On this day in…
1907
117 years ago
The Biddle-Murray Manufacturing Company of Oak Park, Illinois, US closed its doors after three years of limited automobile production Read more…
1909
115 years ago
The Hudson Motor Car Company was founded Read more…
1915
109 years ago
A replica of the assembly line for Ford Model T cars at the Ford Motor Company’s Highland Plant, near Michigan, US, was exhibited at the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco Read more…
1920
104 years ago
The Jones Motor Car Company of Wichita, Kansas, US was destroyed by fire Read more…
1921
103 years ago
Citroën created a series of enamel road signs to help drivers find their way around the French road network Read more…
1929
95 years ago
The first Roosevelt, a companion of the Marmon and the first 8-cylinder car to sell for less than $1,000 in the US was introduced Read more…
1937
87 years ago
The first Arrowbile was competed by Waldo D Waterman of Santa Monica, California, US – this vehicle is often credited as being the world’s first practical airplane/automobile Read more…
1954
70 years ago
The Dodge Firearrow was introduced in the US Read more…
1954
70 years ago
Cotton Owens captured a modified-sportsman victory in an event that featured 136 starting entries; the largest ever starting field in a NASCAR event Read more…
1954
70 years ago
The legendary Ford Thunderbird was launched at the Detroit Auto Show and went on sale in October as a 1955 model Read more…
1959
65 years ago
The first races on the 2 Read more…
1961
63 years ago
Joe Weatherly won the inaugural 10 lap ‘American Challenge Cup’ race at Daytona International Speedway Read more…
1963
61 years ago
Dan Gurney drove a Holman-Moody Ford to victory in the ‘Motor Trend 500’ NASCAR Grand National race at Riverside International Raceway, California Read more…
1965
59 years ago
Datsun (Nissan) sold its first car in Chicago on the opening day of the auto show Read more…
1965
59 years ago
Rod Perry won both of the twenty lap Sportsman Super Modified features at the Hollywood Speedway, Hollywood, Florida, US Read more…
1970
54 years ago
Small cars were the predominant trend at the Chicago Auto Show Read more…
1971
53 years ago
Danny O’Neill won the Bay Cities Racing Association indoor Midget race at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, Santa Rosa Read more…
1972
52 years ago
1977
47 years ago
Cale Yarborough beat Benny Parsons by 1 Read more…
1980
44 years ago
Bon Scott, vocalist of the rock band AC/DC was found dead in the backseat of a friend’s car Read more…
1983
41 years ago
Cale Yarborough of Timmonsville, South Carolina, became the first driver to run a qualifying lap over 200 mph (320 km/h) at Daytona in his #28 Hardees Chevrolet Monte Carlo Read more…
1986
38 years ago
Hyundai Motor America began selling cars in the USA, with a single model, the Hyundai Excel, which was offered in a variety of trims and body styles Read more…
1988
36 years ago
Mark Kinser won the World of Outlaws Sprint Car race over his cousin Steve at the Ascot Park, Gardena, California, US Read more…
1993
31 years ago
Ferrucio Lamborghini, founder of the marque which bears his name, died aged 76 Read more…
1993
31 years ago
Marian Bublewicz (42), the best Polish rally driver of the 80s and 90s, died in an accident just 2 kilometres after the start of 5th special stage “Orłowiec-Złoty Stok” of the Zimowy Rajd Dolnośląski – Winter Lower-Silesian Rally – in Poland Read more…
1994
30 years ago
Sterling Marlin held Ernie Irvan at bay in the final laps to record his first career NASCAR Winston Cup victory in the Daytona 500 Read more…
1996
28 years ago
Clare M MacKichan (77), a General Motors stylist (1939-78) best remembered for the 1955-57 Chevrolets, Chevrolet Nomad, and Opel GT, died in Florida, US Read more…
1997
27 years ago
Frank Williams, Patrick Head and Adrian Newey along with three officials from the Imola race circuit were put on trial in Italy, charged with culpable homicide for the death of Ayrton Senna Read more…
1997
27 years ago
An episode of the hit TV sitcom “Seinfeld” titled “The Pothole” aired for the first time; it included a story line in which the character Kramer adopted a stretch of the fictional Arthur Burghardt Expressway through the real-life Adopt-a-Highway program Read more…
2000
24 years ago
Dale Jarrett exercised patience to grab his third victory in the Daytona 500 Read more…
2001
23 years ago
Max Mosley announced he would stand for a third term as president of the FIA Read more…
2003
21 years ago
Ron Dennis accused the FIA of dictatorial behaviour after it banned refuelling and set-up changes between qualifying and the race as well as putting an end to teams changing settings remotely while the car is on track Read more…
2004
20 years ago
The 10,675th and last Lotus Esprit rolled off the line after 28 years in production Read more…
2005
19 years ago
Flavio Briatore defended Kimi Raikkonen’s exploits in a London lap-dancing club, saying the Finn was like a “breath of fresh air” in F1 Read more…
2005
19 years ago
Jeff Gordon squeaked past Tony Stewart in the waning laps to win the first Daytona 500 in history to go into overtime Read more…
2009
15 years ago
General Motors Corporation’s Swedish-based subsidiary Saab went into bankruptcy protection so the unit could be spun off or sold by its struggling US parent Read more…
2009
15 years ago
The Canadian units of General Motors Corporation and Chrysler sought as much as C$10 billion ($8 billion) in aid from the Canadian and Ontario governments as they fought to survive an industry wide crisis Read more…
2010
14 years ago
Kyle Busch won the Starter Brothers 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, California, US Read more…
