On this day in…
1916
107 years ago
A Haynes-Light Six Model 34, driven by Samuel Greer and R M McKenna, completed a Pacific Ocean to Atlantic Ocean trip in 12 hours (actual running time less han 6 hours) – something of a promotional stunt Read more…
1920
103 years ago
Edmund Rumpler made the first test drive of his Tropfen-Auto to coincide with his wife’s 35 birthday Read more…
1923
100 years ago
The first Checker cab was produced by the Checker Cab Manufacturing Company Read more…
1927
96 years ago
The Nürburgring motor-racing circuit in Germany held its first race meeting, with the first motorcycle race won by German Toni Ulmen on an English 350-cc Velocette Read more…
1934
89 years ago
US Highway planning surveys nationwide were authorised Read more…
1935
88 years ago
The Rolls Royce trademark was registered in the U Read more…
1940
83 years ago
Alfa Romeo test driver Attilio Marinoni (47) was killed on the Milan-Varese Autostrada when his modified Tip 158 collided with a truck Read more…
1946
77 years ago
Joe Dawson (57), winner of the 1912 Indianapolis 500, died Read more…
1950
73 years ago
Juan Manuel Fangio in an Alfa Romeo 158 won the Belgian Grand Prix Spa-Francorchamps Read more…
1950
73 years ago
The sixth race of the 1950 NASCAR season at Vernon Fairgrounds in Vernon, New York Read more…
1950
73 years ago
Santa Ana Drags dragstrip, the first drag strip in the United States, opened Read more…
1954
69 years ago
The 5,000,000th Pontiac, a 1954 Star Chief Custom Catalina hardtop coupe, was produced in the Pontiac, Michigan, US assembly plant Read more…
1955
68 years ago
Junior Johnson bypassed Tim Flock near the midway point at Fonda (New York, US) Speedway to score his fourth victory in NASCAR’s premier series Read more…
1956
67 years ago
Driving a Fiat Abarth 750, with bodywork by Bertyone, Carlo Abarth set a whole series of speed and endurance records on the Monza Track Read more…
1961
62 years ago
The organisers of the Belgian Grand Prix invited 25 entries, but were only going to pay starting money to 19: sixteen pre-selected cars plus the 3 fastest of the remaining 9 Read more…
1965
58 years ago
The UK government announced it would introduce a blood alcohol limit for drivers Read more…
1966
57 years ago
Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon, driving a Ford GT40 Mk2, won the Le Mans 24-hour race, becoming the first to exceed 3,000 total miles during the event Read more…
1967
56 years ago
At the wheel of his Anglo American Racers’ Eagle T1G-Weslake V12, American Dan Gurney won the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix, setting the fastest lap and a new record average speed of 145 Read more…
1967
56 years ago
Giacomo Russo (29) died Read more…
1973
50 years ago
Roger de Delgado (55), British actor, best known for his role as the Master in Doctor Who, died on location in Turkey whilst shooting his first comedy role in the (never-completed) feature film Bell of Tibet Read more…
1989
34 years ago
Belgian driver Thierry Boutsen won his first Formula One race, the Canadian Grand Prix Read more…
2000
23 years ago
The 38th Canadian Grand Prix and the 22nd to be held at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, run held over 69 laps was won by eventual 2000 World Champion, German driver Michael Schumacher driving a Ferrari F1-2000 Read more…
2000
23 years ago
The grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell broke the British land-speed record for an electrically powered car Read more…
2004
19 years ago
Austrian Johann Redl managed to drive a 7,420kg Steyr 891 delivery truck on two wheels for an unbelievable 10 Read more…
2007
16 years ago
US Supreme Court justices ruled 9-0 that car passengers had the same right as drivers to challenge the legality of police stops of vehicles in which they were riding Read more…
