1908 Riverhead Racecar Crash

[RGeeProductions]

My gf does Ebay ALOT and just found this. Very interesting. I am thinking possibly old High School grounds where they used to have County Fairs and Car Racing.

1908 Riverhead Race Car Crash (http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-Riverhead-LI-NY-Race-Car-Crash-1908-Early-RPPC-L-I_W0QQitemZ6241605383QQcategoryZ82510QQssPageNameZ WDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

[W. J.]

So, now we know when the first caution flag EVER was thrown at Riverhead, LOL! :lol: Was that 'race car' a modified farm truck???

[LongIslandJam]

1908? Wouldn't that be the same time period as the Vanderbilt Cup? That would make more sense.

[W. J.]

Supposedly, Vanderbilt ran races on Motor Parkway, which started in Queens and ended in Ronkonkoma, so it would be one tremendous crash to end up in Riverhead! :lol: Who knows, maybe it was an out of town race that day, you never know.

[LongIslandJam]

If you read the captions to the ebay ad, they say they "think" its Riverhead. I kinda doubt its from Riverhead.

[Richie]

More like Bridgehampton, when they ran on the road,through the village.

[DAN D.]

There was another card that said Grangebel Park and water tower? Was that Long Island?

[RGeeProductions]

There was another card that said Grangebel Park and water tower? Was that Long Island?
Grangebel Park is in Riverhead. (http://www.newsday.com/community/guide/lihistory/ny-htim227_sg,0,445358.photogallery?coll=ny-lihistory-navigation)

[catfish]

Indeed, about that time they did race on the North Fork. I saw an article on the front cover of some free local newspaper earlier last year and they raced all over the North Fork on the Main Rd (Rt 25).

[Fat Albert]

I think Lenny Fischer was in that race. Maybe that was him in the crash. Man, he's been racing a loooooong time!

[DAN D.]

Is that park where the blues festival is held next to that body of water ?

[allhailunc]

We've been kidding Dan about his new "race car". Well, I think we finally found it. :lol:

[debbie33]

That is Grangebel Park where the Blues Festival is held.

[Drumz1959]

I have a 1905 photo somewhere titled Riverhead car race and the pic shows the car making a right off of Roanoke onto Main Street.....pretty wild photo....found it on the web a few years ago.............. they also raced back then on the harness horse track in Riverhead, which is now where the Riverhead football team plays.

[allhailunc]

would you believe that that pic went for over 100 dollars? :rolleyes:

[randomrodder]

Supposedly, Vanderbilt ran races on Motor Parkway, which started in Queens and ended in Ronkonkoma, so it would be one tremendous crash to end up in Riverhead! :lol: Who knows, maybe it was an out of town race that day, you never know.

Before he built the motor parkway they raced in various locations on Long Island, one was in Mineola/Jericho. If anyone ever has the time, go to the Vanderbilt Museaum in Centerport. Say you are doing something about the history of racing on LI. They will open the archives to you. I was totally amazed at all I saw there, the photos, flyers, banners, etc.
He was also down on Ormond Beach, Fla. setting speed records with many others prior to '05. I do believe they held a race out east also.

[randomrodder]

One other thing, Wm Vanderbilt III also had plans to build a race track around Lake Ronkokoma, but then WWI broke out and it was shelved. They raced The Motor Parkway a few years, then turned it into a toll road. Two of the old toll booths still exist. One is in Willitson Park and the other is part of the Bonwit Resturant in Commack.
The toll road didn't fare well, (no pun intend) and was granted to the state in lieu of back taxes. The road was heavily used to transport enlistees to Camp Upton, which is now Brookhaven Labs, for basic training.
Families would make the trek to visit their husband, fathers and sons.

[Drumz1959]

here is a photo from 1911........... it looks like someone familiar walking out of poppa nicks lol
http://www.longislandgenealogy.com/stockcar.html