Vanderbilt Cup race

The Vanderbilt Cup race was an automobile race established by William K. Vanderbilt, a member of the prominent Vanderbilt family. It was held on Long Island, New York, from 1904 to 1909, with a few exceptions, and later in other locations until its discontinuation in 1916. Later races were held in 1936 and 1937.1

Automobile racing itself began in the 1880s shortly after the invention of the gasoline-powered internal-combustion engine. The first organized competition was a reliability test in 1894 from Paris to Rouen, France. The first true race occurred in 1895, from Paris to Bordeaux and back. In the United States, the first race was held in Chicago in 1895. Early races were often sponsored by newspapers for promotional purposes. Over time, racing evolved from town-to-town events on public roads to closed-circuit road races due to safety concerns for spectators and participants.1