Alco #8 (1909)
First Two-Time Winner of the Vanderbilt Cup Races (1909 and 1910)
Make: American Locomotive Company
Year: 1909
Mechanician: Frank Lee
Horsepower: 100
Finish Place: 1
Average Speed: 62.8
The Alco "Black Beast" was the first two-time winner of the Vanderbilt Cup Races. Driving by Harry Grant, this 100-hp Alco won the 1909 and 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island.
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REMINDER: The Long Island Motor Parkway Preservation Society Meeting Today, October 26, 2023 at 7pm
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Did you identify the racers in this weekend's photo?
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Sep 05 2022
Mystery Friday Foto #36 Solved: Harry Grant in an Alco at the 1912 Old Orchard Beach Meet in Maine
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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.
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Oct 10 2020
Automobile Quarterly: The Mighty Alco- A History by Beverly Rae Kimes
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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May 12 2018
The Residence of the Starter of Five Vanderbilt Cup Races -Fred Wagner- Rediscovered in Smithtown
Fred J. (Wag) Wagner was the premier race starter in the early 1900s including: all the Long Island Vanderbilt Cup Races with the exception of the 1904 race. Researcher Corey Victoria Geske has recently revealed that a beautiful Smithtown residence built in 1913 was the residence of Fred and Nancy…
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Nov 11 2017
Jalopnik.com: Today’s Race Car Divers Have it Easy
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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.
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Sep 13 2016
From a Lodgekeeper’s Family Album: A View of the Massapequa Lodge
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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.
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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.
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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). .
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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."
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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.
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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.
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Oct 28 2014
Mystery Foto #91 Solved: Walter P. Chrysler with a Maxwell 1924 Chrysler B-70 Roadster
Paul Osika challenged you to solve another Mystery Foto from his great collection.
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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 .
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Jan 28 2014
Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #43: Massapequa-Hicksville Motor Parkway Bridge in Plainedge
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Dec 26 2013
Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series#42:Wantagh Avenue Bridge in Hempstead Plains Updated:6/20/16
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Dec 18 2013
Wharton Magazine “The Black Beast and The Blue Pill”
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Dec 11 2013
The Motor Parkway Toll Collection Structures: #11 Massapequa Lodge in Plainedge
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Nov 30 2013
Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #41: The Bloomingdale Road Bridge in Hempstead Plains
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Nov 23 2013
Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #40: Jerusalem Avenue Bridge in the Hempstead Plains
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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.
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Jun 25 2013
Then & Now: The Westbury Old Country Road Turn at the 1909 & 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races
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Jun 12 2013
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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.
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May 18 2013
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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.
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Apr 23 2013
Profile: Frank Lee, Mechanician for the Alco Black Beast
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Apr 17 2013
Thumbs Ups from the 2013 St. Patrick’s School Car Show
Congratulations to St. Patrick's School in Smithtown for another wonderful car show. Thumbs ups and highlights are posted below including a special visit from a Vanderbilt Cup Race family.
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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.
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Mar 23 2013
Then & Now: Massapequa Road During the 1908-1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races
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Dec 27 2012
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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.
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Dec 01 2012
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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.
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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?"
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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.
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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
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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:
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Aug 27 2011
A Tribute to the Mechanicians of the Vanderbilt Cup Races
Every race car that participated in the Vanderbilt Cup Races of 1904 to 1910 carried two men, the driver and a riding mechanic called a mechanician. The mechanician assisted with repairs, helped navigate the course, and, when needed, worked a hand pump to maintain fuel pressure. The mechanician was the…
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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?":
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May 31 2011
Memorable Images From the 2011 Indy 500 Pre-Race Ceremonies
The Black Beast team and Alco racer were on the Indy track for three hours on race day from 8:30 am to 11:30 am. These three hours allowed amazing access to some unforgettable images:
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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…
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May 21 2011
Take the Alco Black Beast Road Test
In preparation for several upcoming special events, the Alco Black Beast was successfully road tested over 20 miles during the last three days.
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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.
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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…
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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.
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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:
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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:
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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.
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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):
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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:
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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!
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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…
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Aug 01 2010
Archives: 1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race
Links to related posts on VanderbiltCupRaces.com (Updated: January 31, 2012):
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Aug 01 2010
Archives: Alco- Films , Videos and Slideshows
Links to related posts on VanderbiltCupRaces.com (Updated: December 1, 2011):
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Aug 01 2010
Archives: Alcos and the American Locomotive Company
Index to posts on the American Locomotive Company and Alcos (Updated: February 1, 2012)
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Jul 31 2010
Archives: Harry Grant
Links related to Harry Grant on VanderbiltCupRaces.com (Updated: October 31, 2011):
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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…
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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.
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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:
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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…
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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".
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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.
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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"!
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Apr 06 2009
Brochure “Harry Grant’s Own Story”
Richard, in 1911, American Locomotive Company published a promotional brochure The Vanderbilt Cup Race-Grant's Own Story. The brochure described Harry Grant's strategy in winning the Vanderbilt Cup Races in 1909 and 1910. He also gave credit to your grandfather:
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Jan 06 2009
The Dangerous Role of the Mechanician
Every race car that participated in the Vanderbilt Cup Races of 1904 to 1910 carried two men, the driver and a riding mechanic called a mechanician. The mechanician assisted with repairs, helped navigate the course, and worked a hand pump to maintain fuel pressure.
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Jul 12 2008
The Alco Black Beast: Winner of the 1909 and 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races
An excellent write-up of the Alco 6- winner of the 1909 and 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races can be found on the conceptcarz.com website.
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Apr 16 2008
Calling All Vanderbilt Cup Race Families
VanderbiltCupRaces.com has heard from several relatives of participants in the Vanderbilt Cup Races including George Robertson, Frank Lee, Al Poole and Harry Grant. If your relative participated in the Vanderbilt Cup Races as a driver or mechanician, leave a post or contact us and I will send you complimentary images…
Great story. Thank you.
BTW between Austi Clark and the Brumos Collection the T35 Bugatti lived in Vermont in the…