New-York tribune., 1910-09-25

cr,stadv of the trophy was turned over 70
the Motor Cups Holding Company. together
with the Grand Prize of the Automoohe
club of America and the Motor cups
Holding Company has since promoted the
cup races The first contest took place on
October S, 1904. on a circuit in Nassau
County. with sixteen contestants starting.
These were composed of teams representing
the United States. France. Germany ana
Ttalv II was won by George Heath. driving
a ea-horsepower Panhard car. Heath was
an American amateur, driving as member
Of the French team and he covered M
miles at an average speed of ffty-two
miles an hour. Test. IN another Panharo,
however. did several laps at a much faster
rate. skirtinE one al speed Of seVenty-ohe
rniles-sensational. indeed. for those days
America showed third at the finish with
Herbert Lytle. in Pope-Toledo.
When the second Vanderbilt was run. the
next autumn, an elimination race was
necessary I'm order to select an American
team, Bert Dingley being the winner OF the
trial When the final was reeled off hve
cars each represented America, France ana
italy, while Germany had only four A
second triumph was scored for France by
Eemery in a Darracq. when he drove in a
winner at an average speed of sixty-one
and one-haif miles. materially better than
the time Of Heath the year before In TINS
contest Heath was second, and Tracy, In
the Locomobile. third. Upon this occasion
Bancia. the famous Italian driver piioted
one of the greatest races in history prior
to his unfortunate smash-up with Christie
France scored its third triumph in the
vanderbilt race in 1906. The exciting finish,
with its battle between Dancia, in the Fiat,
and Wagner. in a Darracq, will never be
forgotten hv the thousands who witnessed
If These two drivers. together with Duray
and Jenatzy. had been going with only
few seconds difference in their elapsed
times for some laps. In the tenth and last
Wagner took the lead. only TO meet with
fire troubles a couple of minutes later.
There was a frenzy of excitement; the
crowds fore down the wire fences and
svarmed over the course. and IT seemed as
~ they could not avoid being moved down
hv the fast machines. Down the stretch
came Lancia. snorting across the tape. the
first 10 finish the distance. Wagner, how
ever, was going again, and as he had started
several minutes behind Lancia he still
had a chance 10 win on elapsed time. Every
one wondered If he would cross the tape
before il was too late. He did-in whirl-
wind finish. too, Wagner's speed was about
sixty-three miles an hour for the 297 miles
Joe Tracy. in an American Locomobile
scored the fastest lap of the event.
There was no cup race in 1907, the fourth
taking place on October "A, 1908. with
drivers competing as individuals and not
as teams The big memorable feature Of
this contest was that for the first time the
famous trophy was brought back 10 Amer
lea. and II was George Robertson, in the
% horsepower Locomobile who turned the
trick Robertson's duel with Lytle, In the
Isotta toward the finish. was a thriller.
The Locomobile's average speed was el.3
miles an hour the fastest ever made in a
cup race
Last Octoberrs cup race was in the form
of sweepstakes. the Wheatlev Hills event
and the Massa Dedua sweepstakes for cars
of smaller cylinder dimensions taking place
simultaneously with the cup race. Like
the 1908 event. contestants competed as in
dividuals. This fifth Vanderbilt race saw
| Harry F. Grant come out a brilliant victor
/ in his six-cylinder Alec, winning from q
field Of fifteen starters Grant covered the
1 twenty-five laps. or 2780s miles. at an aver
age Of CPS miles an hour-slightly slowe,
than Rohertson's record the previous year
! Edward H Parker. in Fiat scored Sec
ond place Harroun. driving a Marmon
won the Wheatley Hills Sweepstakes, and
/ Matson. in . Chalmers. the Massapequs
/ event.
| With a faster course, made possible b1
widening the turns, and a total thus far OF
thirty-three entrants, this years event bid:
fair 10 be the most successful not only OF
all the Vanderbilt Cup races but in the
| history of automobile road racing. both in
] America and on r1e Continent.