On this day in…
1897
126 years ago
A German-built Benz Velo, appearing at the Grand Forks parade to promote cigars, became the first automobile to be driven in North Dakota, US Read more…
1914
109 years ago
Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia, while riding in an Austro-Daimler that was chauffeured by Otto Merz, a Mercedes team driver Read more…
1925
98 years ago
The first Belgian Grand Prix was staged in Spa-Francorchamps, and won by Antonio Ascari in an Alfa Romeo P2 Read more…
1926
97 years ago
DMG Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (Daimler Motor Company or DMG) and Benz & Cie Read more…
1931
92 years ago
Legendary moonshiner (bootlegger) in the rural South who became one of the early superstars of NASCAR in the 1950s and 1960s, Junior Johnson was born in Wilkes County, North Carolina Read more…
1931
92 years ago
Count Max Hardegg (Austrian) in a Bugatti was killed at the 10 km climb of Baden-Baden–Geroldsau-Plättig–Bühler Höhe in Germany Read more…
1936
87 years ago
The Grand Prix de l´Automobile Club de France was held as a sports car race on the Montlhéry track and was won by Jean-Pierre Wimille / Raymond Sommer (Bugatti T57G) Read more…
1936
87 years ago
Alberto Ascari made his motorcycle racing debut as a prelude to his automobile racing career Read more…
1945
78 years ago
The last B-24 Liberator bomber built at Ford’s Willow Run Plant Read more…
1957
66 years ago
Tony Bettenhausen drove a Novi to a new closed course speed record of 177 Read more…
1960
63 years ago
Juan Jover (56), the first Spaniard to drive in Formula One died in a road accident when his convertible left the road and fell off a cliff near Sitges in Catalonia Read more…
1964
59 years ago
Racecar driver Dan Gurney won the French Grand Prix in his Brabham BT7 Read more…
1964
59 years ago
Drag racer Tom McEwen was nicknamed “The Mongoose” after defeating Don “The Snake” Prudhomme at Lions Dragstrip in California, beginning a legendary rivalry Read more…
1966
57 years ago
At a press conference in Detroit’s Statler-Hilton Hotel, Chevrolet’s Pete Estes announced a new car line, project designation XP-836 Read more…
1983
40 years ago
Pietro Frua (70) was one of the leading Italian coachbuilders and car designers (AC Frua, Maserati Mistra, Glas GT) during the 1950s and 1960s, died Read more…
1996
27 years ago
General Motors planned to build cars in Silesia, Poland, after the approved creation of a special enterprise zone and a ten-year tax holiday Read more…
1998
25 years ago
Michael Schumacher driving a Ferrari F300 won the French Grand Prix at Magny Cours Read more…
2001
22 years ago
Louis Klemantaski, one of the world’s greatest racing photographers, died at the age of 89 Read more…
2001
22 years ago
The last Plymouth automobile, a silver Neon, rolled off the assembly line Read more…
2004
19 years ago
The second generation Mercedes A-Class, the W169, was officially presented at Mercedes’ Stuttgart factory Read more…
2005
18 years ago
Swedish truck and bus maker Volvo AB said it would close an assembly plant in Botswana and open a new factory in Durban, South Africa Read more…
2005
18 years ago
The 400th Ferrari Enzo was sold at auction by Sotheby’s for €950,000 (£640,000), almost twice its list price, in order to benefit survivors of the 2004 tsunami Read more…
2006
17 years ago
BMW announced the launch of a revised X3, featuring the most powerful diesel engine ever to power a production BMW in the UK Read more…
2006
17 years ago
After a flurry of rumours, DaimlerChrysler chairman Dieter Zetsche announced that the company’s urban-focused Smart brand–already popular in Europe—would come to the United States in early 2008 Read more…
2009
14 years ago
Joey Logano (USA) at the age of 19 years, 1 month, 4 days became the youngest driver to win a NASCAR race when he won the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, USA Read more…
2015
8 years ago
In his fifth race back from injury, Kyle Busch held off brother Kurt and Clint Bowyer to win the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway, his 2nd NASCAR career victory at the California road course Read more…
