1923 – The First 24 Hours of Le Mans Begins
One of motorsport’s greatest endurance tests roared to life on this day in 1923 when the inaugural 24 Hours of Le Mans began in France. Designed to test not just outright speed but durability, efficiency, and engineering excellence, the race challenged drivers and machines to survive a full day and night of competition on public roads near Le Mans. What began as an experiment quickly evolved into one of racing’s crown jewels, helping shape technologies later seen in production cars, from brakes and aerodynamics to lighting and hybrid systems, while cementing legends like Ferrari, Porsche, Ford, Audi, and Bentley in motorsport history.
1927 – Ford Builds Its 15 Millionth Model T—and Ends an Era
After transforming transportation and reshaping American industry, the Ford Model T reached a symbolic milestone on this day in 1927 when Ford completed its 15 millionth example, an astonishing figure for the era. Henry Ford and his son Edsel drove the milestone car off the assembly line, though it was not the same vehicle as the final Model T built later that day. After nearly two decades of dominating roads worldwide, Ford ended Model T production to make way for the far more modern Ford Model A. Cheap, durable, and easy to repair, the Model T did more than sell millions; it fundamentally changed how ordinary people lived, worked, and traveled.
1943 – Edsel Ford Dies at 49
The automotive world lost one of its quieter but most influential figures on this day in 1943 when Edsel Ford died at age 49. Son of Henry Ford and president of Ford Motor Company, Edsel played a major role in steering Ford toward more stylish, modern automobiles and helped champion projects his father often resisted, including the Lincoln Continental and greater design sophistication across the company. Though often overshadowed by Henry’s outsized personality, Edsel’s influence helped modernize Ford during one of its most important eras.
1962 – BMW’s Earliest Founder Passes Away
Long before BMW became synonymous with luxury sedans and performance driving, its roots began with aircraft engines. On this day in 1962, Karl Friedrich Rapp died at age 80. Rapp founded Rapp Motorenwerke GmbH, an aircraft engine company whose evolution and restructuring eventually led to the creation of BMW. Though Rapp himself was gone from the business long before BMW emerged as a household automotive name, his company laid the industrial foundation for one of Germany’s most celebrated manufacturers.
2006 – Cars Premieres at Lowe’s Motor Speedway
Before charming moviegoers worldwide with its global release, Pixar’s Cars made its debut on this day in 2006 with a fitting premiere at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. Featuring characters inspired by stock cars, hot rods, classic cruisers, and forgotten Route 66 towns, Cars celebrated American automotive culture through the story of Lightning McQueen and the residents of Radiator Springs. Premiering ahead of its national theatrical release on June 9, the film would go on to introduce an entire generation of kids to the romance of driving, racing, and car culture—while making Mater unexpectedly famous.
