On this day in…
1883
140 years ago
Wilhelm Kurtz of Stuttgart, Germany completed the world’s first light, high-speed gasoline engine for designer Gottlieb Daimler Read more…
1899
124 years ago
Henry Ford resigned as chief engineer at the main Detroit Edison Company plant in order to concentrate on automobile production Read more…
1912
111 years ago
The F B Stearns Company announced the discontinuance of its poppet-valve Model 30-60, with all future production to be called Stearns-Knight, featuring the Charles Y Knight-designed sleeve-valve engine Read more…
1927
96 years ago
Backed by a group of Detroit investors, Eddie Rickenbacker – America’s most successful fighter ace in World War I – purchased the Indianapolis Speedway for $700,000 Read more…
1928
95 years ago
The Studebaker Corporation and the Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company agreed to merge Read more…
1934
89 years ago
Guy Moll (24), winner of the 1934 Monaco Grand Prix, was killed when his Alfa Romeo P3 crashes during the Coppa Acerbo voiturette race in Pescara, Italy Read more…
1938
85 years ago
Italian industrialist Nicola Romeo (62), the ‘Romeo’ in the legendary Italian marque, Alfa, Romeo, died in Magreglio, Italy Read more…
1939
84 years ago
Rene Dreyfus in a Delahaye won the ‘Million Franc’ challenge run at the Montlhery (France) circuit, beating a Bugatti and a Sefac Read more…
1945
78 years ago
World War II gasoline rationing ended in the United States Read more…
1947
76 years ago
Ferrari made its racing debut in Pescara, Italy, finishing second Read more…
1948
75 years ago
Al Keller spanked the 48-car field in a 200-mile NASCAR Modified race at Langhorne’s circular one-mile dirt track Read more…
1948
75 years ago
At Pescara, Italy, an OSCA sports car was raced for the first time Read more…
1952
71 years ago
Racing into the dark took place for the first time at Goodwood with the News of the World International Nine Hour Sports Car Race – which started at 3 Read more…
1955
68 years ago
Ford’s E-car designers unveiled the first full-size clay mock-up of the Edsel to Henry Ford II and the Planning Committee Read more…
1956
67 years ago
Packard operations in Detroit were brought to a halt Read more…
1957
66 years ago
The Pescara Grand Prix, Italy, the only event which was not a national Grand Prix ever to count as a World Championship qualifying round, was won by Stirling Moss in a Vanwall at 95 Read more…
1960
63 years ago
Newport Pagnell services opened on the M1 Read more…
1962
61 years ago
Production of the Alec Issigonis designed Morris 1100 Mk I in both 2 door and 4 door models began Read more…
1964
59 years ago
The Fiat 1100D saloon was introduced to the US market Read more…
1971
52 years ago
Bobby Allison took the lead from Richard Petty with three laps left to win the Yankee 400 at Michigan International Speedway (US) Read more…
1971
52 years ago
Jo Siffert took pole and the win for BRM at the Austrian Grand Prix Read more…
1973
50 years ago
Gary Davis (68), creator of the 1948 Davis three-wheeled car, died in Palm Springs, California, US Read more…
1973
50 years ago
British motorcycle designer, Edward Turner (72), died Read more…
1976
47 years ago
John Watson took his first Formula One win, taking the chequered flag in Austria for Penske Read more…
1982
41 years ago
Elio de Angelis, driving a Lotus 91, won the Austrian Grand Prix at Osterreichring by less than 1/10th of a second over Keke Rosberg in a Williams FW08 Read more…
1983
40 years ago
Automobile advertising pioneer Ross Roy (85) died in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan, US Read more…
1988
35 years ago
A bus plowed into a concrete wall in a tunnel 60 miles outside of Bergen, Norway, killing 12 and injuring 19 Read more…
1992
31 years ago
The Proton Saga Iswara was launched Read more…
1993
30 years ago
Damon Hill claimed his first Grand Prix win at the Hungarian Grand Prix Read more…
1999
24 years ago
Mika Häkkinen driving for the McLaren team won the Hungarian Grand Prix after starting from pole position Read more…
2003
20 years ago
NASCAR announced that Sunoco would replace longtime sponsor Unocal as the Official Fuel of NASCAR beginning in 2004 Read more…
2004
19 years ago
A 1935 Duesenberg SJ Speedster was sold at auction in Pebble Beach, California for $4.5 million Read more…
2004
19 years ago
Michael Schumacher in a Ferrari F2004 won the Hungarian Grand Prix at Hungaroring Read more…
2005
18 years ago
A1 Team Ireland joined the A1 Grand Prix series, taking the competitor list to 18 countries, reaching every habitable continent on the planet Read more…
2012
11 years ago
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission ordered dealers to stop selling certain vehicles by China’s Great Wall Motor Co Read more…
