27 April 2015


1906 Locomobile. This was the first American built car to win the Vanderbilt cup in 1908. The cup was the first serious motor racing trophy in the U.S. The race was controversial from the start with lawyers and politicians attempting to have it stopped. The race quickly drew large crowds and when a spectator was killed in 1906, the lawyers and politicians had their way. Meanwhile in Europe, the French had staged the first ever Grand Prix and the championship was spreading fast across Europe. The Vanderbilt's were spurred into action and to control the crowds and appease the objectors, they built a raceway, the first of it kind. The cup had a stop start history with the last race being held in 1968. The cup is stored at the Smithsonian and not on public view.