thebear's archive of motorsports trivia

[thebear]

"It is certain that there will be no sale of Chrysler or of a part of the brand. Changes in personnel are also not envisioned".

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Dieter Zetche, Chaiman and CEO of DaimlerChrysler, 22 SEP 06 in an interview with the Geman newspaper Die Welt.

On 14 FEB 07 Dr.Z announced 13,000 job cuts and the search for a buyer for Chrysler.

[Chatters]

I'll say.

[thebear]

I have to confess that when I see something worthwhile, I squirrel it away for`dry spells' such as this month (I almost got away with it).

I try and "round off" the dates as luckilly not everything has happened at once.

[thebear]

JAN 2, 1882

Standard Oil trust formed

On this day in 1882, John D. Rockefeller officially united his Standard Oil Company w/its various producing, refining, & marketing affiliates to form the Standard Oil Trust, the nation's 1st sanctioned monopoly. Indeed, the Standard Oil Trust was a behemoth that effectively dominated the oil industry. Under the terms of the Standard Oil Trust Agreement, brokered by Rockefeller & eight other trustees, the oil giant could be acquired, sold, combined or divided as necessary. While this was all good for Standard Oil's trustees, the company's cutthroat tactics raised the ire of certain legislators, as well as some sectors of the public. In 1892, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled in favor of splitting Standard Oil's monopoly, tho Rockefeller was able to maintain the company's choke-hold on the industry by shifting its holdings to companies located in other states. In 1899, Rockefeller formally reunited these companies under the NJ-based Standard Oil Company. However, the passage of the Sherman Antitrust Act (1890), which was a byproduct of the growing distaste for Standard Oil's hard-driving practices, finally spelled the end of the company's monopoly. In 1911, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Standard Oil was illegal under the terms of the Sherman Act & forced the company to shed its primary holdings.

Remember this next time you shop at an Exxon/Esso station.

[D-Type]

The first GP de l'ACF was in 1906. The creative counting comes in when they tried to claim some of the inter-city races before this so as to make the 25th 50th or some such anniversry fall a few years early.
The American Grand Prize was 1908
Indianapolis International Sweepstakes 1911Spanish GP 1913 (but this was a reliability trial)
Italian GP 1921
Belgian GP 1925
German GP 1926 (for sports cars)
RAC British GP 1926

Only those in red have a near continuous history

[thebear]

A retrospective on Jose Carlos Pace

[thebear]

Stirling Moss made history in the 1960 Monaco F-1 race by taking Lotus’ first ever grand prix victory.

. .. .

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by thebear

Stirling Moss made history in the 1960 Monaco F-1 race by taking Lotus’ first ever grand prix victory.

. .. .

Ironic really when you consider it was a Rob Walker entered car rather than a Lotus works car ..... but then it was Moss!

[thebear]

May 21, 1977

Janet Guthrie qualifies for the Indianapolis 500

Janet Guthrie (born 3/7/1938 in Iowa City, IA) is a race car driver & the 1st woman to qualify & compete in both the Indy 500 & the Daytona 500.

Guthrie was originally an aerospace engineer & after graduating from the University of Michigan, she worked w/Republic Aviation. She began racing in '63 on the SCCA circuit in a Jaguar XK 140 & by '72, she was racing on a full-time basis.

In '76, Guthrie got her 1st big break in racing, being invited to drive at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for team owner Rolla Vollstedt, but failed to qualify. The same year, she was invited to compete in NA$CAR as well. She competed in the '76 World 600, finishing 15th, becoming the 1st woman to compete in a NA$CAR Winston Cup superspeedway race. Guthrie would go on to compete in 4 more races that season. The following season, she competed in her 1st Daytona 500, finishing 12th when her car's engine blew 2 cylinders w/10 laps to go. For the race, tho, she still earned the honor of Top Rookie. OA, Guthrie went on to compete in 33 races in NA$CAR over 4 seasons, finishing as high as 6th place.

Guthrie qualified for & competed in the 1977 Indy 500, but finished 29th w/engine troubles. She would compete in 2 more Indy 500s, finishing as high as 9th in the '78 race. OA, she competed in 11 IndyCar events finishing as high as 5th.

Nevertheless, Guthrie's place in history was secure. Her helmet & race suit can be found in the Smithsonian Institution & Guthrie was one of the 1st elected to the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame. She was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame on 4/27/2006. Her '05 autobiography, "Janet Guthrie: A Life at Full Throttle," has received critical praise in such publications as Sports Illustrated.

[thebear]

Steve Matchett: A Look BACK at McLaren’s 1988 MP4-4.

[thebear]

Viva la Mille Miglia !

After having been cancelled since 1958 for security concerns, it was revamped in 1982 as an historical race for sports cars built between 1927 and 1957 and now takes place annually.

Every single car taking part in the competition has its own special story. See #1 , #2 & #3 . . . .

[johnh875]

Originally Posted by D-Type

The first GP de l'ACF was in 1906. The creative counting comes in when they tried to claim some of the inter-city races before this so as to make the 25th 50th or some such anniversry fall a few years early.
The American Grand Prize was 1908
Indianapolis International Sweepstakes 1911Spanish GP 1913 (but this was a reliability trial)
Italian GP 1921
Belgian GP 1925
German GP 1926 (for sports cars)
RAC British GP 1926

Only those in red have a near continuous history

To which I would add:
Australian GP 1928
Of course it is only since 1985 that it has been part of the F1 world championship but the era of the 50's and 60's there was a lot of international competition with current F1 cars taking part.

[thebear]

June 18, 1935
Rolls-Royce is registered as a trademark.

[thebear]

Part 1 of the MASERATI "BIRDCAGE" story.

To be continued . . . . .

[thebear]

A history of the 1963 Corvette "Grand Sport".

This LINK has extensive documentation and should you follow the hyperlinks at the bottom of each page you will have several HOURS reading material. . .

[John Turner]

Loved that 350GT when it came out and still do. It was the start of great things and Lambo, from quite early on became a viable alternative to Ferrari.
Good on Ferrucci, I say!

[thebear]

November 8

- 1866
Austin founder born in England

Herbert Austin, the founder of the Austin Motor Company, was born the son of a farmer in Little Missenden, Buckinghamshire, England, on this day. At the age of 22, Austin moved to Melbourne, Australia, where he served as an apprentice engineer at a foundry, before becoming the manager of the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Company. Long journeys into the wide-open spaces of Australia gave him insight into the benefits of gasoline-driven vehicles, & Austin decided to try his luck in the burgeoning automobile industry. In 1893, Austin returned to England w/the Wolseley Company & began work on his 1st automobile. Like his American counterpart, Henry Ford, Austin hoped to produce an affordable motor car for the masses, & by 1895 the Wolseley Company completed its 1st vehicle, a 3-wheeled automobile, followed by the 1st 4-wheeled Wolseley vehicle in 1900. In 1905, Herbert Austin founded the Austin Motor Company in Birmingham, England, & by 1914, the company was producing over 1,000 automobiles a year. During WW I, Austin & his factories joined in the British war effort, a service for which he was knighted in 1917. In 1922, w/the introduction of the Austin 7 Tourer, Sir Herbert Austin finally fulfilled his ambition to produce a mass-produced automobile. The diminutive vehicle, boasting 4-wheel brakes & a maximum speed of 50mph, was an instant success in England. In 1930, the Austin 7 was introduced to America, & enjoyed 5 years of modest U.S. sales before falling prey to the hard times of the Depression in 1935.

- 1956
What's in a name

On this day, the Ford Motor Company decided on the name "Edsel" for a new model in development for the 1958 market year. The new addition to the Ford family of automobiles would be a tribute to Edsel Bryant Ford, who served as company president from 1919 until his death in 1943. Edsel Ford was also the oldest son of founder Henry Ford & father to then company President Henry Ford II. The designer of the Edsel, Roy Brown, was instructed to create an automobile that was highly recognizable, & from every angle different than anything else on the road. In the fall of 1957, w/great fanfare, the 1958 Edsel was introduced to the public. With its horse collar grill in the front & its regressed side-panels in the rear, the Edsel indeed looked like nothing else on the road. However, despite its appearance, the Ford Edsel was a high-tech affair, featuring state-of-the-art innovations such as the "Tele-Touch" push-button automatic transmission. Nevertheless, buyer appeal was low, & the Ford Edsel earned just a 1.5% share of the market in 1958. After 2 more years, the Edsel marque was abandoned, & its name would forever be synonymous w/business failure.

[thebear]

November 13

- 1916
E. L. Cord's 1st racing victory

Errett Lobban Cord, the genius behind the Auburn, Cord & Duesenberg family of automobiles, 1st became involved w/automobiles as a racing car mechanic & driver. On this day, the 20-year-old Cord won his 1st motor race in Arizona. Cord, driving a Paige vehicle designed by Harry Jewett, won the 275-mile race from Douglas (AZ) to Phoenix (AZ). From his racing beginnings, Cord moved into automobile sales, & in 1924 came to Auburn (IN) to save the faltering Auburn Automobile Company. Cord, a brilliant salesman, rapidly pulled the company out of debt by clearing out hundreds of stockpiled Auburn vehicles & excess parts, & was subsequently named the VP & GM at Auburn. Under Cord's guidance, the Auburn line was entirely refashioned, & the new Auburns were known as some of the most luxurious & fashionable cars on the road. In 1926, Cord acquired the expert design skills of Fred Duesenberg, & in 1928, the Duesenberg Model J, one of the finest automobiles ever made, was introduced to the public. To make the family complete, the Auburn plant introduced the Cord L-29 in 1929, which was America's 1st successful FWD car. The Auburn, Cord & Duesenberg automobiles that sold so well in the roaring '20s also proved surprisingly resilient during the early years of the Depression, but by 1937, America's hard times were too much even for E. L. Cord, & manufacturing ceased as his entire corporation was sold.

- 1940

Willys-Overland completes original Jeep prototype

In 1939, the U.S. Army asked America's automobile manufacturers to submit designs for a simple & versatile military vehicle. It would be two full years before the official U.S. declaration of war, but military officials, who knew this declaration to be inevitable, recognized the need for an innovative troop-transport vehicle for the global battlefields of WW II. The American Bantam Car Company, a small car manufacturer, submitted the 1st design approved by the army, but the production contract was ultimately given to Willys-Overland, a company that had a larger production capability & offered a lower bid. The Willys Jeep, as it would become known during the war, was similar to the Bantam design, & featured 4WD, an open-air cab, & a rifle rack mounted under the windshield. On this day, the 1st Willys-Overland Jeep prototype was completed, & submitted to the U.S. Army for approval. One year later, w/the U.S. declaration of war, mass production of the Willys-Overland Jeep began. By the war's end in 1945, some 600,000 Jeeps had rolled off the assembly lines & onto the battlefields of Asia, Africa & Europe. The efficient & sturdy 4WD Jeep became a symbol of the American war effort -- no obstacle could stop its advance. Somewhere along the line the vehicle acquired the name "Jeep," likely evolving from the initials G.P. for "general purchase" vehicle, & the nickname stuck. In 1945, Willys-Overland introduced the 1st civilian Jeep vehicle, the CJ-2A -- the forefather of today's SUVs.

[thebear]

November 14

- 1914

The 1st Dodge

On this day, John & Horace Dodge completed their 1st Dodge vehicle, a car informally known as "Old Betsy." The same day, the Dodge brothers gave "Old Betsy" a quick test drive thru the streets of Detroit (MI) & the vehicle was shipped to a buyer in Tennessee. John & Horace, who began their business career as bicycle manufacturers in 1897, 1st entered the automotive industry as auto parts manufacturers in 1901. They built engines for Ransom Olds & Henry Ford among others, & in 1910 the Dodge Brothers Company was the largest parts manufacturing firm in the U.S. In 1914, the intrepid brothers founded the new Dodge Brothers Motor Car Company, & began work on their 1st complete automobile at their Hamtramck factory. Dodge vehicles became known for their quality & sturdiness, & by 1919, the Dodge brothers were among the richest men in America. In early 1920, just as he was completing work on his 110-room mansion on the Grosse Point waterfront in Michigan, John fell ill from respiratory problems & died. Horace, who also suffered from chronic lung problems, died from pneumonia in December of the same year. The company was later sold to a NY bank, & in 1928, the Chrysler Corporation bought the Dodge name, its factories, & the large network of Dodge car dealers. Under Chrysler's direction Dodge became a successful producer of cars & trucks marketed for their ruggedness, & today Dodge sells a lineup of over a dozen cars & trucks.

- 1945

Speedway gets a 2nd chance

Tony Hulman purchased the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from Edward Rickenbacher for $750,000 on this day. The speedway was in deplorable condition after 4 years of disuse during WW II, & before Hulman made his offer Rickenbacher was considering tearing the facilities down & selling the land. Hulman installed himself as chairman of the board of the raceway & named Wilbur Shaw as president. The two hastily renovated the racetrack for the return of Indy racing in the next year, but also launched a long-range program of improvements that included replacing all of the old wooden grandstands w/structures of steel & concrete. In May of 1946, the American Automobile Association (AAA) ran its 1st postwar 500-mile race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. George Robson, driving a pre-war Adams-Sparks automobile, won the event w/an average speed of 114.82mph, &, thanks to the efforts of Tony Hulman & Wilbur Shaw, a great American racing tradition was reborn.

[Alan Raine]

Originally Posted by thebear

[B]Speedway gets a 2nd chance

Tony Hulman purchased the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from Edward Rickenbacher for $750,000 on this day. The speedway was in deplorable condition after 4 years of disuse during WW II, & before Hulman made his offer Rickenbacher was considering tearing the facilities down & selling the land. Hulman installed himself as chairman of the board of the raceway & named Wilbur Shaw as president. The two hastily renovated the racetrack for the return of Indy racing in the next year, but also launched a long-range program of improvements that included replacing all of the old wooden grandstands w/structures of steel & concrete. In May of 1946, the American Automobile Association (AAA) ran its 1st postwar 500-mile race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. George Robson, driving a pre-war Adams-Sparks automobile, won the event w/an average speed of 114.82mph, &, thanks to the efforts of Tony Hulman & Wilbur Shaw, a great American racing tradition was reborn.

What state would American (and World) motorsport be in if Indy had been pulled down?

[p261brm]

Not a lot of people might know this; A certain Oz Former world F1 champion was heard to remark on one of todays F1 drivers "I bet he's even got a ....kin badge on his pyjamas"

[thebear]

Indianapolis 500 Lore:

1933-1938: Qualifying was a 10 lap (25 mile) test of speed

1962: Parnelli Jones is the first to break the 150mph qualifying average.

1977: Tom Sneva is the first to break the 200mph qualifying average.

[p261brm]

Chevron Snippets from January 1969

David Purley, who crashed his AC Cobra badly at Brands towards the end of 1968 has bought Barrie Smith's Vegantune Twin-Cam Chevron B8, he will use the car for a full season and may include some continental races, he may; at a later stage fit the car with an FVA engine.

John Burton of Worcester Racing Organisation has ordered a new Group 4Chevron-BMW B8 for next season, and intends to use it in British and Continental Events

Racing Team Holland have ordered a new Group 4 Chevron-BMW for Dutchman Gijs van Lennep.

[thebear]

June means it is time for the Canadian Grand Prix. Here are some “Highlights”:

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is located on the Ile de Notre Dame, a man-made island on the St. Lawrence River that was constructed for the 1967 Expo world fair. The island also provided the swimming arena and rowing basin for the 1976 Olympic Games.

The race has been on the Formula 1 calendar since 1967. It previously took place at the undulating Mosport Park road course north of Toronto, and at the even more spectacular Mont Tremblant-St Jovite venue, in the ski country north of Montreal.

The race moved to Montreal itself in 1978 and was won by the now-legendary Gilles Villeneuve (after whom the circuit is named). Not only was it his first F1 victory, he also became the first Canadian to win a grand prix in the process.

Gilles’ brother Jacques tried and failed to qualify a RAM for the 1983 Canadian Grand Prix.

Montreal has a habit of producing first-lap incidents. A recent one, in 2001, was triggered by Jenson Button and accounted for Benetton team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella.

Nigel Mansell was left red-faced in 1991, when he retired on the last lap while leading. The Brit was waving to the crowd when he allowed the revs to drop too low at the hairpin and stalled his Williams.

Montreal is a little-used semi-permanent parkland circuit. Until 2002 when it started to host a Champ Car race, it was only used once a year for the grand prix.

Jacques Villeneuve first came to the attention of the F1 paddock by winning the Formula Atlantic support race at the Canadian Grand Prix in 1993.

Ralf and Michael Schumacher’s 1-2 at Montreal in 2001 was the first time in F1 history that two brothers finished a race first and second. They repeated the feat in 2003 – but with roles reversed.

Canada witnessed the first victory for BMW’s turbo engine, which won the race in 1982 in the back of Nelson Piquet’s Brabham.

Jacques Villeneuve’s best result in his home race remains his first attempt in 1996 when he finished second behind team-mate Damon Hill. He has failed to finish on every subsequent attempt.

[thebear]

Harley Earl takes General Motors into America's modern sports car racing arena. .