On this day in…
1895
128 years ago
The first automobile race in Italy, a 62-mile round trip between Turin and Asti, was won by Simone Federmann in a Daimler omnibus Read more…
1901
122 years ago
The 1901 Gordon Bennett Cup, formally titled the II Coupe Internationale, was a motor race held on public roads in France between Paris and Bordeaux, concurrently with an open-entry race over the same course Read more…
1928
95 years ago
Fritz von Opel reached 200 kph (124 mph) in experimental rocket car Read more…
1932
91 years ago
The tenth Eifelrennen at the Nürburgring was a mix of 23 cars comprising three different classes of which only six cars started in the class over 1500 cc, where Rudolf Caracciola in the factory Alfa Romeo was the favorite Read more…
1932
91 years ago
The Torvilliers Grand Prix held at Troyes in Brazil was won by Robert Gauthier driving a Bugatti Read more…
1935
88 years ago
The Ford Motor Company pavilion, designed by Walter Dorwin Teague, opened at the California-Pacific Exposition in San Diego, California, US Read more…
1938
85 years ago
The Gávea National Circuit race in Brazil was a South American affair with no major European entries Read more…
1945
78 years ago
Black American inventor Frederick M Jones (US No Read more…
1946
77 years ago
The first production Kaiser and Frazer automobiles came off the Willow Run line in Michigan, US Read more…
1950
73 years ago
Preston Tucker’s US lawsuit against his former prosecutors was thrown out of court Read more…
1954
69 years ago
Stirling Moss and Reg Parnell won races during the first motor racing event at the new Aintree circuit, near Liverpool Read more…
1955
68 years ago
Bob Sweikert won the Indianapolis 500 with an average speed of 128 Read more…
1960
63 years ago
Stirling Moss scored his first ever win for Lotus when he won the Monaco Grand Prix driving Rob Walker’s Lotus 18 Read more…
1963
60 years ago
The 997 metre long Medway viaduct carrying the M2 over the Medway Valley in Kent was opened by the them Minster of Transport, Rt Read more…
1963
60 years ago
The initial section of the M2 (junctions 2 to 5) was opened by the then Transport Minister Ernest Marples, with the remainder being constructed in 1965 Read more…
1964
59 years ago
The Austin A110 Westminster MkII and Wolseley 6/110 MkII models were launched Read more…
1971
52 years ago
Al Unser became the first racer to win a single-day purse of over $200,000 at the Indianapolis 500 Read more…
1972
51 years ago
George Follmer drove an AMC Javelin to victory in the SCCA Trans-Am race at Bryar Park, New Hampshire, US Read more…
1972
51 years ago
In the first full run of the Porsche 917/10 Can-Am racer, at a secret test session at Mosport Park in Canada, Mark Donohue lapped the circuit three seconds faster than the existing Formula One record Read more…
1977
46 years ago
1983
40 years ago
Jackie Ickx and Jochen Mass drove a Rothman’s Porsche 956 to victory in the World Endurance Championship race on the Nurburgring in Germany Read more…
1988
35 years ago
Alain Prost beat Ayrton Senna off the line and controlled things from there, leading home his teammate for a McLaren one-two Read more…
1994
29 years ago
Al Unser Jr won the 78th Indianapolis 500 in 3:06:29 (255 Read more…
1994
29 years ago
The Spanish Grand Prix held at the Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona was won by British driver Damon Hill driving a Williams FW16 Read more…
1994
29 years ago
Youthful Jeff Gordon hustled past Ricky Rudd with nine laps to go and goes on to win the Coca-Cola 600 staged the Charlotte Motor Speedway, North Carolina (US) Read more…
1999
24 years ago
12 people were killed and 50 injured in a collision and fire in the Tauern Tunnel in Austria Read more…
2000
23 years ago
The first six second Pro Stock run took place at the Santa Pod Raceway in Northamptonshire, England Read more…
2002
21 years ago
Bentley Motors chairman and chief executive Franz-Josef Paefgen presented the new Bentley State Limousine to The Queen at Windsor Castle in recognition of her Golden Jubilee year Read more…
2005
18 years ago
The European Grand Prix at the Nürburgring was won by championship leader Fernando Alonso for the Renault team Read more…
2005
18 years ago
Dan Wheldon became the first Englishman since Graham Hill in 1966 to win the Indianapolis 500, while Danica Patrick stole the headlines by becoming the highest-finishing woman in the history of the Indianapolis 500 by finishing fourth, earning Chase Rookie of the Year honors for her performance Read more…
2007
16 years ago
Production at the 73-year-old Windsor Casting Plant in Canada ended as the Ford Motor Company continued to transform its North American automotive operations into a profitable and sustainable business Read more…
2011
12 years ago
After dominating the entire weekend, Daniel Ricciardo lost the win through no fault of his own when he came in for his scheduled pit stop, only to find that his pit crew weren’t ready for him Read more…
2016
7 years ago
After dominating the entire weekend, Daniel Ricciardo lost the win at the Monaco Grand Prix through no fault of his own when he came in for his scheduled pit stop, only to find that his pit crew weren’t ready for him Read more…
