1958 – Motorcycle Pioneer Joseph Merkel Dies
Joseph Frederic Merkel, the pioneering engineer behind the Merkel and Flying Merkel motorcycles, died around this date in 1958 at age 86. Merkel began producing motorized bicycles and automobiles in Milwaukee during the early 1900s before developing motorcycles known for advanced features such as spring-frame rear suspension, telescoping front forks and powerful V-twin engines. The bright orange Flying Merkel became one of America’s most celebrated early motorcycles and achieved considerable success in endurance events and board-track racing before production ended during World War I. MORE: Alfa designer born July 7.
1967 – Nine-Time Le Mans Winner Tom Kristensen Is Born
Danish racing driver Tom Kristensen was born on this day in 1967 in Hobro, Denmark. Nicknamed “Mr. Le Mans,” Kristensen won the 24 Hours of Le Mans a record nine times between 1997 and 2013, including six consecutive victories from 2000 through 2005. He achieved most of those wins with Audi but earned his first on short notice with Joest Racing in a Porsche-powered prototype, establishing a reputation for speed, consistency and exceptional performance in endurance racing’s most demanding event. MORE: Audi brings back 1930s racecar with V16.
1968 – Jo Schlesser Dies at the French Grand Prix
French racing driver Jo Schlesser was killed on this day in 1968 during the French Grand Prix at Rouen-Les-Essarts. Driving Honda’s experimental air-cooled RA302, Schlesser slid wide at the fast Six Frères corner on the third lap, struck an embankment and was trapped when the magnesium-bodied car caught fire. The 40-year-old had extensive experience in sports cars and Formula Two, but the tragedy occurred during his first World Championship start in a Formula One car.
2001 – The Modern MINI Goes on Sale in Britain
BMW’s reinvention of the classic Mini reached British showrooms on this day in 2001 when the new MINI One and MINI Cooper officially went on sale. Built at the former Rover factory in Oxford, the larger and more sophisticated hatchback retained recognizable features such as round headlights, short overhangs and a wheel-at-each-corner stance while introducing modern safety, comfort and personalization options. The supercharged MINI Cooper S was not part of the initial July launch and arrived in the UK the following year, but the first two models immediately began transforming MINI into a successful global premium brand.
2003 – Aston Martin Builds the 1,000th V12 Vanquish
Aston Martin completed the 1,000th V12 Vanquish at its Newport Pagnell factory on this day in 2003. Introduced in 2001, the hand-built grand tourer combined a 5.9-liter V12 with advanced aluminum and carbon-fiber construction and became widely known after appearing as James Bond’s car in Die Another Day. Reaching 1,000 examples was a significant milestone for the low-volume British manufacturer and its flagship model.
1928 – Pre-Sliced Bread Is Sold for the First Time
As a bonus event, the Chillicothe Baking Company in Chillicothe, Missouri, began selling the first commercially produced machine-sliced bread on this day in 1928. The loaves were cut using a machine developed by Otto Frederick Rohwedder, whose earlier prototype and plans had been destroyed in a fire. Initially promoted as a major advance in the baking industry, pre-sliced bread quickly gained popularity and eventually inspired the familiar expression used to describe almost any impressive innovation: “the greatest thing since sliced bread.”
