On this day in…
1891
133 years ago
Inventor of the first internal combustion engine to efficiently burn fuel directly in a piston chamber, Nikolas Otto (58), died Read more…
1899
125 years ago
The Paris – Rouen – Paris (Perigold Cup) race was won by Leonce Girardot driving a Panhard 6hp in a time of 4 hours 26 minutes 0 seconds Read more…
1906
118 years ago
An American mechanic in the seat of a steam-powered automobile set a land speed record of 127.66 mph Read more…
1917
107 years ago
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Ltd (Java) was established in Buitzenzorg, West Java, Dutch Indies (now Bogor, Indonesia) Read more…
1919
105 years ago
Roscoe Sarles drove a Miller-powered Roamer to victory at Ascot Speedway in Los Angeles, California, US Read more…
1925
99 years ago
General Motors subsidiary in Brazil was inaugurated Read more…
1947
77 years ago
Red Byron captured the inaugural National Championship Stock Car Circuit event, billed as the “Battle of the Champions,” on the Beach-Road course at Daytona Read more…
1958
66 years ago
Ferrari and Porsche were the only European teams on hand for the “Argentine 1000 Kilometers”, the first World Sports Car Championship race run under 3 Read more…
1960
64 years ago
Fifty-five electricians went on strike at BMC (British Motor Corporation), which eventually led to 31,000 workers being idle in Birmingham, Coventry and Oxford Read more…
1962
62 years ago
Gene Hartley, driving the George Hopkins Offy, won the 50 lap USAC Midget race at the indoor Cincinnati Gardens, Cincinnati , Ohio, US Read more…
1964
60 years ago
Don Branson won the first 50 mile USAC Sprint Car race on 1 mile dirt oval Arizona State Fairgrounds, Phoenix, Arizona, US Read more…
1974
50 years ago
Cale Yarborough won the the rain postponed NASCAR Grand National “Western 500” at Riverside International Raceway, the opening round of the 1974 season Read more…
1975
49 years ago
The Brazilian Grand Prix was run at Interlagos and Carlos Pace took the top honors, the circuit was to be later named after Pace Read more…
1979
45 years ago
The Dukes of Hazzard, a prime-time CBS television action/comedy show, was aired for the first time Read more…
1981
43 years ago
UK Industry Secretary Keith Joseph announced an extra £990 million state aid for British Ley Leyland Read more…
1985
39 years ago
William David Ormsby-Gore, 5th Baron Harlech KCMG PC known as David Ormsby-Gore until 1964, a British diplomat Conservative Party politician, died in a car crash at Montford Bridge near Shrewsbury in 1985, aged 66 Read more…
1990
34 years ago
Frederick Roberts “Bob” Gerard (76) passed away Read more…
1996
28 years ago
The three-turn tri-oval 1mile (1 Read more…
1996
28 years ago
Lincoln Mercury announced that production of the Lincoln Mark VIII luxury coupe would cease in June 1998 Read more…
2000
24 years ago
Ford reported record earnings of $7 Read more…
2003
21 years ago
Eddie Leavitt, sprint car driver from the 1970’s & 80′, died Read more…
2003
21 years ago
Billy Joel was airlifted to hospital after his car smashed into a tree Read more…
2007
17 years ago
Malaysian news announced that Volkswagen AG had signed an agreement to buy a 51% stake in Proton (company) Auto Division Read more…
2007
17 years ago
In Germany Peter Hartz, Volkswagen human resources executive, was fined $750,000 and given a 2-year suspended sentence after he pleaded guilty to funding an account that provided special travel perks for employees Read more…
2010
14 years ago
General Motors agreed to sell Saab, its Swedish subsidiary, to Spyker Cars, a Dutch maker of sports cars, for $74 million in cash and shares worth $326 million. Read more…
2010
14 years ago
Toyota Motor Corp Read more…
2010
14 years ago
Jeff Mathews won the opening round of the 11th annual Open Wheel Modified Winternationals Championship Stock Car race at the East Bay Raceway Park, Tampa, Florida, US Read more…
2014
10 years ago
Tata Motors Managing Director Karl Slym was found dead Read more…
