On this day in…
1915
109 years ago
The Cadillac Motor Car Company’s two speed rear axle was ruled to be an infringement of patent rights held by Walter S Austin of the Austin Automobile Company in Michigan, with damages and costs awarded Read more…
1916
108 years ago
Rembrandt Bugatti (31), brother of race-car maker Ettore Bugatti, committed suicide Read more…
1927
97 years ago
The Little Marmon, later known as the Marmon Eight, was introduced in New York City Read more…
1944
80 years ago
William Kissam Vanderbilt II (65), a great patron of early US motoring racing who is said to have maintained a personal garage of more than 100 cars and 20 mechanics, died in New York City Read more…
1950
74 years ago
Luigi Villoresi driving a Ferrari 166 won the Eva Duarte Perón Grand Prix at Palermo Park Read more…
1956
68 years ago
The United States Auto Club (USAC) sanctioned it’s first race, a Midget race indoors on a 1/10 mile oval on the concrete floor of the Allen County Coliseum Ft Read more…
1958
66 years ago
John Duff (61), the only Canadian to win at Le Mans, who had been inducted in the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame, died Read more…
1968
56 years ago
Advertising appeared on a Grand Prix car for the first time when Jim Clark put his John Player Gold Leaf Lotus 49 on pole for the non-championship New Zealand Grand Prix at Pukekohe. Read more…
1970
54 years ago
John J Riccardo was elected President of the Chrysler Corporation Read more…
1972
52 years ago
Racer Bryon Faloon was killed during the New Zealand Grand Prix in Auckland, after an accident on the back straight with Graeme Lawrence in the closing laps of the race Read more…
1972
52 years ago
Nick Rescino won the 25-lap Bay Cities Racing Association indoor midget race at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds 1/10 mile paved oval in Santa Rosa, California, US Read more…
1982
42 years ago
The Johnny Cash Parkway opened in Hendersonville Tennessee, US Read more…
1983
41 years ago
British Army Brigadier John Hemsley and his wife and Dr Lucy Hemsley, driving a Range Rover began their record-breaking journey from Capetown, South African to London Read more…
1989
35 years ago
A Boeing 737 airplane crashed into the M1 motorway near East Midlands airport, England at 20:26 GMT, killing 47 people Read more…
1990
34 years ago
Anton H Read more…
2001
23 years ago
Donna Bailey (43), paralyzed from a Ford Explorer rollover crash, settled her suit with Ford and Firestone for a total in the range of $20-35 million along with the disclosure of internal memos and reports on tire safety and rollover issues Read more…
2001
23 years ago
The 2002 Ford Thunderbird debuted at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, with Ford announcing the start of public sale and a suggested retail price starting at US$35,495 Read more…
2002
22 years ago
The Olympic Torch Relay came to the Indianapolis Speedway on the way to the 2002 Winter Olympic games in Salt Lake City Read more…
2002
22 years ago
Luxury car maker Bentley Motors unveiled its most powerful model to date at the Detroit Motor Show in the United States, the 168mph Arnage T, costing £166,500 car and capable of 0-60mph in 5 Read more…
2002
22 years ago
Louis Thomas Stanley died aged 92 Read more…
2006
18 years ago
Thirty-seven year old Michael Schumacher gave the first real indication he was about to bow out – for the first time Read more…
2009
15 years ago
Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo wrote off his £200k Ferrari 599 GTB when he crashed it into a barrier in a tunnel beneath the runways of Manchester Airport. Read more…
2009
15 years ago
Donington Park, located in Leicestershire, England announced that they had secured the planning permission necessary to bring the circuit up to the specification required by the FIA Read more…
2009
15 years ago
Car manufacturer Nissan announced it was to axe about a quarter of the workforce at its Sunderland plant Read more…
2010
14 years ago
The China Passenger Car Association reported that China overtook the US as the biggest auto market in 2009 Read more…
2015
9 years ago
At Bonhams Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction, held at the world famous Bally’s Hotel & Casino, a 1990 Honda “RC30”, frame no Read more…
2015
9 years ago
A British stunt driver set a new world record for parallel parking after spinning his Fiat 500 into a space that had just 7 Read more…
2015
9 years ago
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration fined Honda $70 million for failing to submit reports of fatal accidents and injuries to the government Read more…
