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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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Events on February 4th


Interesting and notable events from the history of motor sport.

1927

Malcolm Campbell set a new Land Speed Record of 174.833 mph

1961

Teretonga International, New Zealand won by Jo Bonnier in a Cooper.

1962

Warwick Farm 100, Australia won by Stirling Moss in a Cooper-Climax.

1968

Daytona 24 Hour Race. Won by Vic Elford, Jochen Neerpasch, Jo Siffert, Rolf Stommelen and Hans Herrmann in a Porsche 962.

The Daytona 24 Hours race took place under new World Sports Car Championship rules limiting engines to 5 liters. With the 7 liter Fords and Chapparals no longer eligible, 4.7 liter John Wyer Ford GT40s and a hoarde of 2.2 liter Porsche 907s took to the grid. Driving a Wyer GT40, Jacky Ickx still turned practice laps faster than the 7 liter cars did the year before. In the race, the Wyer entries broke, the Howmet turbine car slapped the wall and the Porsches cruised. The winning Porsche was driven by Vic Elford and Jochen Neerpasch for most of the race, with Porsche putting Jo Siffert, Rolf Stommelen and Hans Herrmann in the car in the late going as 907s finished 1-2-3.

1973

Tasman Cup, Surfers Paradise, Australia. Won by Frank Matich in a Holden/Repco powered Matich A50.

1979

Daytona 24 Hour Race. Won by Danny Ongais, Hurley Haywood and Ted Field in a Porsche 935.

Danny Ongais, Hurley Haywood and Ted Field drove a Porsche 935 to victory in the 'Daytona 24 Hours' Sports Car race, round 1 of the World Championship for Makes. The Ferrari 365 of John Morton and Tony Adamowicz finished 2nd with the Porsche 935 of Rick Mears, Bruce Canepa and Monte Shelton 3rd. The winners completed 684 laps around the 3.84 mile Daytona International Speedway course, averaging 109.409 mph.

1979

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos, won by Jacques Laffite in a Ligier.

Jacques Laffite won the Brazilian Grand Prix on the 4.94 mile Interlagos circuit as the Ligier team dominated for the second straight race. This time the all Ligier front row had Laffite on the pole and Patrick Depailler alongside. As the field rolled off, Carlos Reutemann's Lotus would not start. He was push started after the entire field left, and weaved back through to re-take his 3rd spot on the grid. Lafitte led from the green, Depailler quickly regained second from Reutemann, and the Ligiers easily pulled away. Lafitte beat Depailler by 5.2 seconds with Reutemann another 39 seconds back in third. A protest was filed against Reutemann, but his finish was left to stand on the grounds that a penalty should have been imposed prior to the start of the race.

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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