On this day in…
1901
123 years ago
Roy D Chapin quit college to join the Olds Motor Works, beginning an illustrious automotive career Read more…
1906
118 years ago
The prototype Mason automobile was given its first test drive in Des Moines,Idaho, US by designer Frederick S Duesenberg Read more…
1928
96 years ago
The first speedway meeting in Britain took place on a disused running cinder track at the rear of the King’s Oak pub in High Beech, Essex Read more…
1928
96 years ago
Driving the British built and designed 12 cylinder, 22.3 litre, 450 hp Bluebird at Daytona Beach, USA, Malcolm Campbell established a new World Land Speed Record of 206.96 mph, breaking the 200 mph barrier for his first time Read more…
1932
92 years ago
The first Ford car specifically designed for the British market, the 933 cc, 8 hp Model Y ‘Baby Ford’ Popular was unveiled at London’s Royal Albert Hall by Ford’s oldest British dealer, A E Rumsey of Bristol Read more…
1934
90 years ago
David Colville took delivery of the first Rolls Royce produced Bentley, a 3 Read more…
1954
70 years ago
The prototype Ford Thunderbird was finished; it debuted at the Detroit Auto Show the next day Read more…
1956
68 years ago
Chuck Stevenson won the 100-lap USAC Stock Car race at the Bonelli Stadium, Saugus, California, US Read more…
1961
63 years ago
Paul Goldsmith , driving the Nichels Engineering #99, won the 100-lap USAC Stock Car race at the Ascot Stadium, Gardena, California, US Read more…
1961
63 years ago
Joe Weatherly won the inaugural 10 lap ‘American Challenge Cup’ race at Daytona International Speedway Read more…
1965
59 years ago
Henry Ford II married Maria Christina Vettore Austin Read more…
1966
58 years ago
The Ferrari 250LM was officially homologated by FIA into GT category Read more…
1966
58 years ago
Introductions at the Chicago Auto Show included the Chevrolet Caribe and Concours, the Ford Magic Cruiser, the Chrysler 300-X research car and the Dodge Charger, which was easy to spot with its long fastback body Read more…
1967
57 years ago
Billy Vukovich , driving the Bob Consani #1x, won the 100-lap USAC Midget race at the San Jose Speedway, San Jose, California, US Read more…
1974
50 years ago
Vanguard-Sebring’s CitiCar makes its debut at the Electric Vehicle Symposium in Washington, D Read more…
1978
46 years ago
Bobby Allison in the Bud Moore Ford took the lead from Buddy Baker with 11 laps to go, to win the Daytona 500 Read more…
1982
42 years ago
With debts totalling £17,400,000 John DeLorean’s Belfast company, employing 1,500 workers producing luxury sports cars, was placed in the hands of the receiver. Read more…
1984
40 years ago
Cale Yarborough won his fourth Daytona 500 Read more…
1988
36 years ago
Jack Hewitt won the World of Outlaws Sprint Car race at the Ascot Park, Gardena, California, US Read more…
1989
35 years ago
Darrell Waltrip won his first Daytona 500 after 17 attempts Read more…
1991
33 years ago
Ernie Irvan surged past Dale Earnhardt with six laps to go and scored an upset win in the Daytona 500 Read more…
1995
29 years ago
Sterling Marlin held off Dale Earnhardt to score his second straight victory in the Daytona 500 Read more…
1999
25 years ago
Georg “Schorsch” Meier, German motorcycle racer died aged 88 Read more…
2002
22 years ago
Ford ended 90 years of British car production with the loss of more than 2,000 jobs after the last Fiesta was made at its factory in Dagenham Read more…
2004
20 years ago
Neel Jani became the first person to drive an F1 car in Bahrain when he took a Sauber for a spin on the streets of Manama Read more…
2005
19 years ago
Brad Loyet won the 40-lap USAC Ford Focus Midget race at the Southern Illinois Center, DuQuoin, Illinois, US Read more…
2006
18 years ago
Bernie Ecclestone slammed the FIA and F1 teams’ decision to replace 3 Read more…
2006
18 years ago
Jimmie Johnson won the Daytona 500, in a green-white-checker finish Read more…
2007
17 years ago
Jacques Villeneuve aimed to prove he had talents outside of motorsport, when he released his debut album, Private Paradise Read more…
2007
17 years ago
Two buses collided near Makhado, South Africa, killing 17 and injuring 45 Read more…
2010
14 years ago
In San Mateo, California, Mahran Baranriz (47) and his wife Bita Imani (35) pleaded no contest to 10 counts of insurance fraud Read more…
2015
9 years ago
Yutaka Katayama, the father of the Datsun Z, died at age 105 after a career that covered parts of eight decades Read more…
