Vanderbilt Cup Races

The photographer is standing on top of the Jerusalem ave bridge in the Hempstead plains (future Levittown) facing west.  The shadow cast behind the car is probably a September afternoon camera shot and gives away the direction.  I think out in the distance on the horizon toward the left is the Newbridge Hotel.  Joe Tracy is here driving the #9 Locomobile “Old 16” testing out the Motor parkway in September of 1908.  Harper’s weekly September 26, 1908 notes he hit 95 mph on the new road.

From the Carman Ave. Bridge at East Meadows looking EAST of The Long Island Motor Parkway, Sept. 1908. Continuation of the Hempstead Plaines.

The view most likely on the Carman Ave. Bridge at East Medows looking EAST of the Long Island Motor Parkway, Sept.? 1908? A continued view of the Hempstead Plains.

Based on the shadow of the sun on the car, I believe we are looking west on the Hempstead Plains (today’s Levittown). With that much straight-away in front of him, I think the photographer could have been on top of the Jerusalem Avenue bridge. I think that’s Joe Tracy driving the 1906 Locomobile racer that ran in the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race. I remember reading that he was hired to inspect the LIMP in September, 1908 prior to that year’s race so that’s my guess for month and year.

I believe this is a photo of the very newly built LIMP in the Hempstead Plains. Photographer was positioned atop the Jerusalem Ave HWY Bridge, viewing West.My clue is what I believe to be The Newbridge Hotel in the distance, which was on the west side of Newbridge Ave, just north of the LIMP.

Thinking this was in August 1908. Both the LIMP & Grandstand, Pressbox etc was done & ready in September 1908. Grandstand etc isn’t built yet in this photo, so I’m figuring August.

Figuring this car is owned & operated here by the photography firm - Spooner & Wells. 1907/08 Buick 10.

Looks like photo in the Hempstead Plains. Guessing photo was taken from the Jerusalem Av Highway bridge over Motor Pkwy in Levittown, looking west during sunset. I don’t see Emily Ladenburg’s windmill in the brush three miles away. Perhaps the windmill is there but absorbed within the brush three miles away. I don’t know any other location on Motor Parkway where this scenario fits. Looking forward towards this week’s answers. 
The driver is likely employed by Spoons and Wells photographers in their Buick

Carman Ave Bridge looking west.  I believe thats the Ladenburg estate in the distance on the right.  Oct 1908 due to the new pavement.  Guessing its Willie K in the photo but Ive got nothing on the car.

Also, Could be the Merrick Ave bridge looking east as well.

Going with Carmans facing west.

This photo, originally submitted by Art K. for the June 22nd, 2020 mystery photo is a tricky one!
Joe Tracy and Al Poole on one of the two days they spent testing the LIMP just after completion.
I believe the solution is within these first two photos below. Yellow lines indicate the matching tree formations, and the red line indicates the Newbridge Hotel. Thus making the mystery photo looking west from the top of the Jerusalem bridge as correctly stated from the June 2020 mystery photo.
Another thing I take note of with the first two photos is a matching dip in the LIMP just beyond the grandstand location.

The 3rd photo, which has been referenced as a possible solution, is what I believe to be improperly captioned and actually looking west, taken from just east of the Jerusalem bridge just at the point where the LIMP turns southward and NOT looking east from the grandstand location as stated.

https://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/mystery_friday_foto_25_a_new_automobile_course_where_records_may_be_broken

This is my final answer Regis, no life lines needed!

A final note about Joe Tracy’s testing in Sept ‘08.

The mystery photo was taken late in the day due to the long shadow of the western setting Sun. It is also noteworthy that Tracy and Poole are both wearing hats.

In the second photo of the two during testing, this was taken from the top of the Jerusalem bridge looking east. In that photo, there is minimal shadow from an overhead sun, and they are not wearing hats. This could show that both these testing photos were taken on different days being they tested for two days as per the payment invoice from Tracy.

Photo is taken from the Jerusalem avenue motor parkway bridge, looking east in Hempstead Plains, what is now Levittown.
Based on another submission on this site, I am going to guess the driver is Joe Tracy who ” made several test runs in September 1908 on the Motor Parkway in the #9 Locomobile which finished 10th in the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race and would later win the 1908 race as Old 16. “

Great observations Greg, nice work! Test driving the Motor Parkway in 1908 for $62.30 is worth $1,850 today. Great pay for just two days work

Great mystery foto Frank & congrats to the solvers. Not sure what happened, but I did submit my mostly correct answers on Sunday. Anyway, I stated that the photographer was positioned on the Jerusalem Ave HWY Bridge in Hempstead Plains viewing west. In the distance to the left, I noticed the Newbridge Hotel, which was located just north of the LIMP & west side of Newbridge Ave. Due to the grandstand, press box etc not seen, I guessed this was August 1908 ( both the LIMP and the grandstand etc were completed in September 1908 ) Also thought they may be The Spooner & Wells Firm documenting images of the newly built LIMP in their 1907/08 Buick 10. Below are the screenshots I submitted on Sunday.

Perhaps there was a glitch in the sending of my answers to this mystery on Sunday, but everything seemed to go through okay. Know this is meant to be fun and not taking too seriously. Us history buffs have lots of pride, maybe I more so : )

Hello Brian—I had also submitted an answer and noticed it apparently didn’t go through. I just recently upgraded my system from Windows 10 to Windows 11 and thought that might have been the cause.
Steve Lucas

Howard,  Joe Tracy conducted the tests on Friday September 4, 1908. The tests were conducted on only that part of the Parkway in the vicinity of where the grandstand would be built as there was much construction going on, especially with regard to the bridges.  I believe that the only curve (8 degrees) he took during the tests was the one at station 95+00 and at 60 MPH.  With regard to the grandstand,  the site was carefully selected. It was the most level section on the Hempstead Plains of the Parkway portion of the race course By building it where they did grandstand race viewers were able to see the race cars easily more than a half mile in both directions where in past VC races one was lucky to see about 200 feet of the race, more if you climbed a pole.

I also submitted an answer like Steve Lucas but it did not go through.  So I don’t think it was a problem with Steve upgrading his system.  A little frustrating since I think I actually nailed the answer.  Otherwise, keep up the great work.

Thanks, Steve & David. Glad everything is going through fine, now : )

FYI, I believe the server was down for a period of time over the weekend. Sorry everyone.

Howard

It’s okay, Howard. Thanks for letting us know : )

Delaying the free Win 11 upgrade and remaining on Win 10 for now. My answer didn’t go through as well. Always looking forward to answers by the savvy. Great site to learn Motor Parkway history.
Al, amazing details as always, and Grand Stand’s location. I always assumed the Hempstead Plains was entirely flat. In the photos you could see for miles away

Frank, The Plains were never completely flat, actually quite undulating along with creeks, streams, ponds, etc.  The back nine holes of the Red Course at Eisenhower is a good example with it’s water holes and many grade changes. Some photos of the Parkway under construction clearly show culverts built under the ROW. The Parkway was built with a maximum deviation of two degrees in grade level. In order to accomplish this, some segments of the ROW had to be filled in and I’m guessing some leveling of some of the terrain.

Al-
You mentioned Friday, Sept 4th as Tracy’s testing day, but as per his invoice, it was 2 days of testing, correct?

Greg,  My notes of the tests indicate he spent a good part of one day mostly on foot checking the curves, the banking and the cement paving which he didn’t like. Thought the grooving (for drainage) was to deep and might create heat problems and or premature wear for the tires. He also made notes on corner flag men, ( on both sides going under bridges) crowd control and fencing.

Makes sense, as to this day most great race car drivers will walk the course before they drive it.

Greg, You will note that Tracy billed the Parkway for his train fare but not to and from the train station to the Parkway. Thats because I drove him in my 1918 Fulton truck. Thar came about because I was friends with his cousin,  Dick Tracy, the famous policeman and he put us together.

Al,
That’s great! Nothing like firsthand knowledge! And Joe must have been very impressed with your ‘futuristic’ vehicle! I believe I read somewhere he was so impressed that he called his cousin from the truck on his video watch to tell him about all the technology that cars won’t see until 10 years from then! Any confirmation of that story?

That must’ve been an interesting day Al. :D
From Bridgeport to Grand Central Terminal.
LIRR to Flushing CRR Central Junction station, then off at Salisbury Plains Station?
Dr. Tracy still had to walk some.
OR
Likely picked up in the city at Grand Central Terminal with the racer he used to test the track.
IDK

On The Long Island Motor Parkway book by Howard and Al, on the book cover photo was described as view from the Carman Ave. bridge looking WEST with the NYC in the horizon ahead. In new the mystery photo, I thought it was the same bridge looking EAST with no NYC in the horizon is what convince me it’s EAST of whatever bridge?

After his racing years, Joe Tracy became a consultant for the auto industry.  Here is his description of the “Economy Tune-Up” work he would perform on your car for $1.75.  I would guess the price would not include parts if needed.  Note his reference to the Vanderbilt Cup Race.  From the Peter Helck Family Collection. 

Maybe this became what’s now the Multipoint Automotive Inspection.

Mark-
It’s a fairly common misconception that in the Carmen Ave bridge photo, it is the NYC skyline in the background, it is not. That is the tree line and windmill of the Ladenburg Farm/Estate.

The previously lost Comments have resurfaced! Howard

Greg, you may have a point about the NYC skyline that I had thought, would be The Ladenburg Farm Estates on The Motor Parkway book cover photo, however in the other photo posting in these Comment, no other view of the Estates with view looking WEST, even by the Jerusalem Ave bridge the estates would be to the left and closer! including the photo with Joe Tracy supposedly driving WEST. I say he’s driving EAST in the morning

Mark, In this photo looking west from the grandstands, the blue arrow is pointing to the Ladenburg estate way off in the distance. In the Tracy mystery photo, it is not visible but the other tree lines and Newbridge hotel can just be made out.