1187 replies to this topic

[Egon Thurner]

Originally posted by rdrcr
Celebrating our 1st anniversary today!

I didn't contribute a lot, it went much too fast for an old man ...
But I always watched this space and I will return often, espacally since we have an index now.

Thanks for the great work and for not giving up, rdrcr - and all the other contributors ..

[Doug Nye]

Belated congratulations Richard -

By the way, December 19, 1944, saw Hitler's counter-offensive in the Ardennes which became known as the Battle of the Bulge reach its furthest point west before being held... and a ferocious battle raging for the bridge familiar to all habitues of the old Spa-Francorchamps circuit - in the village of Stavelot.

DCN

[Barry Lake]

Congratulations to all who have stayed with this thread for an entire year.

I loved the idea from the outset and had wanted to contribute. Unfortunately my life became too full and complicated. But I have been following it whenever I could, and have enjoyed it immensely.

Thanks to all. I look forward to seeing how it evolves throughout a second year - surely it must become more difficult, but perhaps even more valuable.

[ehagar]

On December 29, 1973, Cal Rayborn died. He was prehaps the greatest American Motorcycle racer there ever was.

Cal was originally a dirt tracker but eventually went road racing. He was a natural and carried Harley-Davidson colours from dirt tracking to AMA road racing. He remains the last rider to win for Harley on a road course.

In 1972 Cal went to England for the Trans-Atlantic Match Race series. It featured the top British and American riders going head to head. Cal won 3 of the 6 races in the series on tracks he had never seen before, and he tied Ray Pickerell for most points in the series.

Eventually Harley became uncompetitive and Cal had to turn elsewhere. He decided on Suzuki and it looked like international stardom beckoned. Over the winter in 1973 he travelled to NEw Zealand for a club race. He was killed when the engine seized as he entered a 120-mile-per hour turn and he crashed into a fence.

When I think, 'Who was the Greatest Motorcycle racer of them all?", I think of not Ago, Hailwood, or Rossi, but the King, Kenny Roberts Sr. Prehaps my answer could have been Calvin Rayborn II.

I see AMA Soup did an article on him:

http://www.amasuperb...Dec/031229b.htm

[Frank S]

Cal Rayborn was easing his way into four-wheel racing during the year before his death. The Camaro he chose to drive in his first SCCA training and regional racing sessions was of modest capability and appearance, in contrast to Cal's natural gifts.

Modest and self-effacing, he was eager and quick to learn, showing fine potential and absolute speed with what appeared to be little wasted effort.

I looked forward to following his new career in auto racing as well. It was a sad day when mutual friend Harry Bokker told me of the accident. Not easy to accept the interruption of what would surely have been a continuing stellar arc by a genuinely good guy.

RIP, Cal.

[fvebr]

Sorry ....

But i couldn't miss that One

Not racing History but on December 31...

1938 Dr Rolla Neil HARGER Officially Introduced the 1st Drunkometer



Remember that tomorrow

[fvebr]

Some Corrects And Adds For January 6th

1926 Birth of AAA Driver Pat FLAHERTY in Glendale (Ca)
1981 Birth of BTCC Driver Gareth HOWELL


And a Question....
Pablo BIRGER Born 6th or 7th 1924 ???

[rdrcr]

Thanks fvebr...

I have this from grandprix.com

Name: Pablo Birger
Nationality: Argentina
Date of birth: January 6, 1924 - Buenos Aires, Argentina
Date of death: March 9, 1966 - Buenos Aires, Argentina

_______________

Thanks everyone for your well wishes and further contributions - watch out Jim, I'm sure your work will be pirated into this thread!

[David McKinney]

Getting back to Cal Raybourn
He took an F5000 Lola T190 with him to NZ, but the bike accident happened before his first scheduled race in it.
Perhaps he wanted to make his single-seater debut away from the glare of US publicity. That was the main reason he was in NZ, and the bike race looks like someone taking the opportunity of his presence in the country at that time

[vintagerpm]

Originally posted by Jim Thurman
John Bigham?. Name doesn't ring a bell. Can anyone fill in more?

Originally posted by rdrcr

Just heard back from Mike Stucker, seems this one is in error or there is no other info to substantiate the report. Accordingly, that data has been removed from the Dec. 3rd date.

Just found this over on the www.ten-tenths.com board, dated December 2, 2003:

I saw on the front page of the site that today is exactly 10 years ago that John Bingham died of complications from AIDS. I had the pleasure of not only meeting John Bingham but getting a ride around Sears Point with him in a BMW back in the late 80's. At that time it was my first time around a racing track and I will always remember that ride. When you are 14 or 15 and get a pro to take you around a 'death' lap around a track like Sears Point in a street BMW, you remember it for ever, even if you raced Formula cars around that track...

John Bingham was an instructor at Skip Barber racing and a racer as well. I remeber years latter, maybe a year or so before he died that he was able to gather some money together to do 1 Barber Pro-Series race and promptly won it. He used the price money to do another, and I think he won that as one too. John was a good driver, one that never got a shot to show his stuff and a heck of a nice guy that is missed by anyone who knew him or met him.

Mike Stucker
www.vintageRPM.com

[rdrcr]

Originally posted by vintagerpm

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Jim Thurman

John Bigham?. Name doesn't ring a bell. Can anyone fill in more?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by rdrcr

Just heard back from Mike Stucker, seems this one is in error or there is no other info to substantiate the report. Accordingly, that data has been removed from the Dec. 3rd date.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just found this over on the www.ten-tenths.com board, dated December 2, 2003:

I saw on the front page of the site that today is exactly 10 years ago that John Bingham died of complications from AIDS. I had the pleasure of not only meeting John Bingham but getting a ride around Sears Point with him in a BMW back in the late 80's. At that time it was my first time around a racing track and I will always remember that ride. When you are 14 or 15 and get a pro to take you around a 'death' lap around a track like Sears Point in a street BMW, you remember it for ever, even if you raced Formula cars around that track...

John Bingham was an instructor at Skip Barber racing and a racer as well. I remeber years latter, maybe a year or so before he died that he was able to gather some money together to do 1 Barber Pro-Series race and promptly won it. He used the price money to do another, and I think he won that as one too. John was a good driver, one that never got a shot to show his stuff and a heck of a nice guy that is missed by anyone who knew him or met him.

Mike Stucker
www.vintageRPM.com

Thanks Mike and welcome to TNF.

I have once again entered John Bingham's passing in the Dec. 3rd post.

[wawawa]

I thought this article on the BBC might be of interest

[rdrcr]

Thanks for that wa.... I don't think Jim or I had that one.

[john glenn printz]

In the Printz/McMaken AAA listings (1981 & 1984) Reeves Dutton is listed as the winner of the 7/14/17 Minneapolis 50 miler. We might be right! In the most detailed report on this race (MOTOR AGE, 7/19/18, ps. 20-22) Reeves is unequivalently listed as the winner. I also have three 7/15/17 newspaper reports stating Reeves as the winner. Still most 7/15/17 reports have Cooper as the victor, which became the Haresnape, Catlin, Russo orthodoxy. The 7/14/17 race is the only AAA "Championship" event in which the actual victor is still in doubt.

[Jim Thurman]

John, nice to see you here. Thank you for your input.

Fascinating about the Dutton versus Cooper situation. It's nice to know that is the only major AAA race in doubt.

As time went by, I came to the conclusion that the information done by you and McMaken was more reliable than that done by Bochroch. I definitely wanted to make sure credit was given for my sources. And I am always looking for corrections and clarification of items in "This Date In Auto Racing".

Thanks to both of you for undertaking such an effort, otherwise it would be lost to history!

[Gary Davies]

Goodness, I am surprised to note that this thread has been slumbering for nearly a whole year. (Hope I've got the right one!)

It's August 4, ladies and gents. 50 years since el Chueco delivered his Masterclass at the Nürburgring.

Fond memories of a stirring race and three gentlemen, Fangio, Hawthorn and Collins.

[Ray Bell]

A most appropriate date on which to recall such a thread...

As a matter of fact, without realising it, I was talking about that very race today!

[Terry Walker]

There was a very good movie about that race - I remember showing it at the Light Car Club of WA when I was president and chief projectionist. Every second lap after the terrible pit stop you could year the racecourse commentator crying out "Neue Rundrekord!" or similar. Fantatsic event. (I wonder if the movie's on DVD? Bound to be..)

[phredV]

I meant to post this earlier, but forgot....

The Official Indianapolis 500 Web site claims these races were scheduled, but
cancelled, due to snow.......



On this day December 17,

1909, The second race at the Indianpolis Motor Speedway, and the first to take place on the brick surface. Really, In the snow? Or, it must have been in between storms...

[Darren Galpin]

Indianapolis, IN

17th-18th December 1909



FP  # Driver 		Car 		 	Time



17th December: 20 miles (2.5 miles x 8 laps) - Free-For-All

 1  5 John Aitken 	National 40 		0:16:18.41, 73.589 mph

 2  6 Harry Stillman 	Marmon 32 		0:17:03.74

 3  7 Howard Marmon 	Marmon 32 		0:17:52.88

 4 12 Walter Donnelly 	Packard 30 		0:18:43.83

 5  9 William Endicott 	Cole 30 		0:21:22.11

 6 10 Sewell Motsinger 	Empire 20 		0:25:50.43

 7  4 Tom Kincaid 	National 40 		5 laps/Out of oil



17th December: 1 mile Time Trial

   10 Sewell Motsinger 	Empire 20 		0:01:20.46, 44.743 mph

	9 William Endicott 	Cole 30 		0:01:05.97, 54.570 mph

	4 Tom Kincaid 	National 40 		0:00:49.20, 73.171 mph

	5 John Aitken 	National 40 		0:00:50.00, 72.000 mph

   12 Walter Donnelly 	Packard 30 		0:00:58.60, 61.433 mph

	  Walter Christie 	Christie FD 120 	0:00:47.06, 76.498 mph

	  Walter Christie 	Christie FD 120 	0:00:46.22, 77.888 mph

	5 John Aitken 	National 40 		0:00:50.53, 71.245 mph

	5 John Aitken 	National 40 		0:00:45.00, 80.000 mph

	  Lewis Strang 	Fiat 			0:00:46.18, 77.956 mph

	  Lewis Strang 	Fiat 			0:00:40.61, 88.648 mph



18th December: 1 mile Time Trial

	  Walter Christie 	Christie FD 120 	0:00:50.10, 71.856 mph

	  Walter Christie 	Christie FD 120 	0:00:42.58, 84.517 mph

	  Walter Christie 	Christie FD 120 	0:00:43.03, 83.663 mph

	  Walter Christie 	Christie FD 120 	0:00:43.77, 82.248 mph

	  Lewis Strang 	Fiat 120 		0:00:39.21, 91.813 mph

	  Sewell Motsinger 	Empire 20 		0:01:17.03, 46.735 mph



18th December: 5 mile Time Trial

	  Lewis Strang 	Fiat 120 		0:03:17.70, 91.047 mph

N.B. - The circuit was by now paved with bricks. The air temperature for the races was extremely cold, with temperatures near zero degrees Celsius for both days.

From Phil Harms' data and the Dallas Morning News.

[HistoricMustang]

Today in Nascar History January 17th:

Birthdays:

Lake Speed
Michael "Fatback" McSwain
Harry Hyde (RIP)

Events:

Jan 17th, 1965: Road Racing expert Dan Gurney wins his second straight 500 miler at Riverside. The race is marred by the death of a 20 year old spectator, who was crushed when a forklift overturned in the infield. Three other spectators were injured.

Jan 17th, 1981: In light of new guidelines requiring the use of downsized cars (110 inch wheelbase vs the older 115 inch wheelbase), Richard Petty tests the dodge mirada at Daytona. The car is unable to run competitive speeds, so Petty gives up any idea of returning to the Chrysler fold.

Races:

Jan 17th, 1965: Riverside, CA: Winner: Dan Gurney (started 11th), ford, race avg at 87.708, 7 lead changes among 4 drivers, 2 cautions. Pole Winner: Junior Johnson at 102.846 mph.

[HistoricMustang]

Today in Nascar History January 18th:

Birthdays:

Christian Fittipaldi
Bill Davis

Events:

Jan 18th, 1970: A.J. Foyt's Ford nips Roger McCluskey's Plymouth Superbird to win the season opener at Riverside. Five-time winner Dan Gurney finishes sixth.

Races:

Jan 18th, 1970: Riverside, CA: Winner: A.J. Foyt (started 3rd), ford, race avg at 97.450, 20 lead changes among 7 drivers, 6 cautions for 31 laps. Pole Winner: Dan Gurney at 112.060 mph.

Jan 18th, 1976: Riverside, CA: Winner: David Pearson (started 2nd), mercury, race avg at 99.180, 17 lead changes among 9 drivers, 5 cautions for 20 laps. Pole Winner: Bobby Allison at 112.416 mph.

[HistoricMustang]

Today in Nascar History January 19th:

Birthdays:

No birthdays today.

Deaths:

Joe Weatherly (RIP)

Events:

Jan 19th, 1964: Dan Gurney laps the field and easily wins the Riverside 500. Joe Weatherly, two-time defending Nascar Grand National Champion, loses his life when he crashes into a concrete wall in the late stages of the race.

Races:

Jan 19th, 1964: Riverside, CA: Winner: Dan Gurney (started 4th), ford, race avg at 91.245, 5 lead changes among 4 drivers, 2 cautions. Pole Winner: Fred Lorenzen at 102.433 mph.

Jan 19th, 1975: Riverside, CA: Winner: Bobby Allison (started 1st), matador, race avg at 98.627, 13 lead changes among 5 drivers, 5 cautions for 29 laps. Pole Winner: Bobby Allison at 110.382 mph.

Jan 19th, 1980: Riverside, CA: Winner: Darrell Waltrip (started 1st), chevy, race avg at 94.974, 5 lead changes among 4 drivers, 2 cautions for 30 laps. Pole Winner: Darrell Waltrip at 113.404 mph. (race was finished on the 19th, started on 13th but postponed to 19th because of rain)

[HistoricMustang]

Today in Nascar History January 20th:

Birthdays:

Glenn "Fireball" Roberts (RIP)

Events:

Jan 20th, 1952: Tim Flock wins the 100-mile season opener at Palm Beach Speedway in West Palm Beach, FL. Bernard Alvarez escapes injury when his olds flips over and the roof caves in. Nascar rules are amended to now require the use of steel roll bars on all race cars.

Jan 20th, 1963: Dan Gurney outduels A.J. Foyt to win the 500-mile race at Riverside. The race is a grueling affair that takes nearly six hours to complete.

Races:

Jan 20th, 1952: W.Palm Beach, FL: Winner: Tim Flock (started 1st), hudson, 0 lead changes, 2 cautions. Pole Winner: Tim Flock at 64.794 mph.

Jan 20th, 1963: Riverside, CA: Winner: Dan Gurney (started 11th), ford, race avg at 84.965, 9 lead changes among 6 drivers, 6 cautions. Pole Winner: Paul Goldsmith at 98.809 mph.

Jan 20th, 1974: Riverside, CA: Winner: Cale Yarborough (started 2nd), chevy, race avg at 101.140, 15 lead changes among 5 drivers, 2 cautions for 12 laps. Pole Winner: David Pearson at 110.098 mph. (race was started on 20th but finished on 26th due to rain).

[HistoricMustang]

Today in Nascar History January 21st:

Birthdays:

Robert Hughes
Roman Pemberton
John Willenborg

Events:

Jan 21st, 1973: Mark Donohue drives his Roger Penske Matador to a surprising win in the season opening Winston Western 500 at Riverside. Donohue's first win comes in his fifth Nascar start.

Races:

Jan 21st, 1968: Riverside, CA: Winner: Dan Gurney (started 1st), ford, race avg at 100.598, 16 lead changes among 4 drivers. Pole Winner: Dan Gurney at 110.971 mph.

Jan 21st, 1973: Riverside, CA: Winner: Mark Donohue (started 4th), matador, race avg at 104.055, 10 lead changes among 3 drivers, 3 cautions for 10 laps. Pole Winner: David Pearson at 110.856 mph.

Our organization wants to thank "RaceCrazy" for putting this together each day. He has given his approval to share with the TNF members!

[HistoricMustang]

Today in Nascar History January 22nd:

Birthdays:

Emma Blaney
Rebecca Shepperd
Sean Pragano
Ashton Lewis Jr.

Events:

Jan 22nd, 1951: Bill Holland, winner of the 1949 Indianapolis 500, is suspended from AAA Indy Car racing. Holland, who has never finished worse than second in four starts in the Memorial Day classic, is kicked out of AAA for one year for competing in a three-lap Lion's Charity race at Opa Locka, FL., on Nov 14, 1950. The AAA has a strict rule forbidding its drivers to participate in any race other than its own.

Jan 22nd, 1978: Cale Yarborough drives his oldsmobile to a close decision over Benny Parsons to win the Winston Western 500 at Riverside. It is the first win for the Oldsmobile nameplate since 1959.

January 22nd, 2007: Nascar announces that for the 2007 chase, 12 drivers will be eligible instead of 10. They also announce that 5 more points will be awarded per race victory and that the chase seeding will be decided based on wins throught the first 26 races of the schedule.

Races:

Jan 22nd, 1956: Phoenix, AZ: Winner: Buck Baker (started 12th), chrysler, race avg at 64.408. Pole Winner: Joe Weatherly at 71.315 mph.

Jan 22nd, 1967: Riverside, CA: Winner: Parnelli Jones (started 6th), ford, race avg at 91.080, 10 lead changes among 7 drivers. Pole Winner: Dick Hutcherson at 106.951 mph. (race was started on 22nd but finished on 29th of January because of rain).

Jan 22nd, 1978: Riverside, CA: Winner: Cale Yarborough (started 4th), Olds, race avg at 102.269, 12 lead changes among 4 drivers, 4 cautions for 17 laps. Pole Winner: David Pearson at 113.204 mph.

[fines]

Originally posted by HistoricMustang
Jan 22nd, 1951: Bill Holland, winner of the 1949 Indianapolis 500, is suspended from AAA Indy Car racing. Holland, who has never finished worse than second in four starts in the Memorial Day classic, is kicked out of AAA for one year for competing in a three-lap Lion's Charity race at Opa Locka, FL., on Nov 14, 1950. The AAA has a strict rule forbidding its drivers to participate in any race other than its own.

Perhaps this record needs to be put straight: while the charity race undoubtedly was the event that triggered the suspension, it was merely the culmination of a three-year-plus campaign of Mr. Holland to annoy race promoters, spectators, fellow competitors and the AAA as well as one or two other sanctioning bodies with his antics, most of which had only one reason to it: $$$$, and more of the same!

[Jim Thurman]

Originally posted by HistoricMustang
Today in Nascar History:

Races:

Jan 18th, 1970: Riverside, CA: Winner: A.J. Foyt (started 3rd), ford, race avg at 97.450, 20 lead changes among 7 drivers, 6 cautions for 31 laps. Pole Winner: Dan Gurney at 112.060 mph.

Jan 20th, 1974: Riverside, CA: Winner: Cale Yarborough (started 2nd), chevy, race avg at 101.140, 15 lead changes among 5 drivers, 2 cautions for 12 laps. Pole Winner: David Pearson at 110.098 mph. (race was started on 20th but finished on 26th due to rain).

Jan 21st, 1973: Riverside, CA: Winner: Mark Donohue (started 4th), matador, race avg at 104.055, 10 lead changes among 3 drivers, 3 cautions for 10 laps. Pole Winner: David Pearson at 110.856 mph.

I was there for all three of these.

Best memory of the 1970 race, seeing Parnelli Jones come off of turn 9 in the lead (after having been forced to start 35th over a tire dispute with NASCAR), sticking his arm out the driver's side window as he crossed the start-finish line and "saluting" the press box, where NASCAR's officials (including Bill France) were

Worst memories, seeing Buddy Young's car flipping or noticing the aftermath of a crash into the end of the turn 9 wall and realizing that what looked like two cars was Jim Cook's, bent in the middle

For the 1974 race, rain is an understatement. Yarborough said he saw snow flurries on the backstraight as they were coming in to park. My brother and I were in the next to last row of the high Turn 6 bleachers. It was a mad scramble when a true deluge came down. I still remember sitting in my brother's car and not being able to see out the windows because it was raining so hard!

It was worse when it resumed the next week, windy and COLD.

[HistoricMustang]

Originally posted by fines

Perhaps this record needs to be put straight: while the charity race undoubtedly was the event that triggered the suspension, it was merely the culmination of a three-year-plus campaign of Mr. Holland to annoy race promoters, spectators, fellow competitors and the AAA as well as one or two other sanctioning bodies with his antics, most of which had only one reason to it: $$$$, and more of the same!

A nineteen year old is putting this together and has been doing the exercise daily for over two years. I would certainly hope that with the untold hours being spent putting the information in place we might offer a small amount of error.

[fines]

Not so much aimed at the 19-yo (didn't even know that!), but a general comment about the typical reception of that and other, similar incidents: "Aw, the poor driver, and those witch-hunting starched shirts of the AAA again..." - behind those typical façades, things often look different...

[HistoricMustang]

Today in Nascar History January 23rd:

Birthdays:

Daryl Rasnake
Emanuel Zervakis
Bill Patterson
Brian France

Events:

Jan 23rd, 1949: Nascar President Bill France promotes a 100-mile race at the new Broward Speedway. The huge two-mile speedway consists of a paved circle used as taxiways at the Ft. Lauderdale-Davie Airport. Red Byron sets the pack in qualifying with a speed of just over 115 mph. Lloyd Christopher wins a preliminary 10-mile "Strictly Stock Late Model" race. Fonty Flock wins the 50-lap feature at an average speed of 97 mph.

Jan 23rd, 2006: Nascar announces that Toyota will enter the Nextel cup and Busch series beginning in 2007. Nascar also announces that the car of tomorrow, or COT will be used at some tracks starting in 2007 and will be implimented at all tracks starting in 2009. The COT's first race will be at Bristol in 2007.

Races:

Jan 23rd, 1966: Riverside, CA: Winner: Dan Gurney (started 2nd), ford, race avg at 97.952, 9 lead changes among 3 drivers, 2 cautions. Pole Winner: David Pearson at 106.078 mph.

Jan 23rd, 1972: Riverside, CA: Winnner: Richard Petty (started 2nd), plymouth, race avg at 104.016, 8 lead changes among 3 drivers, 3 cautions for 7 laps. Pole Winner: A.J. Foyt at 110.033 mph.

[HistoricMustang]

Today in Nascar History January 24th:

Birthdays:

Austin Cameron
Bob Schacht
Greg Wallace
Mike Harmon

Events:

No events held on this date.

Races:

No races ever held on this date.

[Jim Thurman]

Originally posted by HistoricMustang
Today in Nascar History January 23rd:

Races:

Jan 23rd, 1966: Riverside, CA: Winner: Dan Gurney (started 2nd), ford, race avg at 97.952, 9 lead changes among 3 drivers, 2 cautions. Pole Winner: David Pearson at 106.078 mph.

I remember this one too, my first "big" race. Two standout memories, sitting in the "esses" and watching Curtis Turner go off-roading, in a Ford Galaxie. Spectacular.

Then moving to the exit of turn 6 late in the race and watching Jerry Grant drive by steering with one hand on the wheel while holding and eating a sandwich with the other. A few laps later, Grant came by, again with one hand on the wheel, while drinking from a bottle of Coca-Cola.

[HistoricMustang]

Thanks for the input!

In order to keep the ORIGINAL IDEA of this thread, I believe with the next posting a thread dedicated to NASCAR history will be logged.

I will do my best to transfer the information provided by the young author on a daily basis (or as quick as he assembles).

Realizing that some of the information (hey, this is NASCAR) may be open to question I would simply ask that corrections of the young man's work be done in the normal professional manner of the TNF members. Thanks!

Henry

[Stefan Schmidt]

Today, 30 years ago Patrick Depailler could have won the 24hours of Le Mans...

[ranocchio61]

visitate il nostro sito
http://www.amicidellatargaflorio.com/

[eldougo]

March 18th 1950 .......Larry Clifton Perkins......Happy 61st Birthday old friend .

Edited by eldougo, 22 March 2011 - 09:00.

[Graham Clayton]

August 31,


1918, Grand Prix driver, Bill Homeier was born.

Very much off topic, but Bill Homeier still holds a rather unusual Indianapolis 500 record.

Although he finished 33rd and last in the 1954 Indianapolis 500, he completed 74 laps before retiring, which is still the most laps by a last-placed finisher.