On this day in…
1898
128 years ago
Robert Allison of Port Carbon, Pennsylvania became the first person to buy an American-built motor car when he bought a Winton after seeing an advertisement in Scientific America Read more…
1899
127 years ago
Georges Lemaitre won the La Turbie Hillclimb in a Peugeot, the first time that a hill climb had been won by a gasoline-powered vehicle Read more…
1903
123 years ago
Harry Parsons was issued a patent for his “Armor for Pneumatic Tires”, a non-skid device resembling modern tire chains Read more…
1908
118 years ago
Otto Zachow was issued with a US patent for his four-wheel-drive system Read more…
1913
113 years ago
Adolf Daimler, the middle son of Gottlieb Daimler who was active in his father’s company, died after a long illness aged 41 Read more…
1929
97 years ago
The Tripoli Grand Prix was won by Gastone Brilli-Peri driving a Talbot 700 Read more…
1931
95 years ago
The millionth Ford to be built in Canada left the assembly line, just 3 weeks before the twenty millionth Ford left the Rouge plant in Detroit Read more…
1932
94 years ago
Sir Henry Birkin raised the Brooklands Outer Circuit lap record to 137 Read more…
1936
90 years ago
Hans Stuck established a series of Class B distance records driving a 6 litre Auto Union on a closed section of the highway between Frankfurt and Heidelberg, Germany Read more…
1945
81 years ago
The 20,000th tank was produced by the Chrysler Corporation Read more…
1948
78 years ago
The last Lincoln Continental Mark I was produced Read more…
1954
72 years ago
Stockholders of the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and the Hudson Motor Car Company approved the proposed merger of the two firms Read more…
1956
70 years ago
Ferrari, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Porsche and Lotus all entered the Sebring 12 Hour World Sports Car Championship race Read more…
1958
68 years ago
Work on the M1, Britain’s first full length motorway, began Read more…
1962
64 years ago
Ferrari 250 GTO made its debut in the 12 Hour sportscar race at Sebring, Florida, US Read more…
1963
63 years ago
NASCAR Hall of Famer Junior Johnson drove a Ray Fox-owned Chevrolet to a one-lap victory over Richard Petty in the Hickory 250 at Hickory Speedway, North Carolina, US Read more…
1967
59 years ago
The inaugural race in the European Formula Two championship was won by Jochen Rindt in a Brabham-Ford Read more…
1970
56 years ago
Buddy Baker drove a Dodge Charger Daytona to a new World Closed Course Speed Record of 200.447 mph at Talledega International Speedway, Alabama, US. Read more…
1971
55 years ago
A VAZ 2102 based on a Fiat 124 became the first car produced at the Volga Automobile Works in Tol’iatt, USSR Read more…
1972
54 years ago
The Gilchrest Road crossing level accident occurred in the town of Clarkstown, New York, between Valley Cottage and Congers, roughly 25 miles north of New York City Read more…
1974
52 years ago
The National Corvette Restorers Society was organised in Angola, Indiana, US Read more…
1978
48 years ago
The International Gold Cup held at Oulton Park was won by Tony Trimmer in a McLaren-Cosworth M23 Read more…
1981
45 years ago
Nigel Mansell saved Peter Collins from drowning in the ocean off Rio De Janeiro, Brazil Read more…
1985
41 years ago
The inaugural race in the European Formula 3000 championship was won by Mike Thackwell Read more…
1986
40 years ago
Bobby Unser set a closed-course speed record for four-wheel drive vehicles with an Audi 5000CS Turbo Quattro at 206 Read more…
1988
38 years ago
Elliot Marantette “Pete” Estes (71`) an American automotive engineer and executive, most known as being the fifteenth president of General Motors, from 1974 to 1981, died Read more…
1988
38 years ago
French driver Roger Loyer died at the age of 80; he raced in the 1954 Argentine Grand Prix, in a Gordini T16, but failed to finish due to lack of oil pressure Read more…
1989
37 years ago
Richard Petty failed to qualify for the NASCAR race at Richmond Read more…
1991
35 years ago
The Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos was won by Ayrton Senna driving a McLaren-Honda MP4/6 by a mere 2 Read more…
1994
32 years ago
The Ford Windstar minivan was introduced Read more…
1996
30 years ago
Jeff Gordon won his 2nd straight Darlington (South Carolina, US) race as everyone runs out of gas on the last lap Read more…
1997
29 years ago
US Vice President Gore arrived in China for the highest-level U Read more…
1999
27 years ago
38 people died when a Belgian transport truck carrying flour and margarine caught fire in the Mont Blanc tunnel Read more…
2001
25 years ago
A stretch of road on Highway 19 in Macon, Georgia, was named Duane Allman Boulevard, near where the Allman Brothers guitarist died aged 24 in a motorcycle crash on October 29, 1971 Read more…
2002
24 years ago
Racer Boris ‘Bob’ Said (69), first American to win a road race in Europe after World War II – the 1953 Rouen Grand Prix – died while watching TV Read more…
2002
24 years ago
Sophomore Kurt Busch rattled his way past Jimmy Spencer in the final 30 miles and sprinted to his first career NASCAR Winston Cup victory at Bristol, Tennessee, US Read more…
2003
23 years ago
Vauxhall’s supercar, the mid engined, targa-topped, 2-seater sports car, VX220 Turbo, went on sale in the UK, OTR at £25,495 Read more…
2003
23 years ago
Automobili Lamborghini launched its new 520bhp Gallardo Read more…
2007
19 years ago
Swedish truck maker Volvo said it had successfully acquired Japan’s Nissan Diesel, the latest merger in the industry as companies prepared for more stringent emissions rules Read more…
2008
18 years ago
Hal Riney (75), a leading figure in the advertising world, died in San Francisco Read more…
