April 15th


On this day in…

1901

122 years ago

The first British motorised burial took place Read more…

1905

118 years ago

The first completed Mathis, as designed by Ettore Bugatti, was sold Read more…

1908

115 years ago

The first issue of Ford Times, a monthly publication produced by the Ford Motor Company, was published Read more…

1912

111 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

107 years ago

Eddie O’Donnell drove a Duesenberg to victory in the 150 mile ‘Ascot Motor Derby’ Read more…

1923

100 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

99 years ago

Rand McNally released its first comprehensive road atlas – the New Automobile Road Map of New York City & Vicinity Read more…

1925

98 years ago

The first factory-assembled Ford Model T pickup truck was introduced Read more…

1931

92 years ago

Ford closed its Berlin auto plant Read more…

1932

91 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

89 years ago

Wilson Shankweiler opened the second Drive-In Movie Theater in the US, and the first in Pennsylvania, US Read more…

1937

86 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

74 years ago

The Italian racing car and road car maker, Abarth, was founded by Carlo Abarth of Turin Read more…

1951

72 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

68 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

67 years ago

General Motors announced that the first, piston-free motor vehicle, XP-500, had been developed Read more…

1956

67 years ago

The Syracuse Grand Prix, set to Formula One rules, was held at the Syracuse Circuit, Sicily Read more…

1961

62 years ago

The Jaguar E-type made its racing debut with Graham Hill winning a race at Oulton Park, England Read more…

1962

61 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

60 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…

1963

60 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…

1964

59 years ago

The first Ford Mustang was sold to a 22 year old teacher, Gail Wise Read more…

1964

59 years ago

Mario Andretti became a naturalized U Read more…

1966

57 years ago

Displeased with NASCAR rule changes, Ford pulled out of Grand National competitions Read more…

1968

55 years ago

Jochen Rindt recovered from a spectacular mid-race spin to win the F2 ‘Thruxton Trophy’ on the 2 Read more…

1971

52 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

50 years ago

Ernst Klodwig died aged 69 Read more…

1973

50 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

50 years ago

A Read more…

1977

46 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

45 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

44 years ago

The Race of Champions, a Formula One non-championship motor race held at Brands Hatch, England Read more…

1984

39 years ago

Darrell Waltrip won the TranSouth 500 at Darlington Raceway after leading 251 laps Read more…

1995

28 years ago

Johnny Benson Jr Read more…

1995

28 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

25 years ago

A school bus is involved in a five-vehicle collision near Newcastle, South Africa, killing 31, including 27 children Read more…

1999

24 years ago

Dr Read more…

2000

23 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

22 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

18 years ago

Art Cross died aged 87 Read more…

2005

18 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

17 years ago

Kevin Harvick won the NASCAR Xfinity (Busch) Series Pepsi 300 at Nashville Superspeedway Read more…

2007

16 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

16 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

16 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

12 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

11 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…

365 Days Of Motoring

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