On this day in…
1870
153 years ago
Professor Edward Joseph De Smedt of the American Asphalt Pavement Company, New York City, received two patents for his invention known as “French asphalt pavement Read more…
1904
119 years ago
Byron J Read more…
1907
116 years ago
The first motorised taxicab service in the United States started in New York City Read more…
1909
114 years ago
Guy Lee Evans, riding an Indian, became the first American to win a motorcycle race at Brooklands in England Read more…
1914
109 years ago
Edmund Dangerfield opened the world’s first automobile museum in London, England Read more…
1915
108 years ago
Ralph DePalma driving a Mercedes 18/100 accompanied by riding mechanic Louis Fontaine won the Indianapolis 500 Read more…
1919
104 years ago
With the track reopened after the war, local Indiana-born driver Howdy Wilcox driving a Peugeot broke a four-race winning streak by European drivers at the ‘500’ Read more…
1920
103 years ago
Ralph DePalma led the Indianapolis 500 by 2 laps with 13 to go when his engine caught fire Read more…
1923
100 years ago
The Sterling-Knight Motors Company announced the purchase of the Supreme Motor Company of Warren, Ohio, US and its intent to begin production of a 6-cylinder car designed by Pete Sterling Read more…
1926
97 years ago
Twenty three year-old racing sensation Frank Lockhart won the Indianapolis 500 as a rookie in a Miller 122 Read more…
1929
94 years ago
The Ford Motor Company signed a “Technical Assistance” contract to produce cars in the Soviet Union Read more…
1935
88 years ago
Brian Lewis in a Bugatti T59 won the III Mannin Moar held in Douglas, Isle of Wight Read more…
1937
86 years ago
The 25th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 31, 1937 Read more…
1939
84 years ago
Just before the outbreak of World War II driving his special engineered MG, in Dessau, Germany, Goldie Gardner took the 750cc up to 1,100cc class records over 2 kilometres, 1 mile, and 5 kilometres distances, at average speeds of 203 Read more…
1948
75 years ago
For the second year in a row, the Blue Crown Spark Plug teammates Mauri Rose and Bill Holland finished 1st-2nd at the Indianapolis 500 Read more…
1952
71 years ago
In San Francisco the first Golden Gate Park Road Race was held Read more…
1954
69 years ago
Bill Vukovich won his second consecutive 500 Read more…
1958
65 years ago
Riverside International Raceway in Southern California opened with three 500-mile races in one weekend Read more…
1959
64 years ago
The Dutch Grand Prix held over 75 laps of the four kilometre circuit for a race distance of 314 kilometres, was won by Swedish driver Joakim Bonnier driving a BRM P25 Read more…
1965
58 years ago
Jim Clark of Britain became the first non-American winner of the Indianapolis 500, winning in his Lotus at an average speed of 150 Read more…
1968
55 years ago
British Motor Holdings (BMH) merged with LMVC (Leyland Motor Vehicle Corporation) to become British Leyland Motor Corporation Read more…
1970
53 years ago
Bobby Isaac rolled to victory in the rain-shortened Virginia 500 at Martinsville Speedway (US), leading 223 of the 377 laps Read more…
1972
51 years ago
The Mercedes-Benz ESF-05, the third of five experimental safety vehicles, was unveiled to the public Read more…
1973
50 years ago
The Audi Fox was introduced Read more…
1977
46 years ago
The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) was completed Read more…
1977
46 years ago
Floyd Davis (67), winner of the 1941 Indianapolis 500, died Read more…
1981
42 years ago
Nelson Piquet led for much of the Monaco Grand Prix, but crashed out late on Read more…
1982
41 years ago
Bobby Rahal became the first to average over 170 mph in the Indianapolis 500 Read more…
1987
36 years ago
The Monaco Grand Prix was won by Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna driving a Lotus 99T, the first of his six wins at the famous street circuit and the fifth Grand Prix victory of his career Read more…
1992
31 years ago
Contested over 78 laps, the Monaco Grand Prix was won by Ayrton Senna after a close battle for the lead in the final three laps with Nigel Mansell Read more…
1995
28 years ago
The one-millionth Saturn car was produced, a dark green 1995 SC2 Read more…
2007
16 years ago
Ford’s Wixom Assembly plant in Michigan stopped production of all models Read more…
2014
9 years ago
A car and jewellery belonging to Miley Cyrus were stolen after her home in San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles was burgled Read more…
2015
8 years ago
A speeding motorist was stopped by police after being caught driving at 149mph on the M6 motorway Read more…
2015
8 years ago
Figures obtained by Scotland on Sunday revealed that stretches of the A74(M) between Scotland and England accounted for half of the ten worst roads in Scotland for speeding offences detected by the vans in 2014 Read more…
