Racing & Motorsport
June in Racing History
The excitement and energy in the month of June in the world of motorsports and racing. These and other events formed motor racing history in the month of May from across the world.
The Top 50 Motorsport Moments In The Month of June
June, with its long days and balmy nights, has been a backdrop to some of the most unforgettable moments in motorsport history. As the solstice signals the height of summer, racetracks across the globe come alive with the symphony of roaring engines, nail-biting duels, and legendary triumphs. Fasten your seatbelts as we take a turbocharged trip down memory lane, exploring the top 50 motorsports and racing highlights that have set June's tarmac alight throughout the annals of time.
Type W25 Debut Victory
Manfred von Brauchitsh scores the Mercedes-Benz Type W25’s debut victory by winning the Eifelrennen at the Nürburgring (1934).
McRae Dominates
Colin McRae and Derek Ringer win the Acropolis Rally in a Subaru Impreza (1996). Colin McRae was the most gifted driver of his generation.
Unser Goes for Two
Bobby Unser drives the “Norton Spirit” Penske-Cosworth to victory in both races of the Trenton Twin Indy at Trenton Speedway in Trenton, New Jersey (1979).
Alpine-Renault Winners
Didier Pironi and Jean-Pierre Jaussaud drive an Alpine-Renault to victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1978).
300SLs Go 1-2 at LeMans
Mercedes-Benz 300SLs finish 1-2 at 24 Hours of Le Mans. First Le Mans win for Mercedes-Benz and first Le Mans win for an enclosed car (1952).
Enzo's First Win
Enzo Ferrari drives an Alfa Romeo to victory in a race in Ravenna, Italy. It is Ferrari’s first race victory (1923).
962's Last Big Win
Mauro Baldi, Yannick Dalmas and Hurley Haywood drive a Dauer Porsche 962LM to victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Last major race win for a 962 (1994).
Hunt's First GP Win
James Hunt wins the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. First GP win for Hunt and only GP win for Hesketh Racing (1975).
Zanardi First CART Win
Alex Zanardi, driving a Target Chip Ganassi Racing Reynard 96I-Honda, scores his first CART victory, at Portland, Oregon (1996).
Panhard Victorious
Guido Adami drives a 5.3L Panhard to victory in the Coppa Italia. First road race of multiple laps—4 laps of 75 km each (1901).
Alfa Wins At Monza
Tazio Nuvolari, driving an Alfa Romeo Tipo B P3, wins the Italian Grand Prix at Monza (1932).
Clark & Lotus On Fire
Jim Clark scores his first F1 Grand Prix win with a victory in the Belgian GP at Spa (1962). Jim Clark wins the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps in a Lotus 25 (1963).
Audi Dominating LeMans
Audi R8s finish 1-2-3 in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Dindo Capello, Tom Kristensen and Seiji Ara drive the winning Team Goh entry (2004).
Alfa Top Dogs At LeMans
Earl Howe and Sir Henry “Tim” Birkin drive an Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 to victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1931).
Porsche 956s Finish 1-2-3
Rothmans sponsored Porsche 956s finish 1-2-3 in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell drive the winning car. First overall race victory for the 956 (1982).
LeMans GP
Ferenc Szisz drives a Renault to victory in the first Grand Prix, held on public roads around Le Mans, France (1906).
Porsche 908 Spyder
Jo Siffert and Brian Redman, sharing a Porsche 908 Spyder, win the 1000-kilometer sports car race on the Nürburgring (1969).
DBR2 Tames Lime Rock
The USAC Road Racing Championship race at Lime Rock, won by George Constantine in an Aston Martin DBR2 (1959).
Need Brakes?
Stockcar racer Cale Yarborough races a Chevrolet Camaro at Le Mans. His race only lasts 52 minutes and 54 seconds as he crashes into a guardrail after the Camaro’s brakes fail (1981).
Porsche Clinches at LeMans
Al Holbert, Hurley Haywood and Vern Schuppan win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Rothmans Porsche 956. Porsche clinches the World Endurance Championship manufacturers title (1983).
New Records
Tony Bettenhausen drives a Novi to a new closed course speed record of 177.046 mph at Monza, Italy, in qualifications for the “Race of Two Worlds” (1957).
Donohue's First Victory
Mark Donohue scores his first race victory when he wins an SCCA Regional event at Marlboro Raceway in Maryland, driving an Elva Courier (1960).
Last Win for Campari
Giuseppe Campari, driving a Maserati 8C 2800, scores his final Grand Prix win with a victory in the French GP at Montlhéry (1933).
Americans Win LeMans
Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt, driving a Ford MkIV, become the first Americans to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in an American car. (1967).
A Hair In It
In the closest finish in CART history—0.027 seconds—Mark Blundell wins the Budweiser/G.I. Joe’s 200 at Portland, Oregon. The win is Blundell’s first in CART (1997).
Jaguar's First LeMans Win
Peter Walker and Peter Whitehead give Jaguar their first victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1951).
Rindt & Lotus Killing It
Jochen Rindt, driving a Lotus 59 for Roy Winkelmann Racing, wins both heats of the F2 Limbourg Grand Prix at Zolder, Belgium (1969).
Auto Union's First Win
Auto Union scores its first race win with Hans Stuck’s victory in the Felsberg race in the Saar region of Germany (1934).
2xPorsche 917K Triumphs
Richard Attwood and Hans Herrmann drive a Salzburg Porsche 917K to victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1970). Helmut Marko and Gijs van Lennep drive a Martini Porsche 917K to victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1971).
Ferrari 250LM Victory
Jochen Rindt and Masten Gregory drive a North American Racing Team Ferrari 250LM to victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1965).
Matra-Simca Wins 1000K
Henri Pescarolo and Gerard Larrousse drive a Matra-Simca MS670C to victory in the 1000K race on the Osterreichring in Austria (1974).
Zanardi First CART Win
Alex Zanardi scores his first CART Indy Car win in the Budweiser/G.I. Joe’s 200 at Portland International Raceway in Portland, Oregon (1996).
'73 & '74 Success for Matra
Henri Pescarolo and Gerard Larrousse drive a Matra 670B to victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1973). Henri Pescarolo and Gerard Larrousse drive a Matra 670C to victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1974).
Alfa Goes 1-2-3
Alfa Romeo 158s finish 1-2-3 in the Swiss Grand Prix at Bremgarten. Jean-Pierre Wimille winning with Achille Varza 2nd and Carlo Trossi 3rd (1947).
Imagine He Was Healthy
Gerhard Mitter, driving with a broken leg, wins the Rossfeld Alpen-Bergpreis at the wheel of a Porsche (1966).
Ferrari TR60 Wins in 1960
Paul Frère and Olivier Gendebien win the 24 Hours of Le Mans driving a Ferrari TR60 (1960).
Rotary Wins LeMans
Volker Weidler, Johnny Herbert, and Bertrand Gachot drive a Mazda 787 to victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. First and only win for a rotary-engined car and for a Japanese automaker at Le Mans (1991).
Ferrari 312PB Goes 1-2-3-4
Jackie Ickx and Brian Redman lead a Ferrari 312PB 1-2-3-4 finish in the 1,000-km World Championship of Makes race on the Osterreichring in Austria (1972).
Alfa Clinches Championship
Alfa Romeo T33/TT/12 victory in the 1,000-km race on the Osterreichring in Austria. Alfa clinches the World Championship of Makes for their first ever world title (1975).
Gulf Mirage-Cosworth GR8
Derek Bell and Jackie Ickx drive a Gulf Mirage-Cosworth GR8 to victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1975).
Rothmans Last Win
Derek Bell, Hans Stuck, and Al Holbert drive a Porsche 962 to victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This is the final race win for the Rothmans-backed factory Porsche team (1987).
Ford GT40s Finish 1-2-3
Ford GT40s finish 1-2-3 as Ford wins their first 24 Hours of Le Mans. Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon 1st, Denny Hulme and Ken Miles 2nd, and Ronnie Bucknum and Dick Hutcherson 3rd (1966).
Senna Sensational
Ayrton Senna, driving a Lotus-Honda 99T, wins his second straight United States Grand Prix on the streets of Detroit, Michigan. Last GP win for Lotus (1987).
The “Golden Submarine”
The “Golden Submarine” racecar is shipped from Harry Miller’s shop in Los Angeles, California, to Barney Oldfield in Chicago, Illinois (1917).
First Gordon Bennett Race
The first Gordon Bennett Race, from Paris to Bordeaux, is won by Fernand Charron in a Panhard (1900).
I'm Exhausted...
Selwyn Francis Edge drives a Napier continuously for 24 hours at Brooklands in England, to mark the track’s official opening (1907).
A First for America
Dan Gurney drives his Eagle-Weslake to victory in the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa. First F1 win for an American driver in an American car (1967).
Let's Fly
The Belgian Grand Prix becomes the first race in which F1 cars carry rear wings. The race is won by Bruce McLaren in a Ford-Cosworth-powered McLaren M7A (1968).
First Auto Race
First auto race ever held begins. The 200 km Paris-Bordeaux-Paris event is won by Koechlin in a Peugeot (1895).
Heaven Is Opened
The Nürburgring circuit is inaugurated in Germany (1927).
Ferrari 250P Wins
Ferrari 250P wins in the 24-Hours of Le Mans. First Le Mans victory for a mid-engined car (1963).
Thanks Dad
Richard Petty appears to win his first NASCAR Grand National race. The second place finisher, his father Lee, protests. After officials review, they declare Lee the winner (1959).
First Nurburgring Race
Rudolf Caracciola drives a Mercedes-Benz 680 to victory in the first race on the Nurburgring in Germany (1922).
Jackie Wins Matra's First
Jackie Stewart gives Matra its first F1 GP win by driving his Ford-powered MS10 to victory in the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. J-P Beltoise makes it a Matra 1-2 when he finishes second in his Matra-powered MS11 (1968).
Denny Hulme.Photo: Hal Crocker
June Motorsport Birthdays
Shirley Muldowney, 3-time NHRA Top Fuel Champion and first woman to win a major racing championship, is born (1940).
F1 and Can-Am champion Denis Clive Hulme born in Nelson, New Zealand (1936).
5xWorld Driving Champion Juan Manuel Fangio born in Mar del la Plata, Argentina (1911).
Patrick Head, cofounder and Technical Director of Williams, is born (1946).
Frank Costin, an engineer who pioneered the use of monocoque chassis and the application of aerodynamics to racing cars and the co-founder of the Marcos marque, is born (1920).
Racer and TV presenter David Wishart Hobbs is born in England (1939).
Racer and rally driver Vic Elford is born in London, England (1935).
Indy car racer Tom Sneva is born (1948).
F1 driver Jean Alesi is born (1964).
F1 and Can-Am champion Dennis Hulme is born in Te Puke, New Zealand (1936).
F1 and sportscar racer Innes Ireland is born in Kirkcudbright, Scotland (1930).
Off-road champion Ivan “The Iron Man” Stewart is born (1945).
Umberto Maglioli, who gave Porsche its first overall Targa Florio win, born Italy (1928).
Clay Wood, of NASCAR’s famous Wood brothers, is born (1923).
Indy car driver Tom Sneva is born (1948).
F1 and endurance racer Jan Lammers is born (1956).
Three-time World Driving Champion Jackie Stewart is born (1939).
Sports and touring car racer Manuel Reuter is born in Mainz, West Germany (1961).
Future F1 race winner and two-time Can-Am champion Patrick Tambay born (1949).
Frederick Woodruff Field, media mogul, and owner of Interscope Racing is born (1953).
Herbert Schnitzer, co-founder of Schnitzer Motorsport, is born in Bavaria, Germany (1941).
Duane “Pancho” Carter Jr., who raced midgets, sprint cars, Indy Cars and NASCAR stock cars, is born in Racine, Wisconsin (1950).
June Motorsport Deaths
Jim Roper, winner of the first NASCAR stock car race, dies at age 83 in Kansas (2000).
1957 Indianapolis 500 winner Sam Hanks dies (1994).
Former F1 World Champion James Hunt dies of a heart attack at the age of 45 (1993).
Dereck Bell, Hans Stuck, and Al Holbert drive a Rothmans Porsche 962 to victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Jo Gartner dies in an accident during the early morning hours (1986).
Lucien Bianchi dies in a practice crash at Le Mans, France (1969).
Jo Bonnier dies in a crash during the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1972).
Pierre Levegh and 81 spectators die when his Mercedes 300SLR touches Lance Macklin’s Austin-Healey and crashes during the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1955).
Luigi Fagioli dies from injuries suffered 18 days earlier in crash during Monaco practice (1952).
Alan Stacey and Chris Bristow die in separate accidents during Belgian Grand Prix (1960).
Louis Klemantaski, one of the world’s greatest racing photographers, dies at age of 89 (2001).
F1 racer and Can-Am champion Bruce McLaren dies in a crash while testing his M8D Can-Am racer at Goodwood, England (1970).
Jim Trueman, owner/founder Truesports Racing, dies 16 days after team wins Indy 500 (1986).
A gypsy fortune teller predicts that Wilbur Shaw will die on this day. He does, but 25 years later than predicted (1930).
Jimmy Bryan, the 1958 Indy 500 winner, dies in a wreck at Langhorne, Pennsylvania (1960).
Alfredo “Dino” Ferrari, son of Enzo Ferrari, dies at age of 24 from muscular dystrophy (1956).
Ronald “Skip” Hudson, American sports car racer in the’50s and ’60s, dies (1998).
Mansour Akram Ojeh, McLaren shareholder and head of investment for TAG, dies (2021).
Canadian Eppie Wietzes, the 1981 SCCA Trans-Am champion, dies at age 82 (2020).
Historic racer and event organizer Peter Raumann dies at age 71 (2018).
Albert “Cot” Gonsalves, the creator of Algon fuel injection systems, dies at age 80 (2002).
Jimmy Davies dies from head injuries suffered in a crash at Santa Fe Speedway (1966).
Walter John “Wally” Willmott, mechanic for Cooper, McLaren, and others, dies (2019).
Ludovico Scarfiotti dies when he crashes in a hill climb in West Germany (1968).
Tom “The Mongoose” McEwen, NHRA funny car racer, dies at age 81 (2018).
Carl Haas, co-owner of Newman/Haas Racing dies from Alzheimers Disease (2016).
Bruce McLaren
