On this day in…
1901
123 years ago
The first British motorised burial took place Read more…
1905
119 years ago
The first completed Mathis, as designed by Ettore Bugatti, was sold Read more…
1908
116 years ago
The first issue of Ford Times, a monthly publication produced by the Ford Motor Company, was published Read more…
1912
112 years ago
Washington Augustus Roebling II, car racer and designer, perished in the RMS Titanic when the ship sank in the North Atlantic Ocean Read more…
1916
108 years ago
Eddie O’Donnell drove a Duesenberg to victory in the 150 mile ‘Ascot Motor Derby’ Read more…
1923
101 years ago
Run over 4 laps of the Media Circuit (108 km), the Targa Florio was won by Ugo Sivocci, in an 3 litre 6 cylinder Alfa Romeo RLTF Read more…
1924
100 years ago
Rand McNally released its first comprehensive road atlas – the New Automobile Road Map of New York City & Vicinity Read more…
1925
99 years ago
The first factory-assembled Ford Model T pickup truck was introduced Read more…
1931
93 years ago
Ford closed its Berlin auto plant Read more…
1932
92 years ago
The first prototype of the Ford Model Y Popular, produced in Detroit (US), was first registered in the UK, as EV 5689, at a London address Read more…
1934
90 years ago
Wilson Shankweiler opened the second Drive-In Movie Theater in the US, and the first in Pennsylvania, US Read more…
1937
87 years ago
S C H Davis driving a BMW 328 established an unofficial record of 102.22 miles in one hour at the Brooklands race circuit. Read more…
1949
75 years ago
The Italian racing car and road car maker, Abarth, was founded by Carlo Abarth of Turin Read more…
1951
73 years ago
Fonty Flock posted a wire-to-wire victory from the pole position at Occoneechee Speedway in Hillsborough, North Carolina, US in a race shortened from 150 to 95 laps because of rain Read more…
1955
69 years ago
Ford’s Executive Committee voted favourably on adding a new line of medium-priced cars, and to create a separate division based on GM’s Buick line Read more…
1956
68 years ago
The Syracuse Grand Prix, set to Formula One rules, was held at the Syracuse Circuit, Sicily Read more…
1956
68 years ago
General Motors announced that the first, piston-free motor vehicle, XP-500, had been developed Read more…
1961
63 years ago
The Jaguar E-type made its racing debut with Graham Hill winning a race at Oulton Park, England Read more…
1962
62 years ago
Richard Petty won the NASCAR Grand National ‘Gwyn Staley Memorial’ on the 5/8 mile paved North Wilkesboro Speedway, South Carolina, US Read more…
1963
61 years ago
The 11th Glover Trophy was a motor race, run to Formula One rules, held on 15 April 1963 at Goodwood Circuit, England Read more…
1963
61 years ago
The 23rd Pau Grand Prix, a non-Championship motor race, run to Formula One rules, held at Pau Circuit, the street circuit in Pau Read more…
1964
60 years ago
Mario Andretti became a naturalized U Read more…
1964
60 years ago
The first Ford Mustang was sold to a 22 year old teacher, Gail Wise Read more…
1966
58 years ago
Displeased with NASCAR rule changes, Ford pulled out of Grand National competitions Read more…
1968
56 years ago
Jochen Rindt recovered from a spectacular mid-race spin to win the F2 ‘Thruxton Trophy’ on the 2 Read more…
1971
53 years ago
Richard Petty drove away from determined bids by Benny Parsons and Friday Hassler to win the NASCAR GN ‘Maryville 200’ on the 1/2 mile paved Smoky Mountain Raceway, Tennessee Read more…
1973
51 years ago
Ernst Klodwig died aged 69 Read more…
1973
51 years ago
David Pearson drove the Wood Brothers Mercury to a 13 lap victory in the NASCAR GN ‘Rebel 500’ at Darlington Raceway, South Carolina, US Read more…
1973
51 years ago
1977
47 years ago
The Lincoln Versailles, a luxury-compact was introduced as a competitor of the Cadillac Seville during the grand opening ceremonies for the Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan, US Read more…
1978
46 years ago
Danny Ongais, drove a Parnelli-Cosworth, to win the Indycar race at Texas World Speedway, at a speed of 173 Read more…
1979
45 years ago
The Race of Champions, a Formula One non-championship motor race held at Brands Hatch, England Read more…
1984
40 years ago
Darrell Waltrip won the TranSouth 500 at Darlington Raceway after leading 251 laps Read more…
1995
29 years ago
Johnny Benson Jr Read more…
1995
29 years ago
Ken Schrader captured his only NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series win in the Scott Irvan Chevrolet/Craftsman 200 at Saugus Speedway Read more…
1998
26 years ago
A school bus is involved in a five-vehicle collision near Newcastle, South Africa, killing 31, including 27 children Read more…
1999
25 years ago
Dr Read more…
2000
24 years ago
Joe Nemechek won the NASCAR Xfinity (Busch) Series Touchstone Energy 300 at Talladega Superspeedway when he beat Buckshot Jones to the finish line Read more…
2001
23 years ago
At the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, Ralf Schumacher got the best of the field from his third place starting position and set fastest lap on his way to victory in a time of 1:30:44 Read more…
2005
19 years ago
Art Cross died aged 87 Read more…
2005
19 years ago
Administrators for Britain’s MG Rover Group said they would break up the company, laying off 5,000 workers, in a bid to find buyers for different units after the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp Read more…
2006
18 years ago
Kevin Harvick won the NASCAR Xfinity (Busch) Series Pepsi 300 at Nashville Superspeedway Read more…
2007
17 years ago
Felipe Massa driving a Ferrari F2007 won the Bahrain Grand Prix held at the Bahrain International Circuit from Lewis Hamilton, who made history to become the first driver ever to finish on the podium in all his first three races Read more…
2007
17 years ago
A1 Team Germany’s third place finish in the Shanghai Feature race was enough to put them clear of New Zealand in the championship standings, making them the 2006/7 world champions Read more…
2007
17 years ago
Jeff Burton became the first repeat NASCAR Cup Series winner at Texas Motor Speedway after passing his former teammate Matt Kenseth on the last lap to win the Samsung 500 Read more…
2011
13 years ago
A seven-mile stretch of the M1 road was closed between Junctions 1 and 4 due to a fire at a scrap yard underneath the motorway Read more…
2012
12 years ago
After coming so close in the past, Kasey Kahne had to wait eight years to return to Rockingham Speedway for an attempt to grab a win at the historic track Read more…
