The 5th Annual Celebration of the Vanderbilt Cup Races Set for Nassau Museum of Art

Nassau, New York, October 15, 2008: The 5th Annual Centennial Celebration of the Vanderbilt Cup Races will be held on Sunday, October 19, 2008, at the Nassau County Museum of Art in New York. The races will feature timed demonstration runs and a Concours de Provenance. An exhibition of Vanderbilt Cup Race photographs, “Vanderbilia” and films will be on display in the museum including the Tiffany plaque given to George Robertson- winner of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race.

The Vanderbilt Cup Race Celebrations are intentionally held in the fall after the sports car racing season has finished in the northeast and days are cooler and sunny. The races have become increasingly more popular in recent years and were previously not promoted to the general public, but rather to a distinct inner-circle of very serious and like-minded vintage race enthusiasts.

The Vanderbilt Cup Races were the first international motor sports. The original Cup races were endurance races running multiple laps on a long course that evolved each year from dirt roads to Vanderbilt’s Long Island Motor Parkway which began in 1908, inspired for this purpose.

Demonstration runs are held on 1/2 mile winding pavement with chicanes and slaloms. There are up to 5 timed runs for each vehicle and the goal is to exhibit improved times for each run. Previous events were run uphill but this year the event will be run downhill. Vanderbilt Cup Races, Inc. presents a rare opportunity for drivers to compete in cars that are usually only entered in static car shows.

There are 14 award categories for the Concours de Provenance portion of the event. The Vanderbilt Race celebrations reject the commonplace standing (polished) Concours d’Elegance format. Cars with racing damage are acceptable and interesting history is preferred. Concours judging will focus on provenance of both vehicle and owner told in live interviews at the site.

More than 500 cars have entered the VCR since 2004, with interest from as far away as New Zealand. Some of the more notable cars that have participated in recent Vanderbilt Cup Races include a 1904 Pope Toledo from the first Vanderbilt Cup Race, a Pre 20th Century Buckboard, a 1923 Ford Paco Racer, a 1950 Formula 3 Effyh-Manx, a Mercedes McLaren and a Ferrari Enzo. There are 150 cars expected for the 2008 event.

This year, the Vanderbilt Cup Races hope to show 100+ years of automotive evolution of cars with racing heritage “at speed” on a challenging, closed roadway. Entrants include both male and female drivers and owners range from ages 16 to 90. Numerous racing personalities are expected to participate including Michel Disdier whose accomplishments include: France Champion in Motocross, Formula Ford and Formula France as well as Ferrari Challenge winner. He is currently racing in the USA NASCAR ARCA series.

Vanderbilt races were also run in Los Angeles (1914) and San Francisco (1915) and there are plans in the works for future centennial celebrations. The event will be held at the Nassau Museum located at Northern Blvd. in Roslyn Harbor, New York. Spectator fee is just $10.00 per car and commuting is encouraged. While at the races, look for the 2008 souvenir program and unique lapel pin with Vanderbilt Centennial logo.

About the Vanderbilt Cup Races At the turn of the 20th century the superiority of European automotive craftsmanship cast a long shadow over America’s fledgling car industry. To encourage American automobile manufacturers to challenge European quality, 26-year old William K. Vanderbilt Jr., heir to a railroad fortune and a pioneer race car driver, organized America’s first international road race, modeled after those held in Europe. He donated the Vanderbilt Cup, which was awarded to the winner of the race. The six Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island from 1904 to 1910 were the greatest sporting events of their day. These colorful, exciting, and dangerous races drew huge crowds from 25,000 to over 250,000 spectators.

A total of 84 drivers participated in the six Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island from 1904 to 1910. American-born drivers accounted for 71% of the participants and 4 victories. French drivers made up only 10% of the participants but won 2 races. George Heath, born in the USA, won the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race for France in a Panhard. The most successful driver was American Harry Grant who won the two races that he entered in an Alco (1909 and 1910). Louis Chevrolet, whose name would eventually become one of the most famous brands in American car history, entered the most Vanderbilt Cup Races of any driver. His highest finish in four races was 10th in the 1905 race. More about the drivers: vanderbilt cup races