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March 25, 1982 – Danica Patrick is born
25Mar By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
This Day

March 25, 1982 – Danica Patrick is born

By Zach Catanzareti. Danica Patrick, one of the most successful woman in automotive racing, was born on this day in 1982. Patrick got her start in racing at age 10 after getting behind the wheel of a competition go-kart. She has since raced in numerous circuits, including Indy, starting in 2005, and top tier NASCAR beginning in 2013. A prominent highlight of her career is a win at the 2008 Indy Japan 300. This represents the only female win in the IndyCar Series. Patrick is also the only woman to win the pole position for a NASCAR race, which she did for the 2013 Daytona 500. Check out the video below featuring a selection of highlights from her racing career: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixEu3c02x5A
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February 28, 1940 – Mario Andretti is born
28Feb By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
This Day

February 28, 1940 – Mario Andretti is born

Racing car driver Mario Andretti was born on this day in 1940 in the former Kingdom of Italy, what is current day Croatia. Andretti made his US racing debut April 25, 1959, just four years after emigrating to the USA. The superstar driver started his racing career in Italy several years prior. It all began in 1953, at age 13, when he joined Italy’s Formula Junior racing league. Mario and his twin brother Aldo were born in Rina, in Montona, Istria, formerly the Kingdom of Italy, now Croatia. After the move to the US, Mario and Aldo took jobs at their uncle’s auto garage in Pennsylvania. There they earned money to purchase and modify a 1948 Hudson Commodore. Above: Andretti in the winners circle of the 1978 Dutch Grand Prix. By Suyk, Koen CC BY-SATop: The Andretti twins' 1948 Hudson ...
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February 23, 1958 – Juan Manuel Fangio is kidnapped
23Feb By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
This Day

February 23, 1958 – Juan Manuel Fangio is kidnapped

Argentinian race car driver Juan Manuel Fangio dominated the first decade of Formula 1, winning the World Drivers’ Championship five times in the 1950s, a record which stood for 47 years. But he wasn’t in the driver’s seat when he made headlines on this day in 1958. It was the day before the Cuban Grand Prix and two men associated with Fidel Castro’s 26th of July Movement entered the Lincoln Hotel in Havana and kidnapped Fangio at gunpoint. They achieved their goal of drawing attention to Castro’s cause by embarrassing the current government of President Batista. Batista ultimately canceled the race due to the hostage situation. Despite the news spreading quickly around the world Batista ordered the race to go on while police searched for Fangio. The captors allowed Fangio to ...
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January 26, 1925 – Actor and racing driver Paul Newman is born
26Jan By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
This Day

January 26, 1925 – Actor and racing driver Paul Newman is born

Paul Newman with his sleeper VW Paul Newman was an American actor, film director, and entrepreneur, as well as a passionate auto racing enthusiast. He was born on this day in 1925 in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Newman began his acting career in the 1950s and went on to star in over 50 films, including "The Hustler," "Cool Hand Luke," and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." He was nominated for an Academy Award eight times and won once, for his role in "The Color of Money." In addition to his successful acting career, Newman was also an avid auto racing enthusiast, a passion sparked by his role in the film "Winning." He began racing in the early 1970s and quickly made a name for himself on the track. He competed in various racing series, including the Sports Car Club of America's Trans-A...
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December 8, 1913 – Land speed record setter Camille Jenatzy dies during hunting prank
8Dec By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
This Day

December 8, 1913 – Land speed record setter Camille Jenatzy dies during hunting prank

Camille Jenatzy with his wife riding in/on the Jamais Contente. Belgian driver Camille Jenatzy was a force behind the wheel in the earliest days of auto racing. At the time, the sport was among the deadliest activities humans participated in, but he finished race after race unscathed and often at the front of the pack. Knowing how dangerous it was, he predicted he would die in a Mercedes, his preferred racing vehicle. This fearless racing style also allowed Jenatzy, known as The Red Devil thanks to his red beard, to set the land speed record on three different occasions. Camille Jenatzy driving a Mercedes The first record came on January 17, 1899 at Achères, Yvelines, outside of Paris. Driving a CGA Dogcart he reached a speed of 66.66 km/h (41.42 mph) over one kilometer. Gaston d...
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October 11, 1928 – Alfonso de Portago is born
11Oct By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
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October 11, 1928 – Alfonso de Portago is born

Alfonso Antonio Vicente Eduardo Angel Blas Francisco de Borja Cabeza de Vaca y Leighton, Marquis of Portago, better known as Alfonso de Portago, was a Ferrari race car driver, Olympic bobsledder and stunt pilot from Spain, who was born on this day in 1928. Although a storied race car driver, one of his first transportation feats wasn’t by land but by air, when the millionaire heir flew his plane beneath a bridge at age 17, winning a $500 bet.  Above: Alfonso racing at the 1957 Cuban Grand Prix in Havana. Top: Alfonso and co-driver Edmund Nelson at the 1957 Mille Miglia. They'd die later that day. After meeting a Ferrari importer in 1953, Alfonso began a successful racing career. He took first at many prestigious events. Notable wins include the Tour de France automobile...
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October 4, 1983 – Thrust 2 sets new land speed record
4Oct By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
Business

October 4, 1983 – Thrust 2 sets new land speed record

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA If you found yourself in The Black Rock Desert in Nevada on this day in 1983 you would not find yourself at Burning Man. However, youwould have witnessed the land speed record being broken by Richard Noble driving the Thrust 2, a jet propelled car designed by Britain's John Ackroyd. The vehicle hit a top speed of 650.88 mph but held the record at 633.468 mph, as that was the average of its two runs held within one hour of each other.  The vehicle is powered by a single Rolls-Royce Avon jet engine from an English Electric Lightning fighter plane from the Cold War era. The land speed record set by Thrust2 held steady until Andy Green drove ThrustSSC to 714 miles per hour in September 1997. He topped that, hitting 760 miles per hour, a month later. Today bot...
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September 27, 1925 – Construction on Nürburgring racing circuit begins
27Sep By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
Automotive, This Day

September 27, 1925 – Construction on Nürburgring racing circuit begins

On this day in 1925 construction on the Nürburgring racing circuit in Nürburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany begins. The first races would take place on June 18, 1927 for motorcycles with sidecars, which Toni Ulmen won on an English 350 cc Velocette. Rudolf Caracciola took the checkers at the first automobile race, the following day. He drove a Mercedes Compressor to victory in the 5000 cc class. Above: Vintage sports car race at the track. Top: Rudolf Caracciola drives a Mercedes-Benz SSKL Rennsportwagen to victory at the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, July 19, 1931 with his co-driver Wilhelm Sebastian. Today, the motorsports complex features a Grand Prix track built in 1984 and has a crowd capacity of more than 150,000 people. The track’s biggest weekend of the year ...
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September 10, 1950 – A new diesel speed record
10Sep By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
This Day

September 10, 1950 – A new diesel speed record

Jackson at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in his Cummins Special in 1950. (IMS) Jimmy Jackson drove his #61 Cummins Diesel Special to a new diesel land speed record of 165.23 mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah on this day in 1950. Nicknamed the Green Hornet by Jackson, the car had a 401ci (6.6L) six-cylinder Cummins JBS 600 truck engine. It was outfitted with supercharger mounted in front of the engine that was coupled directly to the crankshaft. Jackson ran the same car in the 1950 Indianapolis 500, but was forced to drop out after 50 laps due to mechanical issues. Like diesel? Check out this story about the first diesel road trip.
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July 26, 1998 – Disaster strikes at Michigan International Speedway
26Jul By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
This Day, Videos

July 26, 1998 – Disaster strikes at Michigan International Speedway

On lap 175 of 250 of the CART series U.S. 500 on this day in 1998 Adrian Fernandez hit the wall at Michigan International Speedway, causing a tire and suspension parts to break loose and fly into the crowd. The wreck resulted in the deaths of three fans. An additional six people suffered injuries. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnHpeP4s5L4 Adrian Fernandez 1998 wreck at Michigan International SpeedwayTop: Moment of impact. Image courtesy ESPN Fernandez's car hit the wall going upwards of 200 mph. The race was placed under caution but was not stopped, much to the dismay of reporters covering the event. In an effort to prevent further tragedies the fencing was extended to 17 feet high around any grandstand areas.
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