On this day in…
1883
140 years ago
After 14 years and 27 deaths while being constructed, the Brooklyn Bridge over the East River is opened, connecting the great cities of New York and Brooklyn for the first time in history Read more…
1899
124 years ago
The first public parking garage in the US was established in Boston, Massachusetts by W Read more…
1903
120 years ago
At 2:00 am 224 participants {subdivided as follows: 88 cars in the heaviest class, (650 to 1000 kg), 49 cars between 400 and 650 kg, 33 voiturettes under 400 kg and 54 motorcycles} started at one minute intervals in front of the Eau des Suisses at the gardens of Versailles, for the first leg of the Paris to Madrid road race Read more…
1913
110 years ago
Harry Ferguson of Ferguson tractor fame and advocate of four-wheel-drive for passenger cars won the first hillclimb held at Craigantlet, near Belfast, Ireland Read more…
1914
109 years ago
A modified Singer driven by Lionel Martin won its class at the Aston Clinton (England) Hillclimb, an event that led to the creation of the Aston Martin sports car Read more…
1931
92 years ago
The ninth Gran Premio d’Italia was run to the 10-Hour international formula and was part of the 1931 European Championship Read more…
1938
85 years ago
A US patent was issued for a Coin Controlled Parking Meter to Carl C Read more…
1964
59 years ago
Glenn “Fireball” Roberts was badly burned in a crash during the NASCAR World 600 stockcar race at Charlotte, North Carolina Read more…
1964
59 years ago
Jim Clark won the Dutch Grand Prix comfortably after grabbing the lead at the start and sprinting off into the distance Read more…
1972
51 years ago
The 2-mile Aston Expressway, the A38(M), opened, to connecting the M6 with central Birmingham Read more…
1972
51 years ago
The final stretch of the M6 motorway opened between junctions 6 (Spaghetti Junction) and 7 north of Birmingham, England with the fully operational motorway stretching more than 200 miles from Rugby to Carlisle, more than a decade after the first sections were completed Read more…
1981
42 years ago
Bobby Unser was first to the checkered flag at the 65th Indianapolis 500 for his third major victory since 1968 Read more…
1981
42 years ago
Herbert Muller (41), 1966 and 1973 winner of the Targa Florio was killed when he crashed during a race at Nurburgring in Germany Read more…
1981
42 years ago
Hans J Read more…
1987
36 years ago
Goran Eliasson of Boras, Sweden achieved 88 Read more…
1987
36 years ago
Al Unser Sr Read more…
1987
36 years ago
Kyle Petty survived a race of attrition to score his first superspeedway victory in NASCAR’s premier series, winning the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, North Carolina, US Read more…
1989
34 years ago
Bengt Norberg of Appelbo, Sweden drove a Mitsubishi Colt GTi-16V on two side wheels non-stop for a distance of 192 Read more…
1991
32 years ago
The critically acclaimed road movie “Thelma and Louise” debuted in US theatres, stunning audiences with a climactic scene in which its two heroines drive off a cliff into the Grand Canyon, in a vintage 1966 green Ford Thunderbird convertible Read more…
1992
31 years ago
Al Unser Jr Read more…
1992
31 years ago
Dale Earnhardt avoided the watchful eye of NASCAR officials as he exceeds the 55-mph speed limit down pit road for his final stop, then outran Ernie Irvan to win the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, North Carolina (US) Read more…
1998
25 years ago
Jeff Gordon ran down Rusty Wallace with 10 laps to go and hustles to victory in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, North Carolina, US Read more…
1998
25 years ago
The 82nd running of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race was dedicated to the memory of Mary Fendrich Hulman, chairman emeritus of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, who passed away on April 10, 1998 at age 93 Read more…
1998
25 years ago
The Monaco Grand Prix was won by Mika Häkkinen in a McLaren-Mercedes MP4-13, his fourth win of the season Read more…
2002
21 years ago
Volkswagen unveiled the most powerful production Golf to date, the R32, producing an impressive 240 bhp from its 3.2-litre V6 engine Read more…
2006
17 years ago
The A6144(M) was downgraded to non-primary A-road status and designated as a spur of the A6144 by Trafford Borough Council, ending its nineteen year life span as one of the most bizarre corners of the motorway network (and one of the very few places one could legally travel at 70mph on a single-carriageway road) Read more…
2009
14 years ago
Jenson Button led home a Brawn GP one-two at the Monaco Grand Prix, with Kimi Raikkonen finally delivering Ferrari its first podium of the season after the team initially struggled to get a handle on the KERS-equipped F60 Read more…
2010
13 years ago
The A66 Keswick coach accident occurred Read more…
2015
8 years ago
Lewis Hamilton was looking well on course to take an easy win at the Monaco Grand Prix having dominated the entire weekend until a collision between Max Verstappen and Romain Grosjean brought the safety car out Read more…
2015
8 years ago
Lewis Hamilton was looking well on course to take an easy win at the Monaco Grand Prix having dominated the entire weekend until a collision between Max Verstappen and Romain Grosjean brought the safety car out Read more…
2018
5 years ago
Germany-based car-sharing service car2go said it was indefinitely suspending its operations in Toronto, Canada, because parking regulations made its business inoperable Read more…
