On this day in…
1897
126 years ago
Sutton & Company of Manchester, England purchased a Daimler parcel van, the first sale of a gasoline-powered motor truck in Great Britain Read more…
1907
116 years ago
Construction began on the Long Island Motor Parkway, the first first limited-access roadway in the world Read more…
1908
115 years ago
American Charles Yale Knight obtained a British patent for his internal-combustion engine that used sleeve valves instead of the more common poppet-valve construction Read more…
1921
102 years ago
King George V opened the Southwark Bridge in London Read more…
1925
98 years ago
The Maxwell Motor Corporation was reorganised in Delaware as the Chrysler Corporation Read more…
1928
95 years ago
The first Dodge Victory Six Sport Roadster was produced Read more…
1929
94 years ago
The Hon Mrs Victor Bruce drove a Bentley 4½ Litre at Montlhéry for 24 hours, to capture the world record for single-handed driving, averaging over 89 mph (142 km/h) Read more…
1932
91 years ago
The first gasoline (petrol) tax levied by US Congress was enacted as a part of the Revenue Act of 1932 Read more…
1933
90 years ago
Richard Hollingshead opened the first drive-in movie theatre in Camden, New Jersey Read more…
1941
82 years ago
Swiss-born American Louis Chevrolet, founder of the Chevrolet Motor Car Company in 1911 and later the Frontenac Motor Corporation which made racing parts for Ford’s Model T, died at the age of 62 Read more…
1948
75 years ago
Charles W Read more…
1957
66 years ago
Heads of several car companies, sitting as directors of the Automobile Manufacturers Association, unanimously recommended that the industry take no part in, or assist in any way, automobile races or other competitive events that emphasized speed or horsepower Read more…
1960
63 years ago
Jack Brabham won the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort driving a Cooper-Climax Read more…
1961
62 years ago
Ray Barfield drove his Aston Martin DB3S to win in the 6-hour ‘Le Mans’ race, winning from Bob MacDowall in a TR3A and Vic Johnson in an Austin Healey Read more…
1964
59 years ago
The first McLaren race car, a modified Cooper with an Oldsmobile engine, made its debut at Mosport Park, Ontario, Canada and took victory in the hands of designer Bruce McLaren Read more…
1968
55 years ago
Richard Petty drove a Plymouth to the 80th win of his career, prevailing in a 200-lap main event at Smoky Mountain Raceway in Maryville, Tenn Read more…
1973
50 years ago
Production of the first Polski Fiat 126 constructed from Italian parts was built at the FSM car factory in Bielsko-Biała Read more…
1982
41 years ago
Starting from seventeenth position on the grid, Northern Ireland’s John Watson driving a McLaren-Cosworth MP4/1B, stormed through the field to win the first Detroit Grand Prix, at America’s sixth different Formula One venue Read more…
1987
36 years ago
South Mimms, the first British service area directly accessible from the M25 (Junction 23), opened Read more…
1990
33 years ago
British rally driver Tony Pond became the first to average 100 mph around the Isle of Man TT Motor Bike race circuit in a standard production car – a Rover Vitesse Read more…
2001
22 years ago
For the first time, the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) awarded a car three out of four stars for pedestrian safety Read more…
2003
20 years ago
Jari-Matti Latvala of Finland became youngest driver to compete in an FIA World Championship Rally when aged just 18 years 61 days he drove his Ford Focus WRC in the 50th Acropolis Rally in Athens, Greece Read more…
2004
19 years ago
Mark Martin ended a two-year drought with a come-from-behind win in the MBNA 400 “A Salute to Heroes” at Dover International Speedway, Delaware (US) Read more…
2005
18 years ago
A police driving instructor responsible for teaching fellow officers to drive safely was disqualified for 2 months and fined £265 after he admitted driving at 110mph on the M1 Read more…
2007
16 years ago
Swiss Parliament voted to lift the ban of circuit motor racing (imposed after the 1955 Le Mans disaster) in Switzerland, 97 in favor and 77 opposed Read more…
2013
10 years ago
The was confirmed that Nikolay Smolensky, had sold his entire ownership of TVR to Les Edgar, a British buyer who fronted TVR Automotive Ltd, the UK company Read more…
2019
4 years ago
The fastest lap at the Isle of Man TT races in the TT Zero class, 18 minutes 34 Read more…
