Vanderbilt Cup Races

I recognize the racer as “Old 16,” the 1906 Locomobile that was the first American car to win the Vanderbilt Cup race in 1908.

I’m taking a guess here: Is it a New York Auto Show at Madison Square Garden? (This year’s show opens today.)

The race car is of course the “Old 16” Locomobile.  Winner of the 1908 VCR.  This photo was taken between February 6th to February 13th 1909.  The dates of the Chicago Auto show where this picture was taken.

The racer is the 120 HP Locomobile, “Old 16”, winner of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup the previous October with George Robertson driving. The date of the photo is sometime between February 6, 1909 and February 13, 1909. It was taken at the Chicago Automobile Show during that week. Also in the photo are two racing trophies on display. On the left is the aforementioned Vanderbilt Cup. To its right is the Founders Week Cup, also won by George Robertson in a Locomobile, although not “Old 16”. That race, also in October of 1908, was run at Fairmount Park in Philadelphia.

The photo shows the Locomobile stand at the Chicago National Motor Show, held between 6 and 13 February 1909. On the left of course the winner of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup, which is visible next to the car. The cup on the right was won by George Robertson in the Fairmount Park races on 26 September 1908, just a month before the Vanderbilt Cup. At which event and by whom the smaller cup in the middle was won, is not known to me.