On this day in…
1904
120 years ago
The Times newspaper reported: The Motor-Car Act Read more…
1906
118 years ago
The first automobile show of the American Motor Car Manufacturers Association (AMCMA) opened in New York City at the 69th Regiment Armory Read more…
1907
117 years ago
The Isotta-Fraschini was introduced in the United States Read more…
1918
106 years ago
Barney Oldfield won 2 of 3 main events at Ascot in Los Angeles, California, driving the Miller “Golden Submarine”, but with the fully enclosed body removed Read more…
1920
104 years ago
Charles F Kettering was named Vice President of General Motors Read more…
1928
96 years ago
Regulations came into force prohibiting London motorists from reversing a car on any road within a 3-mile radius of Charing Cross. Read more…
1942
82 years ago
Henry Ford was granted the first US patent for construction of a plastic car Read more…
1952
72 years ago
The Interlagos Grand Prix, Brazil was won by Juan Manuel Fangio in a Ferrari 166 Read more…
1953
71 years ago
Alfa Romeo purchased the aerodynamic BAT 7 from Carrozzeria Bretone to display at the New York Auto Show Read more…
1957
67 years ago
The Argentine Grand Prix held at Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez was won by Juan Manuel Fangio in a Maserati Read more…
1962
62 years ago
Ernie Kovacs, a comedian who hosted his own television shows during the 1950’s and is said to have influenced such TV hosts as Johnny Carson and David Letterman, died at the age of 42 after crashing his Chevrolet Corvair into a telephone pole in Los Angeles, California, while driving during a rainstorm Read more…
1969
55 years ago
Production of James Garner’s movie “The Racing Scene”, about his American International Racing’s (AIR) 1969 racing season, was announced at the grand opening of AIR’s new offices in Hollywood, California, USA Read more…
1974
50 years ago
Former world champion Denny Hulme, who had announced his decision to retire at the end of the season a few weeks earlier, won the season-opening Argentina Grand Prix, his last F1 victory Read more…
1980
44 years ago
The Winston-Western 500 NASCAR Winston Cup race began Read more…
1980
44 years ago
Buenos Aires was again the venue for the first round of the F1 championship, and Alan Jones’ win in his Williams Ford set him on his way to that year’s drivers’ championship Read more…
1983
41 years ago
René Bonnet (78) founder of Deutsch et Bonnet and Automobiles René Bonnet in Romorantin, died in an automobile accident Read more…
1988
36 years ago
Briton Donald Mitchell Healey, the man behind Austin-Healey and Austin-Healey Sprite cars, former chairman of Jensen Motors and speed-record holder, died in Perranporth, Cornwall at the age of 89 Read more…
1997
27 years ago
Detroit (North American) Auto Show opened Read more…
2000
24 years ago
A member of the Kenyon College national champion women’s swimming team died when their van crashed on slick roads five miles east of Coshocton, Ohio Read more…
2003
21 years ago
The Jaguar R4 Formula One car, with the new Cosworth V10 engine, was unveiled Read more…
2003
21 years ago
American singer Diana Ross appeared in a US court charged with driving while twice over the drink-driving limit Read more…
2004
20 years ago
Employees at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars celebrated the completion of the 500th Phantom to be built at their Goodwood home. Read more…
2006
18 years ago
A 10-year old boy died while crossing the course of the Paris-Dakar Rally after being hit by a car driven by Latvian Māris Saukāns Read more…
2006
18 years ago
Lost star Cynthia Watros was banned from driving after admitting being over the alcohol limit Read more…
2007
17 years ago
Danny Oakes, one of America’s leading Midget Race Car drivers winning 100s of races in the 1940s and 1950s across the US, died Read more…
2011
13 years ago
Sammy Swindell won the third night (Thursday) qualifying feature of the 25th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals at the Tulsa Expo Raceway, Tulsa, Oklahoma, US Read more…
2013
11 years ago
General Motors unveiled its latest model of the Corvette Stingray (7th generation) on the eve of the Detroit Motor Show Read more…
2015
9 years ago
The much anticipated Indian Motorcycle Exhibit inside the Museum of Springfield History in Springfield, Massachusetts, opened Read more…