1965 – Fantasy Sitcom ‘My Mother the Car’ Debuts on NBC
When NBC introduced My Mother the Car on September 14, 1965, viewers encountered an unusual premise: a man hears the voice of his deceased mother coming from a restored antique automobile. The fantasy sitcom, built around the talking car conceit, premiered at the start of the 1965–1966 television season and ran a single season before leaving the schedule. Contemporary episode listings and television reference works list the NBC debut on that September evening; the show’s brief run and whimsical concept have kept it memorable as a quirky intersection of automotive imagery and family comedy rather than as a long-running series.
1969 – Richard Brickhouse Drives Charger Daytona to First Talladega Victory
At the very first Talladega 500 on September 14, 1969, Richard Brickhouse steered a 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona for Nichels Engineering to a shock victory at Alabama International Motor Speedway. The Charger Daytona—one of the aero innovators of the era with its prominent rear wing and pointed nose—was making a high-profile impact on superspeedways, and Brickhouse’s win registered as the inaugural Cup-series triumph at Talladega. That day’s result put both driver and machine into the record books, highlighting how purpose-built aerodynamics were reshaping stock-car competition at the end of the 1960s.
1982 – Grace Kelly Succumbs to Injuries Following Car Crash
Princess Grace of Monaco, the former Hollywood actress Grace Kelly, was critically injured in a road crash near Roc Agel on September 13 and died after life support was withdrawn on the evening of September 14, 1982. She had been driving a Rover P6 at the time of the accident; news outlets and official statements reported her hospitalization and subsequent death at age 52. The tragic sequence—an on-road medical emergency leading to a collision, followed by the high-profile hospitalization and passing the next day—dominated international headlines and ended the life of one of cinema’s most prominent stars turned European royal.
1993 – Brandon Brown Is Born, Future NASCAR Competitor
Born September 14, 1993, Brandon Lee Brown would grow up to race in NASCAR national series and to run his family team, Brandonbilt Motorsports. Brown’s career has been associated with stock-car competition at the national level, recording starts and results across NASCAR series while operating within the independent-team model familiar to American short-track and touring competitors. His birthdate anchors the biography of a driver who pursued a blend of on-track competition and team stewardship in the contemporary NASCAR ecosystem.
2021 – Toyota Names 2022 GR 86 Official Pace Car for NASA Nationals at Daytona
Toyota announced on September 14, 2021 that the all-new 2022 GR 86 would serve as the official pace car for the National Auto Sport Association’s National Championships at Daytona. The press release detailed Toyota and NASA representatives’ plans for the model to lead parade laps and safety circuits during the multi-day event at the historic speedway, highlighting the GR 86’s role as a lightweight, driver-focused coupe suited to track activity. Naming the production coupe as pace car tied Toyota’s newest chassis and performance messaging directly to grassroots sports-car competition at Daytona.
