On this day in…
1889
134 years ago
The Benz automobile was exhibited at the Paris (France) World Fair Read more…
1906
117 years ago
The inaugural running of the Targa Florio, the legendary open-road endurance race held in the mountains of Sicily near Palermo Read more…
1913
110 years ago
Vanden Plas (England) Ltd was formed by the merger of the firm founded two months earlier and the parent Theo Masui Ltd organisation Read more…
1923
100 years ago
The first Circuit of Mantua (Italy) race was won by Antonio Ascari in an Alfa Romeo RLTF Read more…
1928
95 years ago
The first Algerian Grand Prix was first held over a road course in Staouéli, west of the capital Algiers Read more…
1928
95 years ago
Chrysler introduced the DeSoto as the corporation’s new brand Read more…
1930
93 years ago
The last of 32,642 Dodge Senior Sixes was produced Read more…
1933
90 years ago
JCC International Trophy at Brooklands run over 250 miles (100 laps) was won by Hon Read more…
1934
89 years ago
The Formula Libre Tripoli Grand Prix was held on the high-speed Mellaha circuit in Libya (an Italian colony in those days) Read more…
1935
88 years ago
Louis Fontes driving an Alfa Romeo 2 Read more…
1937
86 years ago
In an effort to induce manufacturers to develop new cars that would be competitive with the dominant Germans, in 1937 the French government announced the Prix du Millioní, or the Million Franc Race in Monthléry Read more…
1939
84 years ago
The Maserati 4CL race car debuted in the Brooklands International Trophy dash in Surrey, England Read more…
1941
82 years ago
Victor Lee Emerson (78), the inventor of the bevel-gear drive and the universal joint, died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US Read more…
1951
72 years ago
Curtis Turner drove his reliable Oldsmobile to win the 100-mile NASCAR Grand National event at Martinsville Speedway Read more…
1956
67 years ago
Robert Manzon driving a Gordini T16 won the Naples Grand Prix held at Posillipo Read more…
1956
67 years ago
Tim Flock racked up his third win of the season at North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, US Read more…
1961
62 years ago
Vanwall made its final racing appearance, as John Surtees finished fifth at the Intercontinental Formula International Trophy race in Silverstone, England in the unique rear-engined VW14, known as ‘The Whale’ Read more…
1973
50 years ago
Henri Pescarolo lapped the 8 Read more…
1977
46 years ago
A merger between Volvo and Saab was proposed, but failed to materialise Read more…
1984
39 years ago
McLaren driver, Alain Prost from his outside pole position, won the San Marino Grand Prix in a time of 1:36:52 Read more…
1984
39 years ago
The Winston 500 held at Talladega Superspeedway, Alabama (US) set a motorsports record with 75 lead changes in a single race Read more…
1987
36 years ago
Mario Andretti set the one-lap speed record at Indianapolis 500 at 218 Read more…
1991
32 years ago
NASCAR racer Harry Gant broke his own record to become the oldest man to win a NASCAR race, when he won the Winston 500 at the Alabama Superspeedway in Talladega Read more…
1994
29 years ago
French President Mitterrand and Queen Elizabeth II jointly opened the Channel Tunnel linking Britain and France underneath the English Channel Read more…
1995
28 years ago
Brian Gerster won the USAC Midget feature race at Indianapolis Raceway Park Read more…
