FEATURED POST

Fred Luther and one of the world's first (if not the first) automobile powered motorcycles

21-Jun-23 historicracing.com

Fred Luther was a pioneering motorcycle rider who had been competing since 1915. By 1934 his life must have become somewhat mundane as he came up with the idea of building a motorcycle to break the Land Speed Record....continue reading

LEGENDS SERIES

Grover Bergdoll

08-Jul-23 historicracing.com

Grover Cleveland Bergdoll was a wealthy early aviator, racing driver and notorious World War I draft dodger who fled to Germany to avoid service....continue reading
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The Donington Grand Prix in 1937

21-Apr-23 historicracing.com

The Donington Grand Prix in 1937. The first chance the British public had to see the Mercedes and Auto Union cars racing and, what a spectacle it proved to be! Though the reputation of the machines preceded them, no-one was prepared for that first lap. ...continue reading

Valdir Fauirin twin engined special

19-Apr-23 historicracing.com

Now then! The history of motoring has seen any number of twin-engined adventures, usually to nobody’s worthwhile benefit. But this wonderful little, Brazilian, home-build race car from 1971, was a bit special. Even for that sphere of novelty....continue reading

Behold the GAZ-TP

17-Apr-23 historicracing.com

Built in 1954, under official approval from the Supreme Presidium of the Soviet Socialist Republic, it’s claimed to have been the world’s first car ever jet-driven land vehicle, loaded, as it was, with the motivational extracts of a MIG-17....continue reading

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A list of the drivers born on this day. Note this is not a compete list, if you know of any driver who should be added, please contact us by clicking here. Thank you.



Events on February 3rd


Interesting and notable events from the history of motor sport.

1953

The first sub - ten second run on a quater mile dragstrip was achieved by Art Christman

1974

Grand Prix de President Medici, Autodromo do Brasilia, won by Emerson Fittipaldi in a McLaren.

Emerson Fittipaldi inaugurated the new Autodromo do Brasilia by winning the non-championship F1 'Grand Prix de President Medici' on the twisting 3.4 mile circuit built in the nation's capitol at an estimated cost of 3.5 million dollars. The 12 car "invitational" field was made up of two cars for Surtees (Carlos Pace, Jochen Mass), March (Howden Ganley, Hans Stuck), BRM (Jean-Pierre Beltoise, Henri Pescarolo) and Brabham (Carlos Reutemann and Wilson Fittipaldi in a one off drive), along with single entries for McLaren (E. Fittipaldi), Tyrell (Jody Scheckter), Iso (Arturo Merzario) and Hesketh Racing (James Hunt). Since only 12 cars fit on the plane, Hesketh paid the way for his new Harvey Postlthwaite designed car in hopes of testing and possibly racing it, only to discover an irreparable leak in a fuel tank bag. The first Hesketh chassis was scratched and Hunt moved to the March 731 the team used in the Argentine and Brazilian GPs. As in the two South American championship rounds, the start was a bit earlier than expected and pole winner Reutemann got away first, followed by E. Fittipaldi and Merzario, who'd moved from row 3. Hunt had been pushed off with bottom gear engaged and did 3 laps learning how to drive without a clutch only to have the gear linkage break. Merzario gamely held off Scheckter for a few laps, but Jody finally clawed his way past. Reutemann had felt something go wrong with the engine on the warm-up lap and after about 8 laps, he had to let Emerson by on one of the shorter straights. Reutemann went slower and slower until he pulled off circuit in a cloud of steam after completing 11 laps. This left Emerson all alone, apparently on his way to an easy victory. But, halfway around the 40th and final lap, Emerson suddenly slowed and raised a hand. It looked like he was waving to the crowd, but in fact he was trying to signal his McLaren crew that he was running out of fuel. By switching on the electric pump, he was able to drive on to the checkered. Scheckter soldiered on to 2nd despite a terrible vibration and "Little Art" Merzario took Frank Williams' Iso to a well earned 3rd. Named in honor of Brazil's outgoing president (whose administration pushed for and backed the autodrome), the race is the only international auto race held on the lavish, then state of the art circuit.

1980

Daytona 24 Hour Race. Won by Rolf Stommelen, Reinhold Joest and Volkert Merl in a Porsche 935.

The German trio of Rolf Stommelen, Reinhold Joest and Volkert Merl drove their Porsche 935 to victory in the 'Daytona 24 Hours' World Championship for Makes Sports Car race. The winners averaged 114.303 mph and covered 715 laps around the 3.84 mile Daytona International Speedway course.

LOST THIS YEAR

Basil van Rooyen

19/4/1939 - 14/9/2023

Ken McAlpine

21/9/1920 - 8/4/2023

Craig Breedlove

23/3/1937 - 4/4/2023

Slim Borgudd

25/11/1946 - 23/2/2023

Jean-Pierre Jabouille

1/10/1942 - 2/2/2023

Ken Block

21/11/1967 - 2/1/2023

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