1937 Vanderbilt Cup

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.^[1] 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.^[2]

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.^[3]

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.^[4]

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.^[5] The Martins' older brother Townsend had entered a Maserati V8RI for Mauri Rose.^[6]

Summarize Timeline Fact Check

Sources:^[7][8]

• DNA = Did not arrive
• DNP = Did not practise
• DNQ = Did not qualify

Summarize Timeline Fact Check

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;^[25] 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;^[26] 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.^[27]

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.^[28]

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.^[29] 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.^[30] The Bjørnstad Alfa was also fitted with twin rear wheels to improve grip,^[31] although it reverted to a regular set-up for the race.

Grid

Source:^[32][33]

More information Pos, Row 1 ...

Pos	1	2	3
Row 1	Caracciola 20:58.01	Rosemeyer 21:20.07	Mays 21:24.89
Row 2	Seaman 21:38.51	Nuvolari 21:40.46	Farina 21:51.08
Row 3	Winn 21:56.08	von Delius 22:00.62	Horn 22:05.78
Row 4	Householder 22:19.22	Stapp 22:33.38	Connor 22:42.88
Row 5	Petillo 22:45.51	Snyder 23:03.72[34]	Thorne 23:11.13
Row 6	Rose 23:11.62	Wearne 23:13.85	Cummings 23:14.08
Row 7	Banks 23:17.54	Bjørnstad 23:17.79	Snowberger 23:35.71
Row 8	Brisko 23:43.22	Gardner 23:48.46	Fiermonte 23:59.31
Row 9	Bean 24:30.78	Zarka 24:32.51	Marion 24:36.97
Row 10	Ardinger 24:52.16	Cusick 25:57.36	Lewis 26:04.75
DNQ	Orenduff 27:51.00	Brandfon unknown - 31st fastest

Close

After qualifying, Rosemeyer was installed as 8/5 favourite, with Winn the most favoured American, at 10/1.^[35]

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.^[36] The race was started by Ralph de Palma,^[37] 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,^[38] 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.^[39] 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.^[40][41]

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.^[42] 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.^[43]

Sources: see Entries