On this day in…
1908
115 years ago
Ralph DePalma made his racing debut in an Allen-Kingston at the Briarcliff Trophy Race in Westchester, New York Read more…
1908
115 years ago
Jacob M Read more…
1913
110 years ago
Prince Edward Island, Canada lifted its ban on automobiles Read more…
1921
102 years ago
The first motorcycle races were held on the 1 Read more…
1927
96 years ago
Emilio Materassi, driving a Bugatti T35C won the Targa Florio over 5 laps of the 108 km Medio Madonie circuit Read more…
1932
91 years ago
The Rome Royal Grand Prix was run Read more…
1932
91 years ago
The Oran Grand Prix, run over 42 laps (5 Read more…
1933
90 years ago
Chet Gardner won the 150 mile AAA Pacific Coast Championship race on the 1 mile dirt Oakland Speedway, California, US Read more…
1937
86 years ago
The first race meeting was held at the Crystal Palace track, called a “miniature Nürburgring” by the British motor press Read more…
1941
82 years ago
Oscar Muller, winner of the first automobile race in the US (the Chicago Times – Herald Contest on 2 November), a partner with 5 brothers and his father, Hieronymous Mueller, in the Mueller Manufacturer Company, builders of the Mueller1896-1899, and later an automobile parts executive, died in Bradenton, Florida, aged 70 Read more…
1949
74 years ago
Philippe Étancelin driving a Talbot-Lago T26C won the Paris Grand Prix held at Montlhéry Read more…
1954
69 years ago
Guy Mairesse (43), former Formula One driver was killed in practice for the Coupe de Paris at Montlhéry in 1954 when he swerved to avoid another car and crashed into a concrete wall Read more…
1955
68 years ago
Tim Flock, in the Kiekhaefer Chrysler, led every lap to win the rain shortened NASCAR Grand National race at Langhorne Speedway, Pennsylvania, US Read more…
1958
65 years ago
At the instigation of leading entrepreneur Friedrich Karl Flick, Daimler-Benz AG acquired the majority of and, subsequently, the remaining shares in Auto Union GmbH Read more…
1960
63 years ago
Drag racing’s first reported 200 mph speed was set by Chris “The Golden Greek” Karamesines with a 204.54 mph run at the Alton Dragway in Alton, Illinois Read more…
1960
63 years ago
Mike Spence recorded his first racing victory, winning a Formula Junior race at Snetterton, England in his 998cc Cooper-Austin Read more…
1960
63 years ago
Lee Petty captured his 50th career NASCAR GN win by having his Plymouth in front when the race at Asheville-Weaverville Speedway in North Carolina was halted after 167 of 200 laps, due to deteriorating track conditions Read more…
1961
62 years ago
The Citroen Ami 6 was launched across Europe Read more…
1963
60 years ago
The 112 bhp Alfa Romeo T Read more…
1964
59 years ago
King Gustav Adolf VI of Sweden dedicated Volvo’s new Torslanda plant at Sorredsdalen Read more…
1966
57 years ago
Rodger Ward won a rain shortened USAC Championship race on the 1 mile paved Trenton Speedway Read more…
1966
57 years ago
John Cannon drove actor Dan Blocker’s Vinegaroon Special Genie-Olds to victory in the United States Road Racing Championship Sports Car race at Stardust International Raceway, North Carolina, US Read more…
1966
57 years ago
Paul Goldsmith was flagged the winner, but 45 minutes later a scoring re-check gave Jim Paschal the win in the NASCAR GN ‘Virginia 500’ at Martinsville Speedway, Virginia, US Read more…
1967
56 years ago
Fred Lorenzen, one of the most successful Stock Car drivers in history, announced his retirement at a banquet in his honor Read more…
1969
54 years ago
British Leyland unveiled its new 1500 Austin saloon, called the Maxi in a blaze of publicity in Oporto Portugal Read more…
1971
52 years ago
The Austin 1300 Countryman introduced in Spain (replacing the corresponding Morris Traveller models) Read more…
1971
52 years ago
Production of the Wolseley 15/60, the first of the mid-sized Pinin Farina-designed automobiles from BMC, stopped after 13 years Read more…
1975
48 years ago
The last Citroen DS was produced, ending a run of nearly 20 years Read more…
1977
46 years ago
Robert Horne set a Flying Mile British land speed record at RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, in the ex-Scuderia Montjuich Ferrari 512M, chassis number 1002, at a speed of 191 Read more…
1982
41 years ago
Garrie Cooper (46), founder of Elfin Sports Cars, died from a ruptured aorta Read more…
1983
40 years ago
German driver Rolf Stommelen (39) who participated in 63 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, achieving one podium, and scored a total of 14 championship points was killed in a vicious crash during an IMSA Camel GT event at Riverside International Raceway Read more…
1983
40 years ago
Darrell Waltrip completed a late-race pass of Bobby Allison to cap a dominant day at Martinsville (Virginia, US) Speedway, winning the Virginia National Bank 500 Read more…
1992
31 years ago
American R&B/Soul singer and songwriter, Wilson Pickett was arrested after running into an 86 year old man and yelling death threats whilst driving his car over the mayor’s front lawn in Englewood, New Jersey Read more…
1993
30 years ago
The IRA detonated a huge truck bomb in the City of London at Bishopsgate Read more…
1994
29 years ago
Rusty Wallace recorded his first of three consecutive wins at Martinsville Speedway with a dominating performance in the Hanes 500 Read more…
1995
28 years ago
The last Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 was produced, although the ceremony celebrating the car came four days later Read more…
1999
24 years ago
Terry Labonte edged Joe Nemechek to win the Touchstone Energy 300 at Talladega Superspeedway, which currently is tied for the second closest finish in NASCAR Xfinity Series history since electronic scoring was implemented Read more…
2004
19 years ago
Martin Truex Jr Read more…
2005
18 years ago
When Kimi Raikkonen’s McLaren did its 2005 party trick of breaking down while in the lead at the San Marino Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso was left in a comfortable lead and seemingly on his way to another easy win Read more…
2006
17 years ago
A tiny ecological car was launched in Britain after three years of research financed by the EU Read more…
2007
16 years ago
David Halberstam (73), a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and tireless author of books on topics as varied as America’s military failings in Vietnam, the deaths of firefighters at the World Trade Center and the high-pressure world of professional basketball, was killed in a car crash south of San Francisco Read more…
2007
16 years ago
Japan’s Toyota Motor Corp Read more…
2007
16 years ago
Warren Edward Avis (91), the American entrepreneur, who founded Avis Rent A Car System Inc Read more…
2009
14 years ago
The fastest speed by a jet powered motorcycle of 202 Read more…
2009
14 years ago
The Canadian Auto Workers union and Chrysler Canada reached a tentative concession deal that would cut about C$19 ($15 Read more…
2015
8 years ago
Denny Hamlin won the NASCAR Xfinity Series ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond Raceway in dominating fashion, leading 248 of 250 laps to give Toyota its 100th series win Read more…
2016
7 years ago
Carl Edwards bumped his teammate Kyle Busch out of the way in the final turn to win his second straight race in the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway Read more…
2017
6 years ago
Jimmie Johnson scored his second consecutive win of season when he took the checkered flag in the rain-delayed Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway Read more…
