On this day in…
1895
129 years ago
Pneumatic tires were installed on a Duryea, often cited as the first such application in the industry Read more…
1899
125 years ago
A motorcycle accident in Exeter, Devon (England) would 12 days later claim the life of George Morgan, a 36 year old clerk Read more…
1919
105 years ago
Joseph William Moon (68), founder of the Moon Motor Car Company, died Read more…
1924
100 years ago
The Winton Motor Company announced that it was leaving the automobile business Read more…
1932
92 years ago
Ford in a press release to the Detroit News announced they were building a new model, with a revolutionary new 8 cylinder V-shaped engine Read more…
1933
91 years ago
Auto Union AG presented the new Audi Front UW220, its first standard-size passenger car with front-wheel drive at the Berlin Motor Show Read more…
1936
88 years ago
Encouraged by its success at the 1933-34 Chicago Century of Progress, General Motors opened its ‘Parade of Progress’ in Lakeland, Florida, as eight streamlined vans plus vehicles embark on a four-year odyssey through North America Read more…
1937
87 years ago
After a difficult 44-day sit-down strike at the Fisher Body plant in Flint, Michigan, General Motors (GM) President Alfred P Read more…
1938
86 years ago
The Cord Corporation reorganised as the Aviation and Transportation Corporation (ATCO) Read more…
1951
73 years ago
Marshall Teague drove a Hudson Hornet to victory on the beach oval of the 160-mile Daytona Grand National at Daytona Beach, Florida, beginning Hudson’s extraordinary run on the NASCAR circuit Read more…
1953
71 years ago
Production prototypes of the Kaiser Darrin – “The Sports Car The World Has Been Awaiting” – went on display Read more…
1953
71 years ago
NASCAR conducted its fourth annual Victory Dinner at the Princess Issena Hotel in Daytona Beach Read more…
1959
65 years ago
NASCAR legend Marshall Teague died at age 37 attempting to raise the closed-course speed record at the newly opened Daytona International Speedway Read more…
1962
62 years ago
Dan Gurney driving a Lotus 19B-Coventry Climax won the World Sportscar Championship Daytona 3 Hour race, covering a distance of 502 Read more…
1962
62 years ago
Automobili Serenissima SpA was founded in Bologna, Italy by Giorgio Billi and Count Giovanni Volpi Di Misurata – the firm would evolve into Automobile Turismo e Sport, manufacturers of the 1962-1964 ATS sports car Read more…
1968
56 years ago
Jim Clark drove his Lotus 49-Ford to victory in round 5 of the Tasman series, a 100 mile race at Surfers Paradise International Motor Circuit, Queensland, Australia Read more…
1971
53 years ago
Pete Hamilton and David Pearson won the twin 125-mile NASCAR Grand National qualifying races at Daytona International Speedway Read more…
1973
51 years ago
At the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos, Emerson Fittipaldi took top honors as Ronnie Peterson had the misfortune of losing a wheel on lap 6 after taking pole for that race Read more…
1974
50 years ago
Four star petrol in the UK rose to 50p a gallon, the fourth price rise in a year. Read more…
1979
45 years ago
Buddy Baker beat Darrell Waltrip by one car length to win the inaugural NASCAR Clash at Daytona International Speedway Read more…
1979
45 years ago
Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory Limited (BMTF), a commercial automobile assembly plant of the Bangladesh Army, was founded Read more…
1979
45 years ago
Kyle Petty won the 17th running of the ARCA 200 at the Daytona International Speedway Read more…
1984
40 years ago
The Chicago Motor Show was opened by Mayor Harold Washington and Illinois Secretary of State Jim Edgar Read more…
1985
39 years ago
Racer Lee Shpherd (40) died when he crashed during in a race in Ardmore, Oklahoma, US Read more…
1989
35 years ago
The final 80s edition of the Chicago Auto Show opened offering consumers a glimpse into the trend for the 90s: quality Read more…
1992
32 years ago
Rock band Mötley Crue fired their singer Vince Neil when he turned up for rehearsals, claiming that he had lost his passion for the band and was now more involved with racing cars Read more…
1993
31 years ago
Ford and Citibank introduced a new Visa and MasterCard that let card users earn rebates on new Ford vehicles Read more…
1994
30 years ago
Four years after suffering a serious head injury in a crash that threatened his career, NASCAR veteran Neil Bonnett, 47, was killed on the first day of practice for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway Read more…
1995
29 years ago
Dale Jarrett was the top qualifier for the Daytona 500, his first NASCAR Winston Cup pole Read more…
2000
24 years ago
Don Schroeder (35), a senior technical editor for Car and Driver magazine, died at Fort Stockton, Texas, following the crash of a modified vehicle that he was test driving Read more…
2000
24 years ago
At the 2000 Chicago Auto Show, Mayor Richard M Read more…
2001
23 years ago
Legendary, six-time NHRA Pro Stock Bike champion, Dave Schultz died of colon cancer at age 52 Read more…
2003
21 years ago
Two-time F1 world champion Emerson Fittipaldi announced his return to the Champ Car series as a team owner Read more…
2005
19 years ago
Champ Car driver Mario Dominguez had the shortest Formula One career of all time, completing just one lap in a Jordan F1 car at Silverstone Read more…
2005
19 years ago
Samuel W Read more…
2005
19 years ago
New exhibitors at the Chicago Auto Show included Chicago’s own International Truck, featuring its CXT concept Read more…
2008
16 years ago
Passengers at Zurich airport were given the opportunity to buy a Formula One car with their duty free shopping Read more…
2008
16 years ago
Tolls were officially abolished on the Forth and Tay Road Bridges after years of campaigning by drivers Read more…
2008
16 years ago
The inaugural Shannons Brisbane International Motor Show Auction Read more…
2009
15 years ago
Nissan announced that its new SUV model, Juke, would go into production at the Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd (NMUK) plant in Washington, UK, during 2010 following its appearance as the Nissan Qazana concept car at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show Read more…
2010
14 years ago
Volkswagen announced it was recalling nearly 200,000 vehicles in Brazil because of a problem with the rear wheels that could cause them to seize or fall off Read more…
2010
14 years ago
Italy’s Fiat SpA and Russian automobile company Sollers announced a $3 Read more…
2011
13 years ago
The 2011 Chicago Auto Show celebrated its 103rd edition with rave reviews and a 10 percent increase in attendance over the 10-day run when compared to the 2010 show Read more…
2012
12 years ago
American author and the ‘Moving On’ columnist for The Wall Street Journal, Jeffrey Zaslow (53),was killed when he lost control of his car on a snow-covered M-32 and was hit by a semi-truck near Elmira, Michigan Read more…