On this day in…
1895
129 years ago
A patent application for an “electrical bicycle” was filed by Ogden Bolton Jr Read more…
1916
108 years ago
Mr Read more…
1916
108 years ago
Johnny Aitken won all 3 races held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Read more…
1919
105 years ago
Wary of the unpopularity of “German-sounding” names after World War I, August Beuck began using the name Buick rather than Beuck for the first time when he christened the new post office in his Colorado hometown Read more…
1929
95 years ago
Ernst Henne riding a 750 cc super-charged BMW, set a new motorcycle record, reaching a speed of 134 Read more…
1932
92 years ago
Ab Jenkins, in a Pierce-Arrow V12 at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, completed the first 24-hour solo run, driving 2,710 miles nonstop at an average speed of 112 Read more…
1938
86 years ago
Lower Austria switched from driving on the left hand side to the right hand side of the road Read more…
1949
75 years ago
Rex Mays drove an Offenhauser powered midget racer 147 Read more…
1953
71 years ago
Auto Union launched a new 24hp 896 cc 3-cylinder model, “3=6 Sonderklasse” (DWK 3=6), at the Frankfurt Motor Show Read more…
1953
71 years ago
NASCAR’s first night-time superspeedway, a 220-mile Modified-Sportsman race at Raleigh Speedway, was marred by tragedy Read more…
1955
69 years ago
Richard Benz (80), younger son of Carl Benz who joined his father as a partner in C Benz Sohne, makers of the Benz Sohne 1906-1926, died Read more…
1957
67 years ago
Accompanied by the advertising slogan ‘Fahre Prinz und du bist König’ (‘Drive a Prince and you’re a king’), the NSU Prinz was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show Read more…
1960
64 years ago
Three hundred and forty-four parking tickets (each carrying a £2 fine) were issued in London on the first day of parking meters and traffic wardens Read more…
1964
60 years ago
The first British Drag Race festival began at the Blackbushe Airport, a few miles from London Read more…
1969
55 years ago
The body design of the Austin Allegro was finalised by the British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC) board (at a cost of £21m) Read more…
1971
53 years ago
Jackie Stewart underlined his credentials with victory in a Canadian Grand Prix to record his sixth win of a season in which he had the drivers’ championship done and dusted by August Read more…
1973
51 years ago
Musician Gram Parsons died of “multiple drug use” (morphine and tequila) in a California motel room at the age of 26 Read more…
1975
49 years ago
Ford Motor Company announced plans to purchase Jaguar Read more…
1984
40 years ago
Ferry Porsche received the honorary title of “Professor” Read more…
1988
36 years ago
Walter Percy Chrysler jr, who had a brief career in his father’s company but is best remembered as the manager of the Chrysler VBuilding in New York City, died Read more…
1992
32 years ago
Cory McClenathan, in a Top Fuel dragster, ran the 1/4-mile in 4 Read more…
1993
31 years ago
Production of the Ford Orion ended Read more…
1996
28 years ago
Jeff Gordon won the last NASCAR Winston Cup race ever run at North Wilkboro Speedway in North Carolina, US Read more…
1999
25 years ago
The first National Car-Free Sunday was held in the Netherlands Read more…
2003
21 years ago
The Citroen C2 was officially launched in the UK Read more…
2004
20 years ago
Kurt Busch scored a lopsided victory in the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Raceway (US), site of the first race of the new Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Read more…
2006
18 years ago
Einars Repse, Latvia’s former prime minister (2002-2004), accidentally killed a pedestrian while driving on a remote road Read more…
2007
17 years ago
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars unveiled the new Phantom Drophead Coupé for the first time in the Middle East Read more…
2007
17 years ago
At a press conference in Dallas, Texas, US, Dale Earnhardt, Jr Read more…
2011
13 years ago
Luxury car maker Jaguar Land Rover, part of Indian group Tata Motors, announced a £355M investment on a new engine plant in central England Read more…
2019
5 years ago
The Trump administration said it would revoke California’s authority to set its own auto tailpipe emissions standards and to require some zero-emission vehicles, a decision that sparked a massive legal battle between Washington and the most populous state over the future of US vehicles Read more…
