1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race Reenactment Starts in East Meadow

On Oct. 20 East Meadow will look more like a scene from the early 1900s as the Lake Ronkonkoma Heritage Association presents a reenactment of the 1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race, officially known as "The Long Island Motor Parkway Sweepstakes."

The event will mark the 105th anniversary of the historical race and will honor the Grandstand property, which is now vacant on Crocus Lane in Levittown.

"The property will be developed for homes and we wish to bid it a proper farewell," association officials said.

Founded by William Kissam Vanderbilt II back in 1904, the six Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island (1904 to 1910) were the first international automobile road races held in the U.S. The Vanderbilt Cup was the first major trophy in American auto racing.

Vanderbilt formed a company to build the Long Island Motor Parkway, considered the country's first modern paved parkway. Construction began in 1907. The multi-million dollar toll highway runs 48 miles from the Kissena Corridor (Cunningham Park) in Queens County to Lake Ronkonkoma.

The Grandstand held 5,000 spectators and was the length of approximately two football fields. "The best guess grandstand location: nine houses west of Crocus Lane," according to Howard Kroplick, who has written numerous books on the Vanderbilt Cup Races and the Long Island Motor Parkway and owns the 1909 Alco Black Beast and the 1937 Chrysler's Chrysler. "The historical marker for the Grandstand is located at the corner of Orchid Road and Skimmer Lane, further west than the actual site."

The vintage vehicles (1949 and older) will assemble in Field 1 at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow and follow the historic route on modern day roads. All vehicles will have racing numbers, drivers will wear period clothing and will complete a Race Card, documenting their progress and indicating what they see at certain landmarks. All drivers will receive a prize at the completion of the race.

At 8 a.m. mechanicians will register their cars at the check-in area; the race begins at 9 a.m. sharp.

Race Course:

• Leave Eisenhower Park through service gate onto
• Salisbury Park Drive, East Meadow
• Onto Carnation Road
• Left onto Orchid Road
• Left onto Crocus Lane, Levittown (the Grandstand property)
• Right onto Blacksmith Rd. S
• Left onto Cod Lane
• Right onto Jeruseluem
• Left onto Hempstead Turnpike
• Left onto Clinton Street
• Left onto Main Street, Farmingdale
• Right onto Round Swamp Road
• Left onto Bethpage Road turns into Manetto Hill Road
• Right onto Woodbury Rd
• Left onto Jericho Turnpike  #25
• Left onto Ellison Avenue
• Left onto Old Country Road
• Left onto Merrick Avenue
• Left into Eisenhower Park on Park Boulevard

Spectators can observe the "race" at any location on the route.

Drivers and their mechanicians need to pre-register at thelakeheritage@aol.com before Oct. 5, stating name, phone, year, make and model of their vehicle.