On this day in…
1890
136 years ago
P F Olds & Sons, Inc., manufacturers of gasoline engines, was established in Lansing, Michigan Read more…
1902
124 years ago
The inaugural Circuit des Ardennes was run in the vicinity of Bastogne, France Read more…
1911
115 years ago
The Mason Motor Company was founded in Flint, Michigan, US by Arthur C Mason, Charles Byrne and Charles E Wetherald to produce engines for the new Chevrolet Classic Six Read more…
1914
112 years ago
The Ford Motor Company announced a plan to return between $40 and $60 to each purchaser of a new Ford Model T should sales exceed 300,000 units during the following 12 months – this is often cited as the industry’s first rebate program Read more…
1915
111 years ago
At Des Moines Speedway in Des Moines, Iowa, Bob Burman set a 4-mile speed record of 2 minutes 29 Read more…
1922
104 years ago
Wolfgang Klemperer published test results showing the advantages of Paul Jaray’s aerodynamic automobile bodies Read more…
1927
99 years ago
Two buses carrying children collided with cars and burst into flames in Beaune, France killing 53, including 46 children Read more…
1927
99 years ago
The Spanish Grand Prix (formally the IV Gran Premio de España), a Formula Libre motor race, was held at Circuito Lasarte, over 40 laps of a 17 Read more…
1928
98 years ago
The Chrysler Corporation acquired Dodge Brothers from Dillon Read for $170 million. Read more…
1938
88 years ago
The Alfa Romeo Tipo 158 made its racing debut taking the first two places in the Coppa Ciano at Livorno, Italy Read more…
1952
74 years ago
Gustaf Larson retired as Vice President and Director of Engineering for AB Volvo Read more…
1954
72 years ago
Onofre Marimon (30) died during practice for the 1954 German Grand Prix, becoming the first driver to be fatally injured at a World Championship Grand Prix Read more…
1955
71 years ago
Tim Flock scored his record 13th win of the season in the 250-mile NASCAR Grand National race at Bay Meadows Race Track in San Mateo, California, US Read more…
1960
66 years ago
Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta International Raceway) opened as a standard 1 Read more…
1960
66 years ago
The last Armstrong Siddeley car was produced Read more…
1966
60 years ago
Four stars of NASCAR stockcars were entered in the VIR 400 Trans-Am race in Danville, Virginia Read more…
1971
55 years ago
David R Scott and James B Irwin during the Apollo 15 mission drove the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LVR) 17 Read more…
1971
55 years ago
Abarth & Co. the racing car and car maker founded by Carlo Abarth of Turin in 1949, was sold to Fiat Read more…
1972
54 years ago
Ferrari announced its withdrawal from racing Read more…
1975
51 years ago
Britain’s Labour government refused to give more money to the Norton Villiers Triumph motorcycle firm Read more…
1977
49 years ago
Benny Parsons held off Richard Petty by 0.45 seconds to win the Coca-Cola 500 Read more…
1980
46 years ago
L’Ebe Bugatti (76) died in Milan, Italy, having spent the last years of her of her life working to ensure the legacy of her father Ettore Bugatti Read more…
1981
45 years ago
The last of 695,124 Chevrolet Corvettes was produced at the St Louis, Missouri, US factory as production was transferred to the new plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky, US Read more…
1994
32 years ago
A huge crash at the start of the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim took out 11 of the field, giving Ferrari the opportunity to end its record 58-race drought Read more…
1998
28 years ago
Mark Martin won the inaugural 40-lap “IROC at Indy” International Race of Champions event Read more…
2001
25 years ago
Electric TH!NK City cars went on sale in California, US Read more…
2003
23 years ago
Ford racing unveiled the ’04 Taurus and F-150 Read more…
2005
21 years ago
The Hungarian Grand Prix saw the beginning of the end of tobacco advertising in F1 due to the Europe-wide ban Read more…
