Jan 09 2024

Mystery Friday Foto #1: Solved; The Hazardous Woodbury Turn


Jena challenged you to identify this Christmas gift from her husband.

Mystery Foto questions:

Identify:

  • The racer

'Old 16' Locomobile

  • The driver and mechanician

George Robertson with Glenn Ethridge as the mechanician

  • The location

Looking south at the famous turn in Woodbury

  • The race associated with the Foto

The 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Races

  • Tricky Kudos question; The approximate date. Provide a rationale.

October 24, 1908 was the date of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race, however, due to the small crowd size, this photo is most likely a few days prior on a practice lap.

 

Congrats and Kudos to Steve Lucas for answering everything perfectly!

Greg O.  & Howard Kroplick


Close-Ups

Old 16 Rounding the Woodbury turn

The turn as seen today



Comments

Jan 07 2024 Steve Lucas 1:29 PM

That sure looks like the “Old 16” Locomobile being driven by George Robertson with Glenn Ethridge as the mechanician. I think that’s the Woodbury Turn with Robertson having just come up Woodbury Road and turning west onto Jericho Turnpike. The associated race would be the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup which took place on October 24, 1908 BUT due to the phrasing of the question AND the relatively small number of spectators (compared to other 1908 photos), I’m thinking this photo may have been taken during a practice run a few days prior to the race. I’ll guess the date around October 21 - 23, 1908.

Jan 09 2024 Howard Kroplick 2:13 PM

From Maggie Helck: Granddaughter of Peter Helck-former owner of Old 16.

The mystery photo sure looks like the “Old 16” Locomobile and I presume it is from the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race.

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