On this day in…
1849
175 years ago
Steam engine pioneer Nathan Read (89) died in Belfast, Maine, US Read more…
1894
130 years ago
The German company of Hildebrand & Wolfmuller were granted a patent for the world’s first production motorcycle Read more…
1909
115 years ago
The newly formed automaker General Motors (GM) bought into the Oakland Motor Car Corporation, which later became GM’s long-running Pontiac division Read more…
1920
104 years ago
Harry H Read more…
1924
100 years ago
The banked 5/8-mile dirt Legion Ascot Speedway, Los Angeles opened Read more…
1930
94 years ago
The MG Car Company Ltd staged a grand inaugural luncheon at its new factory in Abington, England Read more…
1942
82 years ago
Chevrolet produced their last car before shutting down production during World War II Read more…
1946
78 years ago
Kaiser-Frazer automobiles, formed after World War II by industrialist Henry J Read more…
1947
77 years ago
The Cities Service Oil Company Ltd changed its name to Fina Petroleum Products Ltd Read more…
1949
75 years ago
The Buick Riviera, a two-door pillarless hardtop, described in advertising as “stunningly smart”, was launched at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City Read more…
1952
72 years ago
Tim Flock won the 100-mile NASCAR season opener at Palm Beach Speedway in West Palm Beach, Florida Read more…
1952
72 years ago
The Rio Grand Prix at Gávea, Brazil was won by José Froilan Gonzalez in a Ferrari 166C Read more…
1954
70 years ago
The 1954 Oldsmobiles were introduced – the unusual late date has perpetuated a theory that the new cars had actually been planned for the 1955 model year but were moved up because General Motors President Harlow H Read more…
1955
69 years ago
General Motor’s Motorama Show opened in New York where the Buick Wildcat III, Chevrolet Bel Air Nomad, Cadillac LaSalle II roadster and sedan, and Cadillac Eldorado Brougham were exhibited Read more…
1956
68 years ago
It was revealed that car development of the secret Austin gas-turbine engine had reached a new phase, the target of which was the evolution of a unit capable of achieving operating economy approaching that of diesel engines Read more…
1956
68 years ago
London police began employing radar speed traps. Read more…
1957
67 years ago
A Ferrari driven by Cesare Perdisa, Masten Gregory, Eugenio Castellotti and Luigi Musso won the Argentine 1000 Kilometers World Sports Car Championship race on the Costanera circuit 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 Read more…
1967
57 years ago
The 1965 USAC Rookie of the Year Billy Foster (29) died in a crash while practicing for the ‘Motor Trend 500’ NASCAR GN race at Riverside International Raceway Read more…
1967
57 years ago
A Mini Cooper S driven by Rauno Aaltonen and Henry Liddon won the Monte Carlo Rally Read more…
1968
56 years ago
Three weeks after winning the South African Formula 1 Grand Prix, Jim Clark debuted the new red and white Golden Leaf Team Lotus livery with golden linings at the 3rd round of the 1968 Tasman series by clinching the Lady Wigram Trophy in New Zealand Read more…
1968
56 years ago
Racer Luciano Lombardini was killed when his Lancia Fulvia crashed near Skopje, Macedonia, Yugoslavia during the Monte Carlo Rally Read more…
1971
53 years ago
The Jaguar XJ13 prototype was taken to MIRA for some publicity filming with Jaguar test driver Norman Dewis at the wheel Read more…
1980
44 years ago
Lenny Boyd won the Three Quarter Midget feature at the indoor Atlantic City Convention Hall, New Jersey, US Read more…
1990
34 years ago
Ivan “The Iron Man” Stewart won the Grand National Off-Road Sport Truck race at the Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California, US Read more…
1994
30 years ago
Ayrton Senna escaped injury after his Williams-Renault span off during a practice session in Portugal Read more…
1996
28 years ago
Round 1 of the FIA 2-litre World Championship for Manufacturers, 64th Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo (30 stages, 619 km) began Read more…
2004
20 years ago
NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian Z Read more…
2004
20 years ago
Alan Brown (84), British racer, team owner, and first man to race the Vanwall Special, died from a heart attack Read more…
2005
19 years ago
Professor Sid Watkins, the driving force behind the improvement in medical care at race tracks across the world, announced his retirement after 26 years as the FIA’s medical delegate Read more…
2005
19 years ago
In Ireland, the speed limit for motorways and some dual carriageways was changed from 70 mph to 120 km/h (75 mph) as part of their conversion to metric speed limits. Read more…
2005
19 years ago
It was reported that the global car industry had an annual excess capacity of some 24 million vehicles Read more…
2006
18 years ago
The new BMW 320d ES saloon was named ‘Car of the Year 2006’ at the prestigious What Car? Car of the Year 2006 awards ceremony in London Read more…
2007
17 years ago
Zhongnanshan Tunnel, or Qinling Zhongnanshan Tunnel, the longest two-tube road tunnel in the world, which forms part of the Xi’an-Ankang Highway between the Changan and Zhashui counties in China, opened to traffic Read more…
2007
17 years ago
42-year-old motorcyclist Eric Aubijoux died suddenly during the Paris-DakarRally Read more…
2008
16 years ago
More than 100 vehicles crashed into each other on Highway 400 near Toronto, Canada due to bad weather conditions Read more…
2010
14 years ago
The Mini Countryman (R60) was officially announced Read more…
