got a job at the state mental asylum. In the summer of 1891, Berna worked as a waterboy in order to purchase his first bicycle. According to legend, he spent most of his Sunday afternoons at the local Toledo fire station, hoping for the next call. As the company's “mascot,” he

675-541: The Ford '999', he covered the distance in 55.54 seconds. The facility was purchased by New York grocery store magnate James Butler , who reopened it for Thoroughbred horse racing in 1907. Among the notable thoroughbreds who raced at Empire City, in 1936 Seabiscuit won the Scarsdale Handicap . After Butler's death in 1934, the track continued to host " the flats " until 1942 when it was converted back to being

720-636: The New York State Gaming Commission to relocate its finish line back by approximately 100 feet. This proposal was endorsed by the New York division of the Standardbred Owners Association. As of 2018, the new finish line has been in use for a considerable period of time. In January 2018, Yonkers eliminated the "passing lane" in the stretch that allowed horses to be in the second spot on the inside in

765-859: The Rubin Museum of Art . Valgora was born in the early 1960s in Buffalo, New York . He received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York and a Master of Architecture degree from Harvard Graduate School of Design in Cambridge, Massachusetts , and was a Fulbright Fellow to the United Kingdom. Back in the United States, Valgora worked as a Senior Designer for Koetter Kim & Associates, and moved on to be Design Director at Rockwell Group. After taking

810-769: The Vanderbilt Cup and the Corona 300. In 1915 he won the Venice , California 300 road race. In November 1914, Oldfield won the Los Angeles-to-Phoenix Cactus Derby Race; the victor's medal proclaimed him “Master Driver of the World”. On May 28, 1916, he became the first person to lap the Indianapolis Speedway at more than 100 mph in the front-wheel-drive "Christie Racer", designed by John Walter Christie . He used

855-662: The AAA, Oldfield competed in the 1914 and 1916 Indianapolis 500 , finishing fifth in each attempt. He was the first person to run a 100-mile-per-hour lap. His 1914 Indy finish was in an Indianapolis-built Stutz , and he was the highest-finishing driver in an American car in a race that was dominated by European brands. Oldfield used the same car in his victory at the Los Angeles to Phoenix off-road race in November 1914. Oldfield also finished second in two major road races that year,

900-646: The Blitzen Benz to break the existing mile, two-mile, and kilometer records at the Daytona Beach Road Course at Ormond , Florida. Afterward, he charged $ 4,000 for each of his appearances at driving races. In June 1917, Oldfield used his Golden Submarine , designed with a roll bar to protect the driver, to beat fellow racing legend Ralph DePalma in a series of 10- to 25-mile (40 km) match races at Milwaukee . He retired from racing in 1918 but continued to tour and make movies. In what

945-539: The Club included Fred Ballmeyer, Ora Brailey, Curt and Buff Harrison, Doc Myers, Emil Winzeler, Doc Miley, Frank Harper, Dan Raymond (who fixed everyone's bikes), Sid Black (a trick cyclist from Cleveland who later became president of the Packard Motor Company ), and Barney Oldfield. In October 1892, the second “Silver Tournament” was held in Wauseon. In 1893, Oldfield began working as an elevator operator at

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990-651: The Kimball Truck Co. of Los Angeles built the only 1924 Oldfield. Oldfield has been inducted into the following halls of fame: In addition, Oakshade Raceway in Wauseon, Ohio - located close to Oldfield's birthplace - has held a race named in his honor since 1990. Studio V Architecture Studio V Architecture , styled as STUDIO V Architecture , founded in 2006, is a New York City -based architecture and planning firm led by Jay Valgora . The firm executes projects across New York and throughout

1035-596: The Manufacturer's Challenge Cup. Today it is displayed at the Henry Ford Museum in Greenfield Village, Michigan. Oldfield agreed to drive against the current champion, Alexander Winton . Oldfield was rumored to have learned how to operate the controls of the "999" only the morning of the event. Oldfield won by a half mile in the five-mile (8 km) race. He slid through the corners like

1080-832: The New York Design Award for Best Commercial Project, the Illuminating Engineering Society of New York's Lumen Award, and the Award for Best Store Design of the Year in 2014 by design:retail magazine. The firm's work has been highlighted by national and regional institutions, including the American Planning Association , American Institute of Architects , Urban Land Institute , The Architect's Newspaper , Municipal Art Society , Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance , and

1125-419: The United States in a series of timed runs and match races, and he earned a reputation as a showman, racing while holding a cigar in his mouth to cushion the spot where he had broken some molar teeth in a crash. Oldfield was "the first American to become a celebrity solely for his ability to drive a car with great skill, speed, and daring." He liked to increase the drama in the best of three matches: he would win

1170-639: The Yonkers Trot and the Messenger on November 25, 2006, becoming the first harness track in America to host two Triple Crown races on the same day. Glidemaster , by virtue of winning the $ 728,000 Yonkers Trot, became the eighth horse to clinch the Trotting Triple Crown; the trotter would go on to be named 2006 Harness Horse of the Year . Yonkers Raceway is also home to the Art Rooney Pace for three-year-olds. However, continued delays in

1215-552: The beginning of his career as an auto manufacturer in Michigan. Ford had prepared two automobiles for racing, and he asked Oldfield if he would like to test one in Michigan. Oldfield agreed and traveled to Michigan for the trial, but neither car started. Although Oldfield had never driven an automobile, he and Cooper bought both test vehicles when Ford offered to sell them for $ 800. One was "No. 999" , which debuted in October 1902 at

1260-682: The driver, calling it the " Golden Submarine ." Oldfield helped fellow racer Carl G. Fisher found the Fisher Automobile Company in Indianapolis. This is widely considered the first automobile dealership in the United States . Oldfield also developed what was called the Oldfield tire for Firestone . In its slogan, Firestone touted that Oldfield had said, "Firestone Tires are my only life insurance". In 1924,

1305-564: The facility provided more than 3,000 jobs and contributed $ 262 million in "economic output". In January 2013, Empire City Casino completed a new $ 50 million expansion designed by Studio V Architecture that added 66,000 square feet to the casino. The expansion featured a porte-cochere sculptural entrance; the largest window in the Northeast, a 300-foot-long and 27-foot-high depiction of the New York City skyline made entirely of nails;

1350-528: The first driver to run a mile track in one minute flat, or 60 miles per hour (97 km/h). Two months later, he drove one mile in 55.8 seconds at the Empire City Race Track in Yonkers , New York. Alexander Winton hired Oldfield as a professional driver and agreed to supply him with free cars for racing. Oldfield, his manager Ernest Moross , and his agent Will Pickens traveled throughout

1395-530: The first part by a nose, lose the second, and win the third. Oldfield won first place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on August 21, 1909 in a Mercedes-Benz . He bought a Benz , and raised his speed in 1910 to 70.159 mph (112.910 km/h) while driving his " Blitzen Benz ". Later in 1910, Oldfield reached the speed of 131.25 mph (211.23 km/h). At Daytona Beach , Florida , on March 16, 1910, in his Blitzen Benz, he set

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1440-501: The grandstand was demolished. There was consideration on selling the site to the National Football League ’s New York Jets which would have included a stadium; however, the plan was shelved after the environmental impact statement showed there would be significant traffic from elsewhere in the metropolitan area, and there was not enough political support for it. In 2015, Yonkers Raceway applied for permission from

1485-470: The hotel full-time, as he preferred it to working around mental patients. Purportedly the bell captain said that "Berna” was "a sissy name," so he changed it to “ Barney ." Oldfield was described as having a "magnetic personality", and received many tips at the hotel. He used them to buy his first bike, an "Advance Traveller" with pneumatic tires. Clarence Brigham, who sold the “Cleveland” brand bike, and Edward G. Eager (of Eager & Green Mercantile) who sold

1530-481: The reopening of the track forced the 2006 edition of the race to be moved to Monticello Raceway . The final of the 2007 Art Rooney Pace, run on June 2, 2007, was the richest race in Yonkers history, with a $ 1 million purse. It was won by Southwind Lynx, driven by Tim Tetrick , with a late outside run in 1:52 3/5. The current track record for a trotting race horse is 1:54 3/5 set by Shutter Boy on October 30, 2009, with

1575-536: The stretch to move inside one spot and come up in the inside. In January 2019, MGM Resorts International bought the racetrack and casino from the Rooney family for $ 850 million in cash and stock. MGM then immediately sold the land and buildings to its affiliated REIT , MGM Growth Properties , for $ 625 million, leasing back the property and structures for $ 50 million per year. Vici Properties acquired MGM Growth, including Empire City, in 2022. Yonkers Raceway had

1620-435: The total number of slot machines to 4,000. On March 12, 2007, the third phase opened to bring the slot machine total to 5,300. Because the facility falls under state lottery laws, the minimum age to play the slot machines at Empire City is 18, unlike the other area casinos, where it is 21. In a report released in 2012, Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway was the state's "most successful casino and racing venue". Through 2011,

1665-499: The trainer John McDermott and driver Yannick Gingras; this was not a stakes race. The Metro-North Railroad offers a “one-day-getaway” package that includes a $ 10 free play and $ 10 food voucher, as well as free shuttle service to Empire City Casino from the Mount Vernon West train station . Several Bee-Line bus routes make stops at Empire City Casino as well, including routes 7, 20, BxM4c, 430, 440, and 470. The track

1710-544: The tri-state region. Studio V has been highlighted for its adaptive reuse design of important New York City sites, including the $ 400 million renovation of Macy's Herald Square , named by Architectural Record the largest retail project in North America in 2012 and 2013, and the Empire Stores on the Brooklyn waterfront. Among Studio V's awards are the Light & Architecture Design Award by Architectural Lighting,

1755-499: The world speed record, driving 131.724 mph, for which he earned the nickname “speed king.” Oldfield was suspended by the American Automobile Association (AAA) contest board for his "outlaw" racing, and was unable to race at sanctioned events for much of his career. He made his career by being paid to set speed records and conduct match races and exhibitions. In 1914, his agent Will Pickens staged

1800-650: The “Columbia” models in his store, organized the Wauseon Cycle Club in their town. They wanted both to increase bicycle sales and draw more people to the town via the Michigan Lake Shore Railroad . Other cycling groups in Swanton, Clyde, Monroe, Adrian, Blissfield, and Toledo were part of the same cycle racing circuit. Bicyclists raced in half-mile and mile classes on public racetracks usually reserved for horse racing. Other members of

1845-495: Was allowed to ride the big red hose wagon, pulled by a pair of horses that raced through the streets. The following year, Berna worked after school selling the Toledo Blade and Toledo Bee newspapers. Oldfield dropped out of school after the eighth grade in 1892. He started working with his father as a kitchen helper at the mental asylum during the day and a bellhop at the downtown hotel at night. He eventually worked at

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1890-538: Was also featured in The First Auto (1927) as an early pioneer of the automotive history . He was a technical advisor for the Vanderbilt Cup sequence in the feature film Back Street (1941). He starred as himself in a racing film titled Blonde Comet , the story of a young woman trying to achieve success as a racecar driver. Bob Burman , one of Oldfield's rivals and closest friends, was killed in

1935-420: Was his last attempt at racing, in 1932 he tried to re-enter speed racing with a new car design, but was unable to find any financial sponsors. Oldfield died on October 4, 1946, of a heart attack . He had married a total of four times. He was survived by Bessie Gooby Oldfield, whom he had divorced in 1924 and remarried in 1945, making her both his second and fourth wife. When they were first married, they adopted

1980-544: Was the first man to drive a car at 60 miles per hour (96 km/h) on a circular track. Berna Eli Oldfield was born in York Township, Fulton County , Ohio , near Wauseon and Toledo , on January 29, 1878, to Henry Clay Oldfield, a laborer, and his wife Sarah. He was named after his father's bunkmate in the 68th Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the American Civil War . He had a sister Bertha. As of

2025-476: Was the site of the 1941 USA Cross Country Championships . Barney Oldfield Berna Eli "Barney" Oldfield (January 29, 1878 – October 4, 1946) was a pioneer American racing driver . His name was "synonymous with speed in the first two decades of the 20th century". He was the winner of the inaugural AAA National Championship in 1905 . After success in bicycle racing, Oldfield began auto racing in 1902 and continued until his retirement in 1918. He

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