On this day in…
1899
125 years ago
A car named La Jamais Contente driven by Camille Jenatzy became the first vehicle to go over 100 km/h (62 mph) at Achères, Yvelines near Paris, France Read more…
1908
116 years ago
The US Steel Corporation manufactured the first car wheels made entirely out of steel. Read more…
1915
109 years ago
The $490 Chevrolet Model 490 was introduced Read more…
1915
109 years ago
Bob Burman drove his Peugeot to victory in the ‘Southwest Sweepstakes’ AAA Championship race held on a course of public roads in Oklahoma City Read more…
1918
106 years ago
Pre-war American driving ace Eddie Rickenbacher scored his first “kill” as a fighter pilot in World War I Read more…
1923
101 years ago
The first Salmson Grand Sport was completed and sold to dealers Ring & Hoffman of Strasbourg, Alsace, France Read more…
1925
99 years ago
The Standardised Closed Cab was introduced for the Ford Model TT truck chassis Read more…
1936
88 years ago
George Eyston, driving the Flying Spray at the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, set a land speed record for diesel-powered vehicles, covering the flying kilometre at 159 Read more…
1939
85 years ago
The compact Crosley was introduced to the press and dealers by Powel Crosley Jr at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indiana, US Read more…
1941
83 years ago
The 29 millionth Ford was produced, a 1941 Super Deluxe Station Wagon that was presented to the American National Red Cross by Edsel Ford Read more…
1948
76 years ago
Bob Gerard driving a ERA B-Type won the 176 mile Jersey Road Race held in St Helier Read more…
1951
73 years ago
Dale Earnhardt, one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history, was born in North Carolina, US Read more…
1951
73 years ago
Louis Rosier in a Talbot-Lago T26C-DA won the Bordeaux Grand Prix Read more…
1958
66 years ago
Chester G Luby dealer in Forest Hills, New York, signed signed sole distribution contract for 22 eastern states becoming the first Datsun dealer in the US Read more…
1961
63 years ago
Production ceased of the two-door, four-seat Ford Squire 100E estate, the brother to the Ford Prefect 100E four-door saloon, sharing the same 1172 cc Ford sidevalve 36 bhp (27 kW) and other parts and the same interior trim Read more…
1962
62 years ago
Racer Herman ‘The Turtle’ Beam, known for driving in the slow lane but always finishing, recorded his best-ever finish – 6th, but 31 laps behind the winner – in the Volunteer 500 held at Bristol International Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee, US Read more…
1962
62 years ago
The 7th Aintree 200 motor race, run to Formula One rules, was held at Aintree Circuit, England Read more…
1962
62 years ago
Miami’s Bobby Johns won the NASCAR Grand National ‘Volunteer 500’ on the 1/2 mile Bristol International Speedway, Tennessee, US Read more…
1969
55 years ago
A Porsche 917 was driven in public for the first time at the Le Mans test weekend Read more…
1973
51 years ago
At the Spanish Grand Prix held at Montjuich Park, Lotus driver, Emerson Fittipaldi had a great drive from his 7th spot on the grid to win the race in 1:48:18 over Francois Cevert in his Tyrrell 42 seconds back Read more…
1973
51 years ago
Brian Redman won the season opening SCCA Formula 5000 race at Riverside International Raceway, California, US Read more…
1976
48 years ago
The Opel Isuzu manufactured in Tokyo, Japan by Isuzu Motors Ltd for General Motors Europe was introduced to the United States market n Read more…
1978
46 years ago
German racing driver Theo Helfrich (64), former Formula One driver, German Formula Two Champion in 1953, and 1952 24 Hours of Le Mans runner-up, died Read more…
1979
45 years ago
The Spanish Grand Prix was staged at the Circuito Permanente del Jarama near Madrid, Spain Read more…
1982
42 years ago
Henry Ford II sold the Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan, US Read more…
1983
41 years ago
Lee Iacocca’s attempt to revive the Imperial failed as the last of 12,285 ‘modern’ Imprerials rolled off the Windsor, Ontario, Canada, assembly line Read more…
1984
40 years ago
Geoff Bodine scored his first career NASCAR GN win by taking the 500 lap race on the 1/2 mile Martinsville Speedway, Virginia, US Read more…
1984
40 years ago
The Belgian Grand Prix was held at Zolder Read more…
1992
32 years ago
An jury of 10 whites, one Hispanic, and one Filipina in the Los Angeles suburb of Simi Valley acquitted four police officers who had been charged with using excessive force in arresting black motorist Rodney King a year earlier Read more…
1994
30 years ago
Ford acquired 100 percent of Hertz Corporation, world’s largest car rental company Read more…
1999
25 years ago
In Japan Honda announced that its last EV Plus electric car was built in March Read more…
2001
23 years ago
Michael Schumacher won the Spanish Grand Prix driving a Ferrari F2001 even though he was 40 seconds behind Mika Häkkinen on the penultimate lap Read more…
2002
22 years ago
Bob Akin, American industrialist and race car driver died Read more…
2004
20 years ago
The last Oldsmobile came off the assembly line at the Lansing Car Assembly plant in Michigan, signaling the end of the 106-year-old automotive brand, America’s oldest (and the third oldest in the world, after Daimler and Peugeot) Read more…
2005
19 years ago
Credit card parking meters were introduced in parts of central London. Read more…
2006
18 years ago
The Fox, Volkswagen’s new entry level model was officially launched in the UK. Read more…
2007
17 years ago
A1 Team Great Britain broke the home race curse, winning the Brands Hatch Sprint race at the 2006/07 season finale Read more…
2008
16 years ago
The videogame “Grand Theft Auto IV,” produced by Take-Two Interactive Software, hit the stores with expectations of record sales Read more…
