About
The six Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island from 1904 to 1910 were the greatest sporting events of their day, and the first international automobile road races held in the United States. The races had a far-reaching impact on the development of American automobiles and parkways. This site provides comprehensive information on the races, the Long Island Motor Parkway and current Long Island automotive events, car shows and news.
All Content © 2026 VanderbiltCupRaces.com
Co-Founder and Writer: Howard Kroplick
Co-Founder: Dana Kroplick
Website by Eric Miller Design
Site maintained by Hop Studios
Recent Comments
Greg, Check out Elsie Janis activities during WW 1 Quite a story.
From Mystery Friday Foto #16 Solved: Broadway Actress Elsie Janis Was This Past Weekend's Mystery Woman
Marty Himes was an American icon of motor racing history and a Long Island native. He passed in 2023 and it took several years to sell off all the memorabilia he collected in his lifetime.
This website honors Marty and offers a glimpse into what that man meant to the preservation of Long Island racing’s history.
We attended several of Marty’s annual ‘birthday/reunion’ events over the years, always held on his property where everyone could walk among an incredible collection of artifacts, signs, programs, flags, real race cars, toys, trophies, magazines, race suits and more. And Marty was always at the center of everything racing on LI, having driven for years on LI tracks like Freeport, Riverhead and Islip Speedway.
Thank you Howard Kroplick, for helping to keep Marty’s memory alive and we hope his family takes comfort in knowing so many do remember Marty and feel honored to have known him.
From InstaGRAM Report: A Celebration of Marty Himes
Awesome looking forward to seeing it at the next open house JeRita
From InstaGRAM Report: The history of the NASCAR trophy won by Mark Martin and the Viagra team
Marty was one of a kind. We were honored to know him. Rita created several photo albums of some of the many open houses we attended. I hope they stayed with the family. JeRita
From InstaGRAM Report: A Celebration of Marty Himes
Again thank you for sharing your collection. If you have time your are more than welcome to Our Lady of Hope 3rd annual Car Show on September 26th from 8am to 3pm. God Bless
From Upcoming car shows, concours and exhibit for the Howard & Roz Kroplick Collection: Updated 4/17/26
Such a unique trophy for the collection. So glad Howard had the insight to Perdue it.
From InstaGRAM Report: The history of the NASCAR trophy won by Mark Martin and the Viagra team
This epic auction has been a big part of our Spina family life for these last few years. He was indeed a remarkable man and so key to preserving key aspects of the Long Island automotive history. If you look closely at the portrait pictured here by Gram you can see me in the background touring the collection just a few years ago. Such a cherished moment.
From InstaGRAM Report: A Celebration of Marty Himes
What a great way to celebrate the life and legacy of a true Long Island racing and history legend! I’m so glad I got to meet him and see his amazing collection.
From InstaGRAM Report: A Celebration of Marty Himes
Thank you Gram for updating us all on the Himes memorabilia! And thanks to Howard and team for helping Marty’s family get the collection into the hands of those that will use it the way he intended. Thanks to Marty’s family for ensuring the material didn’t end up in the big automobile graveyard. And finally, thanks to Marty for giving so many of us the chance to see automobile history from a first hand perspective! Can’t wait to see Howard zooming around Long Island in that Midget racer!
From InstaGRAM Report: A Celebration of Marty Himes
Hines museum trail is on a farm on Mill rd in coram. Right by the roadside. Just sitting there.
From InstaGRAM Report: A Celebration of Marty Himes
That’s Elsie Janis, stage and movie actress from the early 1900’s. She was also a singer, songwriter, screenwriter, and radio announcer. She starred in the Broadway production of “The Vanderbilt Cup” in 1906. After one of her performances of the musical, she invited several Vanderbilt Cup drivers and mechanicians on stage for a photo-op. Among them were: Ralph Mongini, Walter Christie, George Robertson, Louis Wagner, Al Poole, Joe Tracy, and Louis Vivet.
From Mystery Friday Foto #16 Solved: Broadway Actress Elsie Janis Was This Past Weekend's Mystery Woman
Interesting article. Thanks for sharing.
From InstaGRAM Report: The history of the NASCAR trophy won by Mark Martin and the Viagra team
Thank you Ariejan! Better late than never!
You’re information also aligns with Alice being a woman of means at that time and would drive something a bit more ‘upscale’ like Pope.
From Mystery Friday Foto #15 Solved: Spectators at a Vanderbilt Cup Race
Sorry for the late reply. The car is a 1908 Pope-Hartford, presumably the 30hp model M. The date of the car supports the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup race, as do of course the sand heaps at the roadside.
From Mystery Friday Foto #15 Solved: Spectators at a Vanderbilt Cup Race
I was fortunate enough to attend Howard’s tribute to Clark back in 2014. I remember seeing that diorama there. A few photos of mine are posted here.
Thank you, Howard, for keeping so many Long Island racing memories alive.
From The Long Island Automotive Museum Southampton Location Today
Found another newspaper article: “FAST LAUNCH FOR A.G. VANDERBILT” To Run on Narragansett Bay Between Wickford Landing and Middlebown.”
“The Charles L. Seabury Company, Consolidated, are building at Morris Heights, on the Harlem River, a high speed cabin launch for Alfred G. Vanderbilt of the New York Yacht Club, who will use the boat for service on Narraganset Bay and for trips as a passenger boat between Wickford Landing and Middletown.
Then the article gives information about the size of the boat, the engine, speed, etc.
From Mystery Friday Foto #20 Solved: Willie K's 'Hard Boiled Egg' on the Hudson
These comments back up the newspaper articles that I sent to Anderson Cooper about the Hard Boiled Egg!! And the races.
I just found another article: “Fast Launch For A. G. Vanderbilt” To Run on Narragansett Bay Between Wickford Landing and Middletown.
I have also found Real Estate Agency news with a William Vanderbilt signature.
From Mystery Friday Foto #20 Solved: Willie K's 'Hard Boiled Egg' on the Hudson
How do you colorize these old images?
From Mystery Friday Foto #15 Solved: Spectators at a Vanderbilt Cup Race
Probably the 1909 VCR held on October 30th. It was miserably cold that day and judging how the people are dressed it looks like a good guess to me. The car looks like it could be a 1908 or 1909 Mercedes. That curve on the door opening is a style Mercedes had done.
From Mystery Friday Foto #15 Solved: Spectators at a Vanderbilt Cup Race
I think the photo was taken during a Vanderbilt Cup race. It could be the 1908 race because of the early wood fence posts and early style wire fencing and the road just looks like the Motor Parkway. The lady on the fence post is pioneer photographer Alice Austen. The other lady is her lifelong companion Gertrude Tate. The gentleman in the middle is probably Alice’s uncle Richard Meyer or possibly her uncle Oswald. Just a wild guess for the car: 1905 Pope-Toledo.
From Mystery Friday Foto #15 Solved: Spectators at a Vanderbilt Cup Race
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