Mar 10 2008

Newsreel “1915 Vanderbilt Cup Race”


This newsreel shows the 1915 Vanderbilt Cup Race held as part of the Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, California on March 6, 1915. The winner was Dario Resta in a Peugeot.



Comments

Mar 21 2008 Randy Reed 4:37 PM

Mr. Kroplick, I own the Tahis Special (car #3 in this race). Is there any more footage from this race or the U.S. Grand Prix on Feb. 27 available? Thank you. Randy

Mar 23 2008 Howard Kroplick 8:08 PM

Randy, congratulations on owning this car! Unfortunately, the above newsreel is the only film that I have found concerning the 1915 races.

According to this database, your car was driven by Jack Gable and finished 10th in the American Grand Prize Race held on February 27, 1915:
  http://www.teamdan.com/archive/gen/1915/1915.html

Two weeks later, your car finished 22nd in the Vanderbilt Cup Race on March 6, 1915:

http://www.teamdan.com/archive/gen/indycar/1915.html#5

I have a photo of the cars at the starting line for the 1915 Vanderbilt Cup Race. The #3 Tahis Robinson-Wisconsin is barely visible on the inside of the #4 Mercedes (driven by the 1912 and 1914 winner Ralph DePalma). Here is a link to the image on the blog: http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/blog/article/images_from_the_1915_vanderbilt_cup_races

May 19 2009 Thomas Dickerson 1:26 AM

I have some photos my father took when he was a ride along mechanic with either glover ruckstell or Jack Gable. It was car #3 in the race photos. He was a machinist/mechanic in Summerland CA. working at the Darling Machine Shop in 1911-17. Please let me send you some scanned copies to identify the driver with my father in the car. I also have a photo of Omar Toft standing next to his car in a race that my Dad was in. He went on to a career in the Navy from 1917-1946. After that Douglas Aircraft and then Hughes Aircraft. I also have a business card with Alan Loughead (Lockheed later) flying folks in his seaplane 1915 PPIE.

May 24 2009 Howard Kroplick 2:51 PM

Hi Thomas:

Thanks for the email. Please send your photos to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and I will try to identify the driver.

Enjoy,

Howard

Aug 30 2009 Jerry Shapiro 4:14 PM

Howard,

The scene where one of the cars hit the barrier and flipped over looks horrific, did the driver and mechanic survive?

Jerry S.

Sep 14 2009 Stanford Smilow 1:43 AM

swell

Oct 12 2012 Chris Brooks 7:50 PM

Omar Toft mentioned above was my grandmothers cousin. She talked about him being a race car driver but not a lot of detail.

Apr 11 2018 Karl Vincent 7:27 PM

My partners & I have a bar in San Francisco that is Named ‘Capt. EDDIE RICKENBACKERS A.E.F.’
We have been collecting his memorabilia over the years & are looking for any prints or footage that may be put on display.
I thoroughly enjoyed scrolling through the 1915 exposition footage.
We also have a restaurant named Chief Sullivan’s after the Fire Chief Dennis Sullivan who perished in the great disaster of 1906.
I’m proud to honor the memories of heroes from our past & will do all I can to preserve & protect their legacy.
Karl Vincent
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Howard Kroplick

Karl, please let me know which “Ace of Aces” images that you like and I will send you copies. My email is .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) .

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