Racing & Motorsport
February in Racing History
The excitement and energy in the month of February in the world of motorsports and racing. These and other events formed motor racing history in the month of February from across the world.
The Top 50 Motorsport Moments In The Month of February
February might be the shortest month of the year, but when it comes to motorsports, it has never been short of drama, speed, and adrenaline. Over the decades, this chilly month has played host to some of the most unforgettable scenes on the racetrack, setting pulses racing and etching its mark in the annals of motorsport history. Dive in as we rev up the engines and take a trip down memory lane, counting down the top 50 motorsports and racing moments that February has gifted us through the years. Strap in; it's going to be a thrilling ride!
935 K3 Wins Daytona
Bob Garretson, Brian Redman, and Bobby Rahal drive a Porsche 935 K3 to victory in the 24 Hours of Daytona, the first IMSA GTP race. GTU class won in a Porsche 911 (1981).
That Was Quick
Art Chrisman made the first sub-10 second (9.40) run from a rolling start, and the sport's first 140-mph run, a 140.08 on a ¼ -mile dragstrip at Santa Ana (1953).
A Kreepy Win
The Porsche-powered Kreepy Krauly March 83G driven by Darel van de Merwe, Tony Martin, and Graham Duxbury wins the Sun Bank 24 Hours of Daytona (1984).
Indianapolis Speedway
Carl Fisher, James Allison, Arthur Newby, and Frank Wheeler form the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation (1909). The group incorporated on March 20, 1909, with a capitalization of $250,000.
New York-to-Paris Race
The New York-to-Paris race begins in Times Square, New York, NY. Over five months later, the Thomas driven by Schuster, Roberts, and Williams will win the race (1908). Only three of six contestants completed the course.
IROC Ends
Mark Donohue, driving a Porsche 911 Carrera, wins the final race of the initial International Race Of Champions series, clinching the IROC title. Last race win of Mark’s career (1974). The races were contested in Porsche Carrera RSR race cars.
Chevy's Dominate
Hendrick Motorsport Chevys finish 1-2-3 in the Daytona 500. Jeff Gordon wins followed by Terry Labonte and Ricky Craven (1997). The 25-year-old Gordon became the youngest Daytona 500 winner.
Lancia Stratos On Top
The Lancia Stratos of Antonio Carello and Perissinot Maurizio wins the European Rally Championship Rally Costa Brava (1978). It was one of the most exciting moments of his sports career.
Foyt wins the NASCAR
The 1972 Daytona 500, the 14th running of the event, was held on February 20, 1972, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. A. J. Foyt, driving a 1971 Mercury, won the race. (1972).
Champ Car <> Indy
It is announced that key elements of the Champ Car World Series will be merged into the Indy Racing League (2008). After 12 years of bitter rivalry that confused fans and nearly buried the sport, Champ Car agreed to cease operations.
Yarbrough Wins Daytona
Lee Roy Yarbrough drives a Junior Johnson Ford to victory in the Daytona 500 (1969). LeeRoy drove the #98 Ford Torino Cobra to victory and went on to set a record for consecutive super speedway wins in a single season.
Gran Premio Eva Perón
The Gran Premio Eva Perón in Argentina is won by José Froilán González driving a Ferrari (1954). 20 Formula 1 Argentine Grand Prix races were held at Autódromo between 1953 and 1998.
The All American Racers
Dan Gurney’s All American Racers team track test their 1970 Plymouth Barracuda Trans-Am racer for the first time (1970). Gurney had intended to run a full season of Trans Am however budget cuts by Chrysler forced AAR to reduce its two car effort to one car for Savage after Gurney ran just two races.
Lola Wins at Daytona
Mark Donohue and Chuck Parsons drive the Penske Lola T70 MkIII B to victory in the 24 Hours of Daytona (1969). Mark and his co-driver Chuck Parsons would go on to win the race after the much written about and favored factory Porsche's would all (five of them) fail to finish.
Andretti's Shadow
Mario Andretti agrees to become the official test driver of the AVS Shadow Can-Am car (1969). In the end of 1969 and the beginning of 1970 the first track tests were made at Riverside and Laguna Seca with Parnelli Jones and George Follmer.
4.5 Second 1/4 Mile Time
Mike Dunn sets an NHRA Top Fuel 1/4 mile ET record of 4.503 seconds at Pomona, California (1999). With 22 career NHRA national event wins, becoming the first Funny Car driver to go over 280 MPH Mike Dunn has pretty much done it all.
Bruce McLaren Wins
Bruce McLaren drives a Cooper-Climax to victory in the Argentine Grand Prix at Buenos Aires (1960). This Formula 1 car carried Jack to four consecutive GP victories in 1960 and him and Cooper to back-to-back F1 World Championship titles that memorable year.
Norton Rides to Victory
Tony Godfrey rides a Norton to victory in the FIM 500-cc motorcycle Grand Prix at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida (1961).
Allison wins Daytona
Bobby Allison wins the NASCAR Daytona 500 stock car race (1982). In 1982, NASCAR made the Daytona 500 the season-opening race for the first time since the track opened in 1959. Allison led 147 of 200 laps in the No. 88 DiGard Racing Buick. He finished 22.87 seconds ahead of Cale Yarborough (2012).
Inaltera GTP
The Inaltera GTP endurance racer is presented to the press in Paris (1976). The Inaltéra GTP is a Group 6 sports prototype race car, designed, developed and built by Automobiles Jean Rondeau in 1976. It competed in sports car racing between 1976 and 1978.
Swap Shop Porsche 962
A.J. Foyt, Bob Wollek, Al Unser Sr. (all suffering from the flu) and Thierry Boutsen drive the Swap Shop Porsche 962 to victory in the 24 Hours of Daytona (1985). 'I think we all agreed to go for broke -- either break the car or win,' Foyt said.
“Moby Dick” Porsche 935L
Preston Henn, Bob Wollek, Claude Ballot-Lena, and A.J. Foyt drive the T-Bird Swap Shop “Moby Dick” Porsche 935L to victory in the 24 Hours of Daytona (1983).
70 Is The New 60
Seventy-year old Paul Newman, along with Tommy Kendall, Mark Martin, and Michael Brockman, drive a Roush Ford Mustang to a GTS1 Class victory in the 24 Hours of Daytona (1995).
Drafting At Daytona
Junior Johnson, driving a 1959 Chevrolet sponsored by the Daytona Beach Kennel Club, wins the second Daytona 500 by being the first stockcar driver to exploit “drafting” (1960). A crowd of 38,775 watched.
Gethin Wins At Sandown
Peter Gethin wins the Sandown Park, Australia, F5000 race in a Chevron B24 (1974). In 1973 A F5000 spec Chevron B24 powered by Chevrolet and driven by Peter Gethin, won the Race Of Champions in a grid full of competitive F1 cars.
Brocky Wins ATCC
Peter Brock wins the Australian Touring Car Championship race at Sandown Park, Australia (1984). Peter Brock, driving a Marlboro Holden Dealer Team entered Holden Commodore, was the only driver to win more than once, with victories in the opening rounds at Sandown and Symmons Plains.
FIA Is Created
The FIA is created in Paris, France (1946). The true history of Formula One began in 1946 with the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's (FIA's) standardisation of rules. Then in 1950, the FIA organized the first World Championship for Drivers.
A First For America
Ed Pullen drives a Mercer to victory in the American Grand Prize race in Santa Monica, California. First win for a US-built car and first win for an American in a US-built car in International Grand Prix history (1914).
Top Speed Records Falling
Malcolm Campbell sets a new Land Speed record of 174.22 mph on the beach at Pendine Sands, Wales (1927). Malcolm Campbell then drives his Bluebird to a One-Mile Land Speed Record of 253.96 MPH on the sand of Daytona Beach, Florida, (1932).
Start 'em Young
Ricardo and Pedro Rodriguez, ages 12 and 15 respectively, take part in their first auto race (1955). Ricardo Rodriguez could have been another Senna, but it was only after his tragic death that his older brother, Pedro, started to shine.
JPS Lotus Wins In Brazil
Emerson Fittipaldi drives a John Player Special Lotus 72 to victory in the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos (1973). For Lotus, Emerson Fittipaldi was very strong in the first half of the season, leading the title race after six races, and Ronnie Peterson was very strong in second half, winning four races.
Alfa Launches Racer
An Alfa Romeo 155 D2 touring car runs for the first time when it begins testing at the Campovolo Aerodrome in Italy (1993). The public launch at the Geneva Motor Show two months later. The 155 in its various forms would prove to be immensely successful in touring car racing across Europe
The "Grey Ghost"
Louis DePalma drives the “Grey Ghost” Mercedes to victory in the Vanderbilt Cup Race in Santa Monica, California. This was the same car DePalma drove to victories in the Vanderbilt Cup and Indianapolis 500 races three years earlier (1914). This was the era of the start of organized motorsports.
Moss Wins In Havana
Stirling Moss drives the Camoradi Maserati Tipo 61 to victory in the Cuban Grand Prix sports car race in Havana (1960). Juan Manuel Fangio fails to take part in the race after being kidnapped by Fidel Castro’s guerrillas (1958).
XJR-14 Makes Its Debut
The Jaguar XJR-14 makes its race debut in the IMSA Camel GT race at Miami, Florida. Davy Jones starts it on pole but finishes sixth behind the winning Nissan NPTI-91 of Geoff Brabham (1992).
SCCA Is Official
The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) is incorporated, in Boston, by seven sports car enthusiasts (1944).
California Racin'
Ralph De Palma drives a Ballot to victory in a 50-mile race in Beverly Hills, California (1921). The Beverly Hills Speedway (also called the Los Angeles Speedway) was a 1.25-mile (2.01 km) wooden track for auto racing in Beverly Hills, California.
Sharing Is Caring
Seven drivers (Rob Dyson, Elliott Forbes-Robinson, Butch Leitzinger, John Paul Jr., John Schneider, Andy Wallace and James Weaver) share the winning Dyson Racing R&S MkIII-Ford in the 24 Hours of Daytona (1997).
Where'd She Go???
Connie Kalitta becomes the first man in NHRA history to record a speed greater than 290 mph in the quarter mile when he runs 291.54 mph at Pomona, California, USA (1989). She was a true innovator in a world dominated by men.
Lola Loves Sydney
Warwick Brown drives a Lola T430 to victory in the F5000 Australian Grand Prix at Oran Park in Sydney (1977). Although F5000 was fast disappearing from the rest of the world, Australia attracted a strong field for the 1977 series.
No Holds Barred Racing
The SCCA officially introduces the Canadian-American Challenge Cup series (1966). It was for FIA Group 7 racing cars running two-hour sprint events. It began September 11, 1966, and ended November 13, 1966, after six rounds.
250 GTO Wins
Pedro Rodriguez and Phil Hill drive a NART Ferrari 250 GTO to victory in the Daytona Continental 2000K race (1964). It was essentually a street car with a racing number placed on the door and hood.
Let's Race Some Trucks
Mike Skinner wins the very first NASCAR Truck race, at Phoenix, Arizona (1995). It was close. Driving hard into Turn 3 on the final lap, Skinner secured the lead and drove on to score the win in the inaugural series event
Plymouth Goes 1,2,3
Richard Petty leads a Plymouth 1-2-3 finish in the Daytona 500. Jim Pardue and Paul Goldsmith finish 2nd and 3rd (1964). Petty drove to victory in 3 hours and 14 minutes. Three caution flags slowed the race for 19 laps.
Here's NASCAR!!!
NASCAR, the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing, is incorporated in Daytona Beach, Florida (1948). NASCAR was in its infancy, one of many fledgling auto racing sanctioning bodies trying to establish itself.
Tri-Oval at Daytona
The first races are run on the Tri-Oval at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. “Shorty” Rollins wins the 100-mile convertible race. Later, the Grand National qualifying race for the Daytona 500 is won by Bob Welborn in a Chevrolet (1959).
Revised GTO Is Ok to Race
Revised Ferrari GTO granted homologation by the FIA (1964). The newly unveiled GTO/64 was quickly met with criticism from competitors and journalists around the world. They couldn't believe that the new racer derived from the 1962 model, but instead were convinced it was a new car.
40th Daytona 500
Dale Earnhardt, driving a Chevrolet, wins the 40th Daytona 500 stock car race (1998). Entering 1998, Dale Earnhardt had 70 wins in 574 starts, but one race was glaringly missing: the Daytona 500. Finally, in his 20th Daytona 500, Earnhardt won the race that eluded him.
February Motorsport Birthdays
John Surtees, the only man to win Grand Prix World Championships on two and four wheels, is born in Tatsfield, Surrey, England (1934).
Racecar builder Joe Huffaker is born in Terra Haute, Indiana (1927).
Fred Offenhauser, of Offenhauser engine fame, born in Los Angeles, California (1888).
F1 and Indy car racer Jim Crawford born in Funfermline, Scotland (1948).
Rally driver Kristian Sohlberg born in Espoo, Finland (1978).
Dentist and Grand Prix winner Tony Brooks is born in Dunkinfield, Cheshire, England (1932).
Roger Penske, racer and team owner is born in Shaker Heights, Ohio (1937).
Klaus Niedzwiedz, touring car race winner and Interserie champion, is born (1951).
Australian Touring Car Legend Peter Brock born in Hurstbridge, Victoria, Australia (1945).
Le Mans winner, F3000 champ, and 4x Champ Car champ Sebastien Bourdais born (1979).
Franco Cortese, the first man to drive a Ferrari to victory, is born in Oggebbio, Italy (1903).
Don Panoz, founder of Panoz Motorsports and the American Le Mans, is born in Ohio (1935).
Twin brothers Mario (F1 and Indys 500 champion) and Aldo Andretti are born in Italy (1940).
Richard John Beattie “Dick” Seaman, Grand Prix driver is born (1913).
F1 racer Alexander Wurz born (1974).
Andreas-Nikolaus “Niki” Lauda, 3-time F1 World Driving Champion, born in Austria (1949).
F1 racer and 1971 Can-Am champion Peter Revson born (1939).
1980 F1 World Champion Alan Jones born in Melbourne, Australia (1946)
Enzo Ferrari, founder of the Ferrari automobile company, born near Modena, Italy (1898).
Trans-Am racer Jamie Galles is born (1972).
Rally driver Markku Alen is born (1951).
Trans-Am champion Paul Gentilozzi born (1950).
Sports car racer Andy Wallace is born (1961).
Sports car racer John Nielson born (1956).
Sports car, formula car and rally driver Steve Millen born (1953).
Formula One, Formula 5000 and Can-Am racer Peter Gethin born (1940).
F1 champion, Indy 500 winner, and Le Mans winner Graham Hill born (1929).
Eric Bachelart, 1991 Indy Light champion and owner of Conquest Racing, is born (1961).
Four-time F1 Champion Alain Prost born (1955).
Two-time Indy 500 winner Bobby Unser is born (1934).
Formula and sports car racer François Cevert is born (1939).
Grand Prix and sportscar racer Masten Gregory is born in Kansas City Missouri, USA (1932).
Former rally codriver and current Ferrari F1 team manager Jean Todt is born (1946).
February Motorsport Deaths
Midget and sports racer Phil Walters, AKA Ted Tappett, dies at age 84 in Florida, USA (2000).
Hans-Joachim Stuck dies of natural causes (1978).
Marshall Teague dies testing Chapman Root’s Formula Libre Sumar Special (1959).
Ferruccio Lamborghini, founder of the exotic car company that bears his name, dies (1993).
Clemente Biondetti, winner of four consecutive Mille Miglias dies of throat cancer (1955).
Vincenzo Lancia dies of natural causes (1937).
Umberto Maglioli, who gave Porsche its first overall Targa Florio win, dies (1999).
Indy 500 racer, and heir to a gold mining fortune, “Grandpa” Eddie Hearne dies (1955).
Fred Moskovic, engineer, entrepreneur, automotive genius, racer dies in CT (1967).
Louise Piech, daughter of Ferdinand Porsche, mother of Volkswagen chairman Ferdinand Piech, and co-founder of Porsche Konstruktionen GmbH dies at age 94 (1999).
Vincenzo Lancia, racer and founder of the Lancia automobile company, dies (1937).
Manfred von Brauchitsch, Mercedes factory team driver in the 1930s, dies at age 97 (2003).
Cal Niday, first racer to wear a modern helmet in the Indy 500, dies of a heart attack (1988).
Ruedi Eggenberger, Swiss touring car racer and team owne dies at age 79 (2018).
Klaus-Peter Rosarius, motorsport boss at Continental Tire and then Volkswagen, dies (2019).
