Mystery Foto #1 Solved: Jim Rathmann and Carroll Shelby at the 1960 Vanderbilt Cup Race
Did you identify the first Mystery Foto of 2021?
Answers to the Mystery Foto questions:
- Identify the two drivers and their major accomplishments
Jim Rathmann (left, winner of the 1960 Indy 500) and Carroll Shelby (right, winner of the 1959 LeMans and automotive icon)
- Where, when and why was this photo taken?
The photo was taken at the new Roosevelt Raceway on June 19, 1960 as a publicity shot for the 1960 Vanderbilt Cup Race.
- Link the Mystery Foto to the Vanderbilt Cup Race(s)
Old 16 was the winner of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race and the photo was used to promote the 1960 race.
- Kudos question: Provide a link between one of the drivers and Howard Kroplick
I am a proud owner of a 1966 Shelby Mustang GT-350H Hertz Rent-A-Racer with a visor signed by Carroll Shelby on September 5, 2005 and a 2006 Shelby Mustang GTH Rent-A-Racer.
Comments (9)
Congrats to Greg O., Dick Gorman, Steve Lucas, Gene Ingram and Brian McCarthy for identifying Jim Rathmann and Carroll Shelby.
Kudos to Greg O., Dick Gorman, Steve Lucas, Brian McCarthy and Frank Femenias for linking Howard to Carroll Shleby.
Happy 2021! We made it!!!
Howard Kroplick
Comments
Jim Rathmann and Carroll Shelby in Old 16 for a PR shot at the 1960 Vanderbilt Cup Race. Apart from meeting Shelby in person, Howard has a couple of Shelby Mustangs.
Mystery Foto #1… The two drivers are Jim Rathmann and Carol Shelby. Rathmann won the Indy 500 in May 1960 and Shelby won LeMans 24 hrs in an Aston Martin in June 1959. Photo taken at Roosevelt Raceway, Westbury in 1960. Here the drivers were promoting the revival of the Vanderbilt cup Races for the small engined 1100cc Formula Juniors race cars.
We can link Shelby to Howard because Howard was able to get Shelby to sign the sun visor on his Shelby Mustang GT350H on September 5, 2005 at the vintage race program held at Lime Rock Park, CT.
That’s Jim Rathmann on the left and Carroll Shelby on the right. Rathmann won the 1960 Indy 500 race and Shelby (along with partner Roy Salvadori) won the 1959 LeMans 24 Hour Endurance Race. The photo was taken on June15, 1960 at Roosevelt Raceway, probably as a promo for the upcoming 1960 Vanderbilt Cup Race (at that venue) in which both were entered. In addition to that V.C.R. connection, there’s the obvious 1908 Locomobile, winner of the 1908 V. C. R. with George Robertson driving. The Howard Kroplick link took place on Sept. 5, 2005 at Lime Rock, CT when Carroll Shelby autographed the sun visor from Howard’s 1966 Shelby Mustang GT 350-H.
Well it appears to be a staged photo ALA telephone booth in the background, looks like CARROL Shelby as the pumper
Hope you had a happy new tear
Tony g
*ID the 2 men and their accomplishments- James Rathmann ( at wheel ), pro race car driver. He was the winner of the 1960 Indy 500. He was born as Richard. He and his older brother ( also a pro ), swapped their driver licenses due to Richard being too young for stock car racing. They just kept this way then on.
Carroll Shelby - WW 2 pilot, race car driver, entrepreneur, car manufacturer ( Shelby ), philanthropist.
*When, Where, Why photo was taken - This was a public relations photo prior to the 6/19/60 Cornelius Vanderbilt Cup race held at Roosevelt Raceway. Locomobile and other vintage cars were present for a pre race parade. Henry Carter won the Cup with his Stanguellioni Formula Junior car.
*Special link with Howard Kroplick- Howard, who owns a Shelby Mustang, attended The Rolex Vintage Fall Festival along with his wife Roz on 9/5/2005. Carroll & Cleo Shelby were also present for a Meet & Greet, as well as for their foundation. Howard & Roz were delighted to meet the Shelbys, greet them with a kind offering, and Carroll signed Howard’s sun visor from his Mustang.
Can’t answer most of these questions,but person on right is Carroll Shelby.
Happy New Year to Howard,Al and everyone else!
Carroll Shelby once signed Howard Kroplick’s glove box in his 1966 Shelby Mustang. I recognize the driver but his name eludes me. Will be back with the answer or be eternally humiliated in the Automobile Walk of Shame.
Gene Ingram:
The driver is Jim (or Dick) Rathmann and the passenger is Carrol Shelby in your Mystery friday photo #1 in old 16.
Gene Ingram
New Castle, In.
Regarding the Mystery Foto #1, The video of the race has me wondering… Why at the start of the race do we see sports cars in the front of the pack? If I had attended the event I would probably know the answer but I was in Germany at the time. Were there sports cars on the track at the same time as the Formula Juniors having their own race, or ????. Did the sports cars have their own separate race? See attached image.
Since nobody asked…. regarding the POW camp at Mitchel Field, Opened May 17, 1945. It was located on the old Camp Mills site with access from Oak St. at Westbury Rd. Held a total of 335 POW. That summer 45 POWs were selected to pick potatoes at local farms. Paid 80 cents per hour, money went to the Federal Govt. In March of 1946, in two separate batches, they were all removed to other sites before being shipped back to Europe. They thought they were going back to Germany, nope, they were turned over to the Russians. The barracks they occupied were offered to local officials for temporary housing for returning veterans but they had to be moved of the Airfield. Not accepted because they were barely suitable, not up to codes, flimsy construction , etc. Any one with aerials of the area, that time frame ?