Vanderbilt Cup Races

The top cover is from the Howard Kroplick  Collection. The bottom right corner of the cover reads "Copyright 1904 Cast Publishing Co.".

This l17- year old cover from the Helck Family Collection is a bit battered and worn, but the raised letters and artwork can still clearly be seen with the notation of it being the 'Official and Authorized Program Twenty Five Cents Per Co.' along the bottom. Fairly expensive in 1904 ($7 today).

Always of interest is the quality of every aspect of the program from design, paper stock and printing.

James L. Breese 

A man "Than whom there is no better known Automobilist" was certainly deserving of being in the race Commission. 

William Wallace

William Wallace believed that a part of composition of the race board should represent the drivers. As such, he was the only Commission member to not only sit on the board, but also race in the first race.

The full list of race officials for the day. Of note is the color of their brassards that they wore during the race for identification.

Wonderful description of the Tiffany trophy cup standing 31 inches high and containing 481 oz. of sterling silver. With a capacity of 10 1/2 gallons, that's a lot of champagne to fill for the winner!

Although this first program states that the 1904 and 1905 Cup Races shall remain on American soil, the "1906 and subsequent years may be held in the country whose representative Club shall have won the Cup during the preceding year.", never came to be.

The Commission

Willie K's Bio explains the need to provide International road races to the United States to spur American automobile inventors into building motor cars here to compete with the best from Europe.

A.R. Pardington was one of the most well-known names in early auto racing and "his face is a familiar one to the automobile enthusiast from Syracuse to Florida and from Boston to Chicago."

President of the Cleveland Automobile Club, George L. Weiss and President of the Chicago Automobile Club, F. C. Donald.

The famous A. L. Riker, pioneering inventor and Vice-President of the Locomobile Company of America.

E. T. Birdsall, M.E., General Manager of the Standard Automobile Co. and one of two technical advisors within the Commission.

While this was an ad for the NY and NJ telephone Co., it does state the importance of telephone service for the races and spectators who wish to keep others not attending up to date on the progress of the race.

"The Telephone is a thing. No family should be without it."

117 years later, in everyone's pocket.

The course for the 1904 race.

The form of entry and declaration filled out by every entrant stating all relevant information about the entered car.

All rules and instructions for drivers, control judges and special officers.

Race Commission bulletin stating the course as 30.24 miles long covered 10 times with a net distance of 284.40 miles. At a cost of $5000, 90,000 gallons of petroleum have been used for dust control along the course.

Also of interest, the Chronograph Club of Boston, Mass was in charge of all timing and all had instant contact with Start/Finish officials via dedicated telephones.

The Rules

Rules and Conditions of the Vanderbilt Cup Race.

Descriptions and meanings of  colored banners along the course as well as numbering, weight and starting of cars.

The course in detail

The descriptions continue to reinforce the need for the progress in further developing Long Island roads.

Frank Ed. Spooner, of the famous Spooner & Wells was responsible for most of the photographs in the program, as well as many of the incredible photos of the Cup Races over the years.

The purpose of this section is not to familiarize the drivers with the course, but to show the spectators a view of some of the best parts of the course.

I believe the upper right Hicksville to Plain Edge photo to be the approximate location of the photos of Joe Tracy and A.L. Riker were testing the Locomobile 2 years later.

Describing the long, 6 minute control stop at the trolley crossing in crowded Hempstead.

The final stretch.

Cars and Drivers

#1

60 HP Mercedes Simplex driven by S.B. Stevens or A.L. Campbell

At the time of publication, drivers were not yet completely known. Note; start times for each car are stated.

#2

80 HP De Dietrich driven by Fernand Gabriel

#3

35 HP Royal Tourist driven by Joe Tracy

#4

60 HP pope Toledo driven by Albert Webb

#5

60 HP Mercedes driven by George Arents Jr.

#6

24 HP Pope Toledo driven by H.H. Lytle

#7

90 HP Panhard & Levassor driven by George Heath

#8

60 HP Mercedes driven by Edward E. Hawley

#9

90 HP Mercedes Simplex driven by Wilhelm Werner

#10

90 HP FIAT driven by Paul Sartori

#11

90 HP Renault driven by Maurice Bernin

#12

90 HP Clement Bayard driven by Albert Clement Jr.

#14

90 HP Panhard & Levassor driven by Henri Tart

Anyone notice that much like buildings skipping unlucky floor 13, a spot for car #13 was eliminated.

#15

90 HP Panhard & Levassor driven by George Teste

#16

24 HP Packard Gray Wolf driven by Charles Schmidt

#17

75 HP S.& M. Simplex driven by Frank Croker

#18

60 HP Mercedes driven by William Luttgen

#19

90 HP FIAT driven by William Wallace

The Advertisements

Artwork is always fun in the old ads.

Hicks nursery has been the 'go-to' nursery since 1853, and continues to be to this day.

T.J. McCord, the builder of the Grand Stand at the Start/Finish line.

The Garden City Hotel

Official headquarters for the Automobile Club of America.

One of the oldest ads I have seen for a detachable tire. This one from Dunlop.