On this day in…
1852
172 years ago
H & C Studebaker, a blacksmith and wagon building business, was founded by Henry and Clement Studebaker in South Bend, Indiana Read more…
1906
118 years ago
Fred Wagner , the starter of the race, waved what is believed to be the first checkered flag used to signify the finish of an auto race as Louis Wagner was about to win the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race (US) Read more…
1907
117 years ago
The Angus Automobile Company at Angus, Nebraska, US began production of the Fuller – the firm would produce about 500 cars before closing in 1910 Read more…
1925
99 years ago
American inventor Frank Huntington (88), of Atkinson, Maine, died Read more…
1934
90 years ago
Licenses for lorry drivers were introduced in Britain under the Road Traffic Act, 1934 Read more…
1936
88 years ago
American industrialist Roy Chapin, Sr Read more…
1950
74 years ago
The new Kaisers designed by Howard A Read more…
1952
72 years ago
The 44th Chicago Auto Show opened, in spite of the Korean War Read more…
1955
69 years ago
The Willys Six 2-door sedan was introduced as a mid year model Read more…
1957
67 years ago
Isaac Leslie Hore-Belisha (64), 1st Baron Hore-Belisha, PC, a British Liberal Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister remembered for his innovations in road transport and for being an alleged victim of anti-semitism, died Read more…
1957
67 years ago
Concert pianist Josef Hofmann (91), designer of the 1909 Hofmann automobile, died in Los Angeles, US Read more…
1961
63 years ago
Marvin Panch won the Daytona 500 driving a year-old Smokey Yunick Pontiac Read more…
1962
62 years ago
The first AC Ace, as modified to Carroll Shelby’s specifications, was shipped to Dean Moon’s shop in Sante Fe Springs, California, where a Ford 260 cid V-6 was installed to create the prototype Cobra Read more…
1962
62 years ago
Mel Kenyon won the Midget race at the Memorial Stadium, Daytona Beach, Florida, US Read more…
1962
62 years ago
Fireball Roberts and Joe Weatherly won the twin 100 mile NASCAR Grand National qualifying races at Daytona International Speedway Read more…
1963
61 years ago
About 450 cars and trucks worth 25 million dollars were exhibited at the Chicago Auto Show Read more…
1964
60 years ago
The Porsche Carrera GTS made its racing debut, at Daytona Beach, US Read more…
1967
57 years ago
Mario Andretti, in only his second Daytona 500, won the race Read more…
1973
51 years ago
Bobby Allen powered his Emrich Chevrolet to win the 30-lap Super Sprint car race at the Jacksonville Speedway, Jacksonville, Florida ,US Read more…
1975
49 years ago
Benny Parsons slipped by a spinning David Pearson with 2 laps to go and went on to win the Daytona 500 Read more…
1978
46 years ago
1979
45 years ago
Richie Evans won the eighth night Modified feature of the World Series Of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at the New Smyrna Speedway, New Smyrna Beach, Florida, US Read more…
1980
44 years ago
Jack Ingram won the Daytona Sportsman 300 race at the Daytona International Speedway, Daytona, Florida, US Read more…
1980
44 years ago
The longest-ever reported traffic jam occurred, stretching 109 miles (176 km) from Lyon towards Paris, France. Read more…
1986
38 years ago
Geoff Bodine won the Daytona 500, picking up his first career superspeedway win Read more…
1992
32 years ago
Davey Allison dodged several wrecks and finishes a car length ahead of Morgan Shepherd to win the Daytona 500 Read more…
1997
27 years ago
Twenty-five-year-old Jeff Gordon claimed his first Daytona 500 victory, becoming the youngest winner in the history of the 200-lap, 500-mile National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) event, dubbed the “Super Bowl of stock car racing Read more…
2000
24 years ago
Jenson Button narrowly avoided injury when his Williams hit a bird during testing in South Africa Read more…
2001
23 years ago
The 4000th Aston Martin DB7 was produced – the most successful model ever to be produced by the marque Read more…
2001
23 years ago
Formula One teams agreed on lifting the ban on traction control that had been in place since 1994 Read more…
2001
23 years ago
Delphi Automotives and the BMW Group presented the first prototype automobile with a gasoline fuel cell for on board electrical supply Read more…
2002
22 years ago
Thieves broke into George Michael’s London home and stole over £100,000 ($170,000) worth of paintings, jewellery and designer clothes and drove off in his £80,000 ($136,000) Aston Martin DB7 Read more…
2002
22 years ago
The Lamborghini Murciélago established three international speed records for a series production car: the greatest distance covered in one hour, and fastest times to complete 100 km and 100 miles Read more…
2003
21 years ago
Michael Waltrip won the rain-shortened Daytona 500 Read more…
2005
19 years ago
A panel of judges made up of 48 renowned motoring journalists voted the Audi A6 as the first “World Car of the Year” Read more…
2005
19 years ago
Fiat SpA announced that it would purchase the Maserati sports car marque from Ferrari, a company in which it already had a majority stake, just three days after winning independence from General Motors Corporation. Read more…
2005
19 years ago
A car passenger was charged with drink driving in Austria after the driver jumped into the backseat Read more…
2005
19 years ago
Electric vehicle enthusiasts begin a “Don’t Crush” vigil to stop G Read more…
2008
16 years ago
Jerry Karl (66), a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series, died in a car crash at Baltimore, US Read more…
2011
13 years ago
The Pléthore supercarwas featured on CBC’s Dragon’s Den Read more…
2020
4 years ago
Donald Trump became the first President of the United States to serve as Daytona 500 Grand Marshall Read more…
