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 ALCO and Chalmers-Detroit battling it out on the course?

Identify;

  • The Race and Date

Vanderbilt Cup Race, October 30, 1909

  • The two racers

The race winning #8 ALCO Black Beast driven by Harry Grant followed by the #9 Chalmers-Detroit driven by Lee Lorimer

  • Location and orientation of the photographer

East of the Grandstands just before the Jerusalem Highway Bridge (at the photographer's back)

  • The black spots in the sky at the very left of the photo

Advertising kites displayed at the grandstands

Kudos question: The likely lap the racers are on. Provide a rationale.

Since the race cars left the starting line in numerical order, it is likely this is the first lap just after the race start.

 

Congrats to David Miller and Steve Lucas for identifying the race, date, location and ALCO

Kudos to Steve Lucas for identifying the likely lap.

Greg O. 


Close-Ups

#9 Chalmers-Detroit (USA) driven by Lee Lorimer, with Mechanician W.R. Burns seen here on the Hicksville turn. Finished 6th. Led race before breaking down with broken cylinder during lap 13.


Advertising Kites at the Grandstands


Comments

Oct 21 2023 David Miller 9:12 PM

Vanderbilt Cup Race held on October 30th, 1909.  In the foreground is Harry Grant driving the #8 Alco.  In the distance might be Spencer Wishart driving the #16 Mercedes.  The Alco is on lap 22 and the Mercedes would be on lap 17.  Assuming this is one of the final shots of the Alco in the homestretch right before it crossed the finish line winning the race.  So I’m going to say that the photographer is positioned just west of the finish line with the grandstand out of view behind him.  VIP parking for spectator vehicles were offered near this area and we can see some them on the other side of the Parkway.  The black spots in the sky are advertising balloons that were flown between Newbridge road and the grandstand.  Visible for fans disembarking the train that dropped off passengers in the area.

Oct 22 2023 Steve Lucas 5:49 PM

I think the race is the 1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race on October 30, 1909. The racers are the #8 Alco and the #9 Chalmers-Detroit. I think we’re looking west along the LIMP in area a little east of the start-finish line. A few guesses for the black spots: dirt on the negative or observation dirigibles or entrants in a kite flying contest. I believe the racers are probably on the first or second lap since they started in numeric order and probably would not be that close again throughout the race.

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