County Executive Tom Suozzi joined automobile enthusiasts at The Garden City Hotel Sept. 30 to reminisce about The Vanderbilt Cup, America's first car race, and celebrate its 100th anniversary. The Cup used over 30 miles of Nassau County road and attracted a quarter-million spectators from around the world back in 1904.

Flanked by vintage automobiles, one of which unofficially finished third in the historic race, Steve Gittelman, president of the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum's board of trustees, passionately spoke of the first race to take place on a road.

"Right in front of you is a big piece of American history because in that race only two cars finished. And one car was closed out of finishing because the crowds rushed in to consume the winners. But this car almost made third place and that gave us a reason to be proud.

"[William Vanderbilt] had big ideas. He wanted to put together a race to stimulate the automotive industry. Willy came here and this was the headquarters for this race...We're talking about a time before the Model T. Ford was even on the streets..." he said.

When William K. Vanderbilt inaugurated the first road racing series in America, it featured the world's best cars and drivers. Because of the Cup's success, road racing in America flourished for the next dozen years in many parts of the country.

The Garden City Hotel's Posh night club hosted a party Sept. 30 that boasted much memorabilia from the Cup. "If you think about it, I was pulling down [the hotel's] driveway today and realized that 100 years ago Mr. Vanderbilt himself pulled down this driveway," Brian Rosenberg, vice president of special projects at The Garden City Hotel, noted. "This event really brings back some of the history The Garden City Hotel is known for."

The celebration continued Oct. 2 when classic and high performance car enthusiasts had the chance to celebrate 100 years of Long Island motor sports at the Mitchel Field athletic complex where the Vanderbilt Centennial Group hosted a collection of automobiles with a racing heritage from around the world.

Vehicles showcasing 100 years of racing evolution were on display. The celebration included the Pope-Toledo, which participated in the century-old race, sprint cars from the 30s and 40s, sports racers from the 50s and 60s and more. Spectators witnessed running time trials on the controlled, secured roadway around the athletic complex as well.

On Sunday, Oct. 3, a parade of antique cars made its way from Mitchel Field to Hempstead Turnpike, tracing the 1904 race's circuit. A dedication followed at the cup's start-finish line on Jericho Turnpike in Westbury.

Lance Mallamo, director of Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, noted that bringing America's love of the automobile to the forefront here on Long Island is a major part of this year's celebration. "This is not an area where we've focused our energies in the past. We've been busy with other activities. This anniversary gave us a reason to focus on just that and in doing so created huge partnerships that I never thought within a year would be possible."

A representative from the Department of Motor Vehicles presented The Garden City Hotel and the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum with commemorative plaques and Shenton King, whose great-great-grandfather actually owns the 1904 Pope-Toledo, took the county executive for a ride around hotel grounds.