Historic Racing Articles
In-depth stories from motorsport history
Rodger Ward Wins the 1959 Indy 500, and displays the 'instantly printed' newspaper headline to prove it.
Ward had been running the 500 every year since 1951 with only a solitary 8th place to show for it. But his luck would change when his 1959 win initiated an unprecedented 6 year run of results, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 1st, 4th, 2nd. Finally notching up a total of 26 USAC victories, which was enough that today ...
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Now here's a proper bunch of chaps: These worthy gentlemen are about to embark on the The New York-Paris race of 1908.
Now here's a proper bunch of chaps: These worthy gentlemen are about to embark on the The New York-Paris race of 1908.
After the indifferent success of the 1907 Peking to Paris event, it was inevitable that people would want to go through it all again, but this time on an even bigger scale.
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Tommy Milton, winner on the Boards, Bricks, Dirt and Sand, gave no quarter and expected none.
Tommy became one of the most successful drivers of his era despite the complete lack of sight in his right eye and only limited vision in his left! (He managed to pass his medicals by simply memorising the standard eyesight test cards of the day.)
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At Rio’s Jacarepagua circuit back in 1968, what was described as Brazil’s only ever, all-Volkswagen Kombi race took place.
Which sort of implies that it was probably the World’s only ever, all-Volkswagen Kombi race! The winner was local sportscar ace Sergio Cardoso. More usually seen at the wheel of a Ford GT40, and shown here displaying his customary, lucky number thirteen.
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This fabulous beast is the 1902 Baker Torpedo.
34 year old Walter C.Baker was a successful and prodigious producer of electrically driven vehicles between 1899 and 1916 and could count Thomas Edison himself, as one of his customers
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Few car builders have ever arrived with the impact that Cisitalia made in the fun-starved, post-war 1940s.
And few have ever shown so much promise and spent so much money, only to ultimately achieve so little.
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Ukyo Katayama rescued from Mt Fuji on Friday 18th December 2009
On Friday December 18, Katayama was reported missing whilst climbing Mount Fuji with two friends. Temperatures on the 3,776-metre mountain had dropped below minus 25 degrees Celsius before dawn on Friday. They had pitched their tents at around 2,750 metres but when they blew away, they were at the ...
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Bruce McLaren at Riverside back in 1966.
The Robin Herd designed Mallite monocoque McLaren M2B was used extensively as a test car for Firestone.
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Denny Hulme was the son of a Victoria Cross winner and in 1967 became New Zealand's only ever World Champion.
Best of all, he was known for being grumpy. An image enhanced by the fact that he looked about 20 years older than he actually was. Journalists, whom he generally hated, called him "The Bear" on account of his grumpiness. He liked that.
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While perusing the miasma of misery that passes for Motorsport in the 21st century, you may have wondered where it all began.
Well the answer is, as if you care; July 22nd 1894 and the Paris-Rouen Trial. The World's first organised, competitive, motoring event.
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The origins of Ferrari's prancing horse.
As far as is known, Major Baracca never even sat in a racing car. “So what’s he doing here then?” You rightly moan. Well, take a squint at the badge on the side of his plane, look familiar at all?
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Chaps Number 3
This week back in 2008 Chris served up a mix of remarkable images from the past including the iconic image of Major Peter Braid's Cooper on the roof of a hut at Blandford Army Camp
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