The 1936 Vanderbilt Cup (formally known as I George Vanderbilt Cup) was a Grand Prix that was held on 12 October 1936 at Roosevelt Raceway near Westbury, Long Island, New York City, USA. It was the fourth and last race of the 1936 AAA Championship Car season, not counting the non-championship events. The race, contested over 75 laps of 6.39 km (3.97 mi), was won by Tazio Nuvolari driving a Alfa Romeo 12C-36 after starting from eighth position.
| 1936 Vanderbilt Cup Grand Prix | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Roosevelt Raceway in 1936 | |||
| Race details | |||
| Date | 12 October 1936 | ||
| Official name | I George Vanderbilt Cup | ||
| Location |
Roosevelt Raceway Westbury, Long Island, New York City, USA | ||
| Course | Purpose-built race circuit | ||
| Course length | 6.39 km (3.97 miles) | ||
| Distance | 75 laps, 479.25 km (297.75 miles) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Scuderia Ferrari | ||
| Time | 17:54.15 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
  Tazio Nuvolari | Scuderia Ferrari | |
| Time | 3:25.42 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Scuderia Ferrari | ||
| Second | Automobiles Bugatti | ||
| Third | Scuderia Ferrari | ||
Background edit
For the history of the Vanderbilt Cup: see Vanderbilt Cup
This was the first time that the Vanderbilt Cup was held since 1916. George Washington Vanderbilt III, the nephew of the founder of the Vanderbilt Cup, William Kissam Vanderbilt II, sponsored a 300-mile race (480 km) in 1936 at Roosevelt Raceway. Just like in the original races, European drivers were enticed by the substantial prize money - Scuderia Ferrari entered three Alfa Romeo racers. However, because of little American competition and an unexciting course layout, the race was organised for only two years. Both races were won by Europeans. After 1937, the Vanderbilt Cup would not be raced until 1960.
Sources:
The Golden Era of Grand prix Racing - I George Vanderbilt Cup Race Archived 2017-05-12 at the Wayback Machine
Vanderbilt Cup Races - Race Profile: 1936 Vanderbilt Cup Race
Entries edit
- DNA = Did not arrive
- DNS = Did not start
- DNQ = Did not qualify
Sources:
ChampCarStats.com - 1936 George Vanderbilt Cup
The Golden Era of Grand prix Racing - I George Vanderbilt Cup Race Archived 2017-05-12 at the Wayback Machine
Grid positions edit
| Pos | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Row 1 | Brivio 17:54.15 |
Winn 18:01.77 |
Shaw 18:13.92 |
| Row 2 | Connor 18:23.22 |
Litz 19:26.86 |
Putnam 19:28.17 |
| Row 3 | Shafer 20:16.09 |
Nuvolari 17:09.62 |
Farina 17:24.40 |
| Row 4 | Swanson 18:05.54 |
Cantlon 18:08.96 |
Tabor 18:12.20 |
| Row 5 | C. Gardner 18:27.07 |
Wimille 18:28.02 |
Willman 18:32.92 |
| Row 6 | "Raph" 18:41.80 |
Zarka 18:42.93 |
Snyder 18:46.62 |
| Row 7 | Sommer 18:49.10 |
Marion 18:50.04 |
Horn 18:50.24 |
| Row 8 | Decker 18:53.45 |
Fairfield 19:02.53 |
Rose 19:04.15 |
| Row 9 | Tomei 19:15.81 |
Cummings 19:28.11 |
Andres 19:34.34 |
| Row 10 | Stapp 19:50.03 |
Davis 19:50.34 |
McEvoy 19:51.50 |
| Row 11 | Lake 19:53.94 |
Étancelin 19:55.97 |
Miller 19:56.88 |
| Row 12 | Evans 20:01.61 |
Banks 20:05.61 |
Rayson 20:06.40 |
| Row 13 | Brisko 20:06.43 |
Snowberger 20:07.93 |
Thorne 20:24.88 |
| Row 14 | Chamberlain 20:36.37 |
Howe 20:35.63 |
Lewis 20:46.53 |
| Row 15 | Gulotta 20:54.31 |
Phillips 21:00.13 |
Balus 21:13.08 |
Sources:
ChampCarStats.com - 1936 George Vanderbilt Cup
Vanderbilt Cup Races - Starting Lineup for the 1936 Vanderbilt Cup Race
The Golden Era of Grand Prix Racing - I George Vanderbilt Cup Race Archived 2017-05-12 at the Wayback Machine
Race results edit
Twelve of the forty-five drivers that started the race were Europeans driving an English ERA, a French Bugatti or an Italian Alfa Romeo or Maserati. The rest of the field was made up of Americans in dirt track cars with two-speed gearboxes. Although the course contained only one long straight, and the European drivers had to get used to the loose dirt track surface, the Americans were no contest for the Grand Prix cars. For example, even with Nuvolari's V12 Alfa Romeo running on eleven cylinders, he won by eight minutes on Wimille. The best American driver was Cummings finishing seventh almost twenty-five minutes behind the winner.
| Pos. | Driver | Car Constructor | Time (Status) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nuvolari | Alfa Romeo | 4:32:44.0 |
| 2 | Wimille | Bugatti | 4:40:55.9 |
| 3 | Brivio | Alfa Romeo | 4:45:44.4 |
| 4 | Sommer | 4:46:59.51 | |
| 5 | Fairfield | ERA | 4:56:48.5 |
| 6 | McEvoy | Maserati | 4:57:24.8 |
| 7 | Cummings | Miller | 4:57:43.11 |
| 8 | Rose | 4:57:47.2 | |
| 9 | Étancelin | Maserati | 4:59:43.11 |
| 10 | Litz | Miller | 5:01:05.82 |
| 11 | Tabor | Duesenberg | 5:04:06.6 |
| 12 | Andres | Stevens | 5:05:54.9 |
| 13 | Howe | ERA | 5:06:11.75 |
| 14 | Evans | Bugatti | 5:07:42.5 |
| 15 | Lewis | ERA | 5:08:17.27 |
| 16 | Decker | Duesenburg | 5:08:18.63 |
| 17 | Putnam | Studebaker | +1 lap |
| 18 | Rayson | Maserati | +1 lap |
| 19 | Lake | Ambler | +2 laps |
| 20 | Banks | Miller | +3 laps |
| 21 | Gardner | +3 laps | |
| 22 | Zarka | Ambler | +4 laps |
| 23 | Swanson | Miller | +4 laps |
| 24 | Gulotta | Stevens | +6 laps |
| 25 | Shafer | Miller | +6 laps |
| 26 | Miller | Rigling | +10 laps |
| 27 | Brisko | Miller | +10 laps |
| 28 | Balus | Duesenberg | +10 laps |
| 29 | Chamberlain | +10 laps | |
| 30 | Tomei | +10 laps | |
| 31 | Connor | Weil | +3 laps (DNF - engine) |
| 32 | Winn | Miller | +11 laps (DNF - rear gear) |
| 33 | Snowberger | +14 laps (DNF - brakes) | |
| 34 | Thorne | +26 laps (DNF - universal joint) | |
| 35 | Stapp | Shaw | +27 laps (DNF - fuel tank) |
| 36 | Horn | Wetteroth | +30 laps (DNF - stalled) |
| 37 | Snyder | Stevens | +35 laps (DNF - rear axle gear) |
| 38 | Cantlon | Miller | +40 laps (DNF - valves) |
| 39 | Davis | +45 laps (DSQ - car towed) | |
| 40 | Willman | Stevens | +54 laps (DNF - steering gear) |
| 41 | Farina | Alfa Romeo | +58 laps (DNF - steering arm) |
| 42 | "Raph" | Maserati | +66 laps (DSQ - push start) |
| 43 | Phillips | Bugatti | +67 laps (DNF - connecting rod) |
| 44 | Marion | +72 laps (DNF - clutch shaft) | |
| 45 | Shaw | Shaw | +73 laps (DNF - crash) |
- DNF = Did Not Finish
- DSQ = Disqualified
Sources: see Entries
Sources edit
- ChampCarStats.com - 1936 George Vanderbilt Cup
- www.kolumbus.fi - I George Vanderbilt Cup Race Archived 2017-05-12 at the Wayback Machine
- Vanderbilt Cup Races - Exclusive: Starting Lineup for the 1936 Vanderbilt Cup Race
- Vanderbilt Cup Races - Race Profile: 1936 Vanderbilt Cup Race
- Driver Database - The page of each aforementioned driver was consulted.
- Racing Sports Cars - The page of each aforementioned driver was consulted.
- YouTube - 1936 Vanderbilt Cup Race
- Vanderbilt Cup Races - 1936 Vanderbilt Cup Race: Photos from the Nassau County Division of Museum Services
- Vanderbilt Cup Races - Spectacular Aerials of Roosevelt Field and Roosevelt Raceway (1924-1938)
- www.kolumbus.fi - Roosevelt Raceway, New York (USA) Archived 2021-07-25 at the Wayback Machine