January 12, 1879 – The first Indy 500 winner, Ray Harroun, is born
Ray Harroun, the winner of the inaugural Indianapolis 500, was born on this day in 1879 in Spartansburg, Pennsylvania. By his early 20s, Harroun was already a successful race car and endurance driver. One of his first major accomplishments came in 1903 when he, along with three other drivers
January 11 1937 – Striking United Automobile Worker members shot by police
The United Automobile Workers was founded in May 1935 to focus on improving working conditions in automaker facilities. They gained a strong following and later success in organizing a sit-down strike that started on December 30, 1936 at the GM Fisher Body Plant No. 2 in Flint, Michigan. On
January 10, 1942 – Ford issued contract to build Willys Jeep
Prior to the US entering WWII, the U.S. Army contacted 135 companies and asked for prototypes of a four wheel drive reconnaissance car. Only two responded, American Bantam and Willys-Overland. After American Bantam delivered a working model for testing on September 21, 1941, the Army found it met nearly
January 9, 1924 – Ford’s worth tops $1 billion
On January 9, 1924, the market capitalization of Ford Motor Company would exceed $1 billion for the first time. For non-investors, the market cap equates to the total dollar market value of a company’s outstanding shares of stock. The investment community uses this figure, which is calculated by multiplying
Dusty & Rusty – 1949 Ford V8
If you happened to stroll into the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City in June of 1948, you may have been among the earliest to lay eyes on the first all new car from the American Big Three since the end of World War II. The 1949 Ford design
January 8, 2016 – Maria Teresa de Filippis, first female F1 driver, passes away
Born to a wealthy Italian family in 1926, Maria Teresa de Filippis grew up an avid equestrian, a sport that taught her to move quickly from an early age. When she took up an interest in auto racing in her early 20s, two of her older brothers claimed she’d
January 7, 1985 – Saturn is founded
Saturn started as a codename for a new small car from General Motors in the mid 1980s, but ended up becoming a car brand all its own. In June of 1982 discussions of a new compact were heating up at GM and the idea was first publicized by Chairman
January 6, 1930 – The first diesel automobile trip
Founded in 1919, the Cummins Engine Company set out to prove that diesel motors were a viable option for passenger car travel. To show the feasibility of diesel, founder Clessie Cummins concocted a marketing stunt that would prove diesel engines could compete with gasoline motors in daily drivers. To