1937 Vanderbilt Cup

American auto race August 2023 United States Vanderbilt Cup 5 July 1937 II George Vanderbilt Cup 2 3 AAA Championship Car Roosevelt Raceway, Westbury, New York, United States Purpose-built race course 3.32 5.34 90 300 500 Rudolf Caracciola Mercedes-Benz 20:58.01 (9 laps) Germany Bernd Rosemeyer Auto Union Germany Richard Seaman Mercedes-Benz Great Britain Rex Mays Alfa Romeo USA The 1937 Vanderbilt Cup (formally known as II George Vanderbilt Cup) was a Championship Car race that was held on 5 July 1937, at Roosevelt Raceway near Westbury, New York. It was the second race of the 1937 AAA Championship Car season, not counting the non-championship events. The race, contested over 90 laps of 3.32 miles, was won by Bernd Rosemeyer driving an Auto Union Type C from second starting position. Background For the history of the Vanderbilt Cup: see Vanderbilt Cup This was the second and last of the revived Vanderbult Cup races, on a circuit which had been considerably modified from the previous year's, to make it less intricately curved, but within the same footprint, so it had been reduced from 3.9 to 3.3 miles. One corner was also given a banking to raise the average speed.Nixon Chris Racing the Silver Arrows 1986 Osprey London 228 As for the previous year, the formula was one of engine displacement, restricting vehicles to 6 litre capacity, and all entries had to be racing cars, with stock cars prohibited.Finn Joel American Road Racing in the 1930s Garnet Hill Publishing USA 182 The main entry difference from 1936 was that the Silberpfeile came over from Germany to take part; this is despite the race clashing with the 1937 Belgian Grand Prix, which, as a result, had a denuded entry list. The teams travelled to the States on the ocean liner Bremen, accompanied by a number of Nazi Party officials, who warned the team members off from socializing with the many Jewish passengers on board.Nixon Chris Racing the Silver Arrows 1986 Osprey London 166, 180 The only other European manufacturer which came over was Alfa Romeo, on the orders of Benito Mussolini so that Hitler could not gain all of the propaganda benefits, and even then Tazio Nuvolari only agreed to attend at the last minute, having been persuaded by doctors that his seriously ill son Giorgio was not in any imminent danger to his life; sadly, while at sea, Nuvolari received news that Giorgio had died.Finn Joel American Road Racing in the 1930s Garnet Hill Publishing USA 213 The only other European to attend was Eugen Bjørnstad, who had received sponsorship money from socialite twins Alistair and Esmond Martin to bring his Alfa Romeo over on the liner Bergenfjord; his presence allegedly added 25,000 to the gate, from the Norwegian community in Bay Ridge.Bjornstad's Six Wheel may have Last Laugh on Gasoline Alley Brooklyn Eagle 29 June 1937 18 The Martins' older brother Townsend had entered a Maserati V8RI for Mauri Rose.Finn Joel American Road Racing in the 1930s Garnet Hill Publishing USA 208–12 Entries Sources:Finn Joel American Road Racing in the 1930s Garnet Hill Publishing USA 227George Vanderbilt Cup http://www.champcarstats.com/races/193702.htm Champcarstats 14 June 2026 No.DriverCarNote1USA 1912 Mauri RoseMaserati V8RIEntered by Townsend Martin, who bought it from "Raph" following the 1936 raceYates Brock Vanderbilt Cup Race 1936 & 1937 Photo Archive 1997 Iconografix Osceola, WI 562USA 1912 Jimmy SnyderMillerAKA the Boyle Valve Special; retained a two-man bodyYates Brock Vanderbilt Cup Race 1936 & 1937 Photo Archive 1997 Iconografix Osceola, WI 983USA 1912 Ted HornWetteroth-MillerAKA the Hartz-Miller Special4Nazi Germany Bernd RosemeyerAuto Union Type C5Italy 1861 Tazio NuvolariAlfa Romeo 12C6USA 1912 Wilbur ShawShaw-OffenhauserDNA: AKA the Gilmore-Shaw Special; withdrawn because of handling issues7USA 1912 Billy WinnSummers-MillerAKA the Winn-Miller Special8USA 1912 Deacon LitzMaserati V8RIDNA; withdrawn after a legal dispute over commissions allegedly due after the Martin brothers bought the car from Carlo Felice TrossiFinn Joel American Road Racing in the 1930s Garnet Hill Publishing USA 2119Nazi Germany Ernst von DeliusAuto Union Type CTo distinguish from Rosemeyer's car, Auto Union painted a red band around the radiator cowlingYates Brock Vanderbilt Cup Race 1936 & 1937 Photo Archive 1997 Iconografix Osceola, WI 6210Italy 1861 Nino FarinaAlfa Romeo 12C12Nazi Germany Rudolf CaracciolaMercedes-Benz W12514USA 1912 Rex MaysAlfa Romeo 8C35AKA the Bowes Seal Fast Special. Bought from Alfa Romeo by California sportsman Bill White in November 1936; it had been Alfa's test hack for the 1936 raceFinn Joel American Road Racing in the 1930s Garnet Hill Publishing USA 20915GBR Richard SeamanMercedes-Benz W12516NOR Eugen BjørnstadAlfa Romeo MonzaBriefly fitted with twin rear wheels for extra grip;Finn Joel American Road Racing in the 1930s Garnet Hill Publishing USA 208 sponsored by Esmond and Alistair Martin, under the team name "Balmacaan", which was the name of the Martin family house in Scotland 17USA 1912 George ConnorAdams-MillerAKA the Marks-Miller Special18USA 1912 Bill CummingsMiller-OffenhauserAKA the Burd Piston Ring Special19USA 1912 Harry LewisStudebakerAKA the DeBaets Special21USA 1912 Babe StappMaserati V8RIAKA the Topping Special, owned by Bob Topping of Hawaii, who used it as a road car after the Cup raceYates Brock Vanderbilt Cup Race 1936 & 1937 Photo Archive 1997 Iconografix Osceola, WI 8622USA 1912 Joel ThorneAlfa Romeo Tipo BBought by Thorne from Raymond Sommer for $4,000 after the 1936 raceFinn Joel American Road Racing in the 1930s Garnet Hill Publishing USA 20924USA 1912 Frank BriskoStevens-BriskoAKA the Elgin Piston Pin Special25USA 1912 Kelly PetilloWetteroth-MillerAKA the Petillo-Miller Special27USA 1912 Albert CusickSchumacher-Cusick-FordSprint car built by Gus Schumacher described as a "souped-up Model B Ford"Worner Ted Sporting propositions Herald Statesman 8 July 1837 1728USA 1912 Bob SwansonBugattiDNA31USA 1912 Chet GardnerDuesenberg-OffenhauserAKA the Burd Piston Ring Special33USA 1912 Frank WearneMillerAKA the Weirick-Miller Special34USA 1912 Shorty CantlonMillerDNA42USA 1912 Vern OrenduffAlfa Romeo 8C 2300DNQ: 5mph off 30th and final spot; entered by Frank Griswold and all sportscar paraphernalia stripped from itFinn Joel American Road Racing in the 1930s Garnet Hill Publishing USA 21943USA 1912 Lucky Teternot listedDNA; entered as the Fowler Special44USA 1912 Ronney HouseholderStevens-MillerAKA the Duray-Miller Special45ITA 1848 Enzo FiermonteMaserati V8RIultimately driven by Wilbur Shaw46USA 1912 John MorettiWilliams–DuesenbergDNP; entered by Virgil Williams as the Williams Special, with "Bozo" Balus as alternate driver; dirt track car with Duesenberg engine, which broke its crankshaft before qualifyingYates Brock Vanderbilt Cup Race 1936 & 1937 Photo Archive 1997 Iconografix Osceola, WI 93 49USA 1912 Henry BanksKimmel-Offenhauser54USA 1912 Herb ArdingerWelch-OffenhauserAKA the Chicago Rawhide Special#54 Chicago Rawhide Special https://www.museumofamericanspeed.org/54chicagorawhidespecial.html Museum of American Speed 13 June 202663USA 1912 Benny BrandfonDuesenbergDNQ; Duesenberg Model A-powered dirt track racerYates Brock Vanderbilt Cup Race 1936 & 1937 Photo Archive 1997 Iconografix Osceola, WI 96 65USA 1912 Milt MarionMillerAKA the Marion Miller Special; it retained its two-man bodyYates Brock Vanderbilt Cup Race 1936 & 1937 Photo Archive 1997 Iconografix Osceola, WI 7166USA 1912 Gus ZarkaAmbler–Hisso Built by Bill and John Ambler of Pennsylvania, using Hispano-Suiza V8 engines split in half for two straight-four enginesFerner Michael Ambler https://www.oldracingcars.com/indy/ambler/ Old Racing Cars 15 June 2026The #66 Ambler Hisso https://kansasracinghistory.com/Adams/66Zarka.htm Kansas Racing History 15 June 202667USA 1912 Ora BeanAmbler–Hisso72USA 1912 Russ SnowbergerPackard-MillerAKA the Burd Piston Ring Special DNA = Did not arrive DNP = Did not practise DNQ = Did not qualify Qualifying Qualifying was done by one car at a time, and based on an average of 3 runs of 3 laps each, amounting to around 30 miles, although entrants could run all three runs together, in one nine-lap run;Billy Winn first Vanderbilt qualifier Brooklyn Citizen 28 June 1937 6 the timing equipment proved somewhat sketchy, with eight drivers undertaking two sets of times because of failings, and others completing too many or too few laps. Although the German cars were much faster on the straights (Rosemeyer was clocked at 161mph;Final qualifying trials on today Brooklyn Eagle 2 July 1937 17 the fastest American car, Bill Cummings' Offenhauser, only at 132mph), the long curves and bankings were more suited to the American cars, as the Europeans (other than Nuvolari) were unused to the different lines available.Finn Joel American Road Racing in the 1930s Garnet Hill Publishing USA 214–7 One controversy in practice arose in relation to crash helmets. They were compulsory in American racing, but, as the Germans claimed the race was run under an international formula, claimed they could wear their "light caps"; impishly "Wild" Bill Cummings declared that, in that case, the same international rules applied to American drivers, and tried to go out without a helmet, but he was banned from so doing.German drives 158.3 on Cup track Press and Sun Bulletin 30 June 1937 35 After qualifying 24th, Enzo Fiermonte, a retired boxer who had never raced before and who had only just received his Maserati from the factory, agreed a handshake deal with Wilbur Shaw - whose own car had been plagued with handling difficulties - to replace him. Fiermonte had had a number of qualifying spins, and his driving was described as "inconsistent and lurid", all the while averaging 10 seconds per lap slower than the next-slowest Maserati.Finn Joel American Road Racing in the 1930s Garnet Hill Publishing USA 234 Also after qualifying the organizers insisted the German cars paint the German flag on their flanks - the first time that the Silberpfeile carried the Hakenkreuz outside Germany. Auto Union test driver Ulrich Bigalke undertook test runs in practice, and proved so rapid that he was given a permanent place on the 1938 team as a reserve driver.Ulrich Bigalke https://www.historicracing.com/driver.cfm?otd=2528 Historic Racing 9 June 2026 The Bjørnstad Alfa was also fitted with twin rear wheels to improve grip,Six Wheel Racer Entered Buffalo News 30 June 1937 2 although it reverted to a regular set-up for the race. Grid thumb|Bjørnstad in the Alfa 8C 2300 thumb|Rosemeyer with the trophy Source:Finn Joel American Road Racing in the 1930s Garnet Hill Publishing USA 220II Vanderbilt Cup https://www.goldenera.fi/gp3706.htm#NOTE26 Golden Era 14 June 2026 Pos123Row 1Caracciola20:58.01Rosemeyer21:20.07Mays21:24.89Row 2Seaman21:38.51Nuvolari21:40.46Farina21:51.08Row 3Winn21:56.08von Delius22:00.62Horn22:05.78Row 4Householder22:19.22Stapp22:33.38Connor22:42.88Row 5Petillo22:45.51Snyder23:03.72Time given as 23:21.58 but speed given averages to 17 seconds quickerThorne23:11.13Row 6Rose23:11.62Wearne23:13.85Cummings23:14.08Row 7Banks23:17.54Bjørnstad23:17.79Snowberger23:35.71Row 8Brisko23:43.22Gardner23:48.46Fiermonte23:59.31Row 9Bean24:30.78Zarka24:32.51Marion24:36.97Row 10Ardinger24:52.16Cusick25:57.36Lewis26:04.75DNQOrenduff27:51.00Brandfonunknown - 31st fastest Race After qualifying, Rosemeyer was installed as 8/5 favourite, with Winn the most favoured American, at 10/1.Rosemeyer 8 to 5 choice to win 300-mile Vanderbilt Cup classic Brooklyn Eagle 3 July 1937 11 The race was set for 3 July, but a shower of rain as the cars lined up persuaded the organizers to postpone it to 5 July (a Monday), although the raceday crowd was claimed at 70,000.Rosemeyer wins 300 mile daash: Seaman second Standard-Star 6 July 1937 13 The race was started by Ralph de Palma,Salient facts on today's race Brooklyn Eagle 3 July 1937 11 and in the early laps, Caracciola and Rosemeyer - who did not like the circuit, but nevertheless had qualified second - diced for the lead, until "Caratsch" retired with engine trouble. Mays took over second, a minute ahead of Seaman, but Seaman had been involved in a fierce battle with Winn until Winn's transmission broke early on,Yates Brock Vanderbilt Cup Race 1936 & 1937 Photo Archive 1997 Iconografix Osceola, WI 69 and was now free to chase Mays. He passed Mays on lap 26; the two disputed second place for the next ten laps, until Mays' tyres gave out and he had to stop. On lap 43, with the running order Rosemeyer, Seaman, Mays, von Delius, and Farina, the Italian stopped for fuel, and Nuvolari - whose own Alfa had retired early - tried to reduce the 3-minute gap to von Delius. Unable to do so, on lap 58 he handed the Alfa back to "Nino". Seaman then started to catch Rosemeyer, and took the lead when the German had to stop for fuel, losing it back in turn when he had to stop. Despite the efforts of von Delius (Rosemeyer's team-mate and best friend) to block Seaman when the Englishman came to lap him, Seaman had gained back close to Rosemeyer, and a grandstand finish looked in prospect, but Seaman, in trying to force Rosemeyer (who had stopped earlier for fuel) to take another stop, unexpectedly required a late "splash and dash" himself, which meant Rosemeyer could coast home to victory. Rosemeyer's victory earned him promotion from Heinrich Himmler to Hauptsturmführer in the SS.Nixon Chris Racing the Silver Arrows 1986 Osprey London 164 Mays took third to a standing ovation, well clear of von Delius and Farina, who was driving a newer Alfa than Mays'. There were no crashes in the race; Mauri Rose provided the drama by running in sixth place with five laps to go when a balljoint broke.Finn Joel American Road Racing in the 1930s Garnet Hill Publishing USA 220–7Nixon Chris Racing the Silver Arrows 1986 Osprey London 123, 249 Rosemeyer's prize money for winning was $20,000; Seaman collected $10,000 for second, and prizes were paid out to 10th, plus from a separate prize fund for American racers.Salient facts on today's race Brooklyn Eagle 3 July 1937 11 The original result had Cummings finishing 9th, but a re-check of the scoring tapes placed him 7th, and leading American car and driver combination, which won him a bonus $2,500 for first American car and $1,000 for third American driver.Wild Bill Cummings is seventh after recheck Buffalo Courier Express 7 July 1937 18 Box score Pos. No.Driver(s)Car LapsTime/Retired PtsFor the 1937 Championship. Nuvolari was not eligible for points as he had started the race in another car; Fowler's brief stint relieving Snowberger was enough to give him a share of the points.14Nazi Germany Bernd RosemeyerAuto Union903:38:00.75600215GBR Richard SeamanMercedes-Benz903:38:51.78495314USA 1912 Rex MaysAlfa Romeo903:44:35.8240549Nazi Germany Ernst von DeliusAuto Union903:48:09.5330510Italy 1861 Nino FarinaItaly 1861 Tazio NuvolariAlfa Romeo903:51:29.75256.5n/a622USA 1912 Joel ThorneAlfa Romeo903:59:56.1225718USA 1912 Bill CummingsMiller904:02:54.3195872USA 1912 Russ SnowbergerUSA 1912 Ken FowlerPackard904:03:47.4163.51.5945USA 1912 Wilbur ShawMaserati904:04:03.421351054USA 1912 Herb ArdingerWelch904:17:18.431051133USA 1912 Frank WearneWeirick904:19:19.42751231USA 1912 Chet GardnerDuesenberg904:22:00.37451324USA 1912 Frank BriskoStevens87flagged1465USA 1912 Milt MarionMiller78flagged151USA 1912 Mauri RoseMaserati85broken universal joint1616Norway Eugen BjørnstadMaserati60broken transmission173USA 1912 Ted HornMiller59broken transmission1817USA 1912 George ConnorAdams55broken transmission1967USA 1912 Ora BeanAmbler42sheared flywheel bolt2025USA 1912 Kelly PetilloWetteroth39broken pinion212USA 1912 Jimmy SnyderMiller39broken transmission2219USA 1912 Harry LewisStudebaker25magneto2349USA 1912 Henry BanksKimmel24lost right-rear axle2412Nazi Germany Rudolf CaracciolaMercedes-Benz17broken supercharger255Italy 1861 Tazio NuvolariAlfa Romeo16broken conrod2627USA 1912 Al CusickSchumacher-Cusick11broken left-rear hub2711USA 1912 Babe StappMaserati8broken piston2810USA 1912 Ronney HouseholderStevens8broken oil line297USA 1912 Billy WinnMiller8broken transmission3026USA 1912 Gus ZarkoAmbler2broken conrod Sources: see Entries References Category:1937 in American motorsport Category:1937 in American sports Vanderbilt Cup Category:Vanderbilt Cup Category:Motorsport in New York (state)