On this day in…
1901
122 years ago
The first rally race in Ireland, sponsored by the Irish Automobile Club, was held as 12 cars attempted an organised journey from Dublin to Waterford Read more…
1912
111 years ago
The Sterling Motor Company was incorporated by partners William C Read more…
1913
110 years ago
Earl Cooper driving a Stutz won the Santa Monica Road Race run over 53 laps of the 8 Read more…
1917
106 years ago
Barney Oldfield drove a streamlined Miller with fully enclosed cockpit, called the “Golden Sub”, to new one mile (80 mph), five mile (77 Read more…
1918
105 years ago
Following the lead of other countries across the world, the US government ordered automobile manufacturers to halt car production by 1 January 1919 and convert to military production Read more…
1931
92 years ago
Enzo Ferrari completed his last automobile race driving an Alfa Romeo 8C2300 to a second-place finish behind Tazio Nuvolari in the Circuito delle Tre Province, Italy Read more…
1952
71 years ago
Motor racing commenced at the Davidstow Circuit, Cornwall (UK), built on the site of a World War II RAF Coastal Command base, RAF Davidstow Moor Read more…
1956
67 years ago
David Abbot “Ab” Jenkins Jr (73), Major of Salt Lake City, Utah 1939-43 and holder of many marathon driving records, died in Milwaukee, Wiscosin, US Read more…
1962
61 years ago
The Chrysler Corporation set an industry milestone by announcing (for 1963) a 5-year, 50,000-mile warranty covering all of its cars and trucks. Read more…
1968
55 years ago
American inventor, William P Lear announced that we would invest $10,000,000 to develop a steam automobile that he would have on the market within 15 months Read more…
1970
53 years ago
The National Drag Race Club staged a meeting held at Elvington, North Yorkshire, England in front of 1186 adult & 200 child spectators Read more…
1973
50 years ago
The UK government began stockpiling petrol-rationing coupons amid fears of an oil crisis Read more…
1975
48 years ago
Mark Donohue set an American closed-course speed record of 221 Read more…
1984
39 years ago
Jaguar Cars Ltd of Coventry, England was separated from government-owned British Leyland Ltd and privatised with John Egan remaining as Chairman Read more…
1987
36 years ago
Nelson Piquet, the eventual 1987 F1 champion, driving a Williams-Honda FW11B, won the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring Read more…
1987
36 years ago
Canadian Larry Pollard prevailed in the Busch 200 at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Virginia, US, becoming the first foreign-born winner in NASCAR’s Nationwide Series Read more…
1990
33 years ago
Al Unser Jr set the world record for a 500-mile race when he won the Michigan 500 at an average speed of 189 Read more…
1991
32 years ago
The Rover Group Plc, manufacturers of the Sterling, withdraw from the United States market Read more…
1999
24 years ago
Spice Girls manager Bob Herbert (57) was killed in a car crash in Windsor Read more…
2000
23 years ago
Bridgestone/Firestone Inc Read more…
2003
20 years ago
Jimmy Davis (21), footballer who played for Manchester United, Swindon Town and Watford, as well as the England youth teams, was killed in a car crash in Oxfordshire (UK) Read more…
2007
16 years ago
Nissan North America produced its 3 millionth Altima – 15 years after the first Altima rolled off the line at the Smyrna Plant Read more…
2008
15 years ago
The tenth annual Gumball 3000 Rally, an 8-day, 3,000-mile trip across the West Coast of America, North Korea and China, began in San Francisco with a parade that included some 100 participants who had paid the $120,000 entrance Read more…
2010
13 years ago
Honda Motor Co recalled more than 428,000 vehicles in the United States and Canada because of a defect that could cause the cars to roll away if parked incorrectly Read more…
2015
8 years ago
The 1-mile (1 Read more…
