Racing & Motorsport
October in Racing History
The excitement and energy in the month of October in the world of motorsports and racing. These and other events formed motor racing history in the month of October from across the world.
The Top 50 Motorsport Moments In The Month of October
October's crisp air and cascading leaves are a herald of change, and in the racing world, this month has historically signaled thrilling shifts as championships draw to their climax. From the crisp mornings at the Nürburgring to the dusky finishes in Daytona, motorsports in October have delivered an array of unforgettable, pulse-pounding dramas. Rev into the spirit of fall with us as we recount the top 50 moments in motorsports that have defined October—a month where every lap could mean the difference between glory and heartbreak, and every checkered flag has told a story for the ages.
Stratos HF Homologated
The Lancia-Bertone Stratos HF rally car is homologated for Group 4 by the FIA (1974).
Moss Wins Formula Libre
Stirling Moss wins the Watkins Glen, New York, Formula Libre race in an F1 Cooper-Climax (1959).
Big Day for Gilles & Jackie
Gilles Villeneuve drives a Ferrari to victory in the United States Grand Prix. Final F1 GP drive for Jackie Ickx (1979).
A Day of Firsts
Innes Ireland wins his first and only Grand Prix at the U.S Grand Prix. First USGP at Watkins Glen, NY. First GP win for the Lotus team. First GP win for a Scotsman. Last World Championship GP for Tony Brooks and Sterling Moss (1961).
Land Speed Record
Craig Breedlove sets a new Land Speed Record of 526.28 MPH. Unfortunately, his jet-powered Spirit of America is wrecked when it’s parachute and brakes fail. It takes out two utility poles and crashes into a water-filled ditch (1964).
Holden On Top
Colin Bond and Tony Roberts win the Bathurst 1000 in Australia driving a Holden Monaro. Future Bathurst legend Peter Brock finishes third (with co-driver Des West) in his Mount Panorama debut, driving another Monaro (1969).
Stratos HF Victorious
Jorge de Bagration and Manuel Barbeito pilot a Lancia Stratos HF to victory in the Rallye de España of the European Rally Championship (1976).
Rain-Shortened Fuji 1000km
The rain-shortened Fuji 1000km World Endurance Championship (WEC) race is won by Kazuyoshi Hoshino in a March 85G-Nissan (1985).
A Poor Porsche Debut
The Porsche Indy Car makes its CART debut at Laguna Seca. Al Unser Sr. qualifies the car 24th and retires after seven laps (1987).
Jones Wins Championship
The SCCA Can-Am race at Riverside International Raceway is won by Alan Jones in a Lola-Chevy. Jones also wins the Can-Am Championship (1978).
Sauber Mercedes C9
Jean-Louis Schlesser and Jochen Mass win the season ending 480km WEC race in Mexico City, Mexico, driving a Sauber Mercedes C9. Schlesser wins the drivers championship and Mercedes the manufacturers championship (1989).
Fernandez Win at Mid-Ohio
The CART Miller Lite 200 on the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, is won by Adrian Fernandez driving a Patrick Racing Reynard 99I-Ford/Cosworth (1999).
NHRA History @ 300mph
Jim Epler becomes the first man in NHRA history to break 300 mph in a Funny Car when he runs 300.40 mph in Topeka, Kansas, USA (1993).
16 Records
Mickey Thompson, driving the four-engined, four-wheel drive (two engines powering the front wheels and two the rears) Challenger, sets 16 world and U.S speed records (1959).
Murray Designed Brabham BT45
The Gordon Murray designed Brabham BT45-Alfa Romeo is launched at the Balocco test track in Italy (1976).
Prost & Lauda's Big Day
Alain Prost drives a McLaren MP4/2-Tag/Porsche to victory in the Portuguese Grand Prix at Estoril. His teammate Niki Lauda finishes second and clinches the World Drivers Championship (1984).
Mondeo Wins Big
Paul Radisich drives a Ford Mondeo to victory in both legs of the FIA Touring Car Challenge at Monza, Italy (1993). He said: “I’d been racing for so many years and in so many different cars and countries that nobody knew who I was.”
First SCCA Road Race
The first SCCA road race, a four-lap qualifier through the streets of Watkins Glen, New York, is won by Frank Griswold in an Alfa Romeo (1948).
Schneider Wins Championship
Bernd Schneider and Klaus Ludwig drive a Mercedes CLK-GTR to victory in the FIA GT Championship finale at Laguna Seca, California. Schneider wins the drivers championship (1997).
IMSA WSC Race in Louisiana
James Weaver leads home Butch Leitzinger in a 1-2 finish of Dyson Riley & Scott MKIII-Fords in the IMSA WSC race through the streets of New Orleans, Louisiana (1995).
Nuvolari Wins In England
Tazio Nuvolari drove the Auto Union 12-cylinder Type D racing car (start number 4) to victory in the 1938 Grand Prix at Donington Park, Great Britain (1938).
Inaugural Petit Le Mans
The inaugural Petit Le Mans, run at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, is won by Eric van de Poele, Emmanuel Collard, and Wayne Taylor driving the Doyle-Risi Ferrari 333SP (1998).
First Woman Wins NHRA Title
John Force wins his tenth NHRA Funny Car championship. Angelle Seeling becomes the first woman to win the NHRA Pro Stock Bike title (2000).
Porsche 917/10Ks Go 1-2
George Follmer and Mark Donohue finish 1-2 in the Can-Am race at Laguna Seca, California, in Penske Porsche 917/10Ks (1972).
Parsons Clinches
Benny Parsons clinches the NASCAR Winston Cup Championship (1973).
Ferrari First F1 Victory
Nino Farina gives Ferrari its first F1 victory when he wins a minor event at Lake Garda in a Type 125 (1948).
Senna Tames Suzuka
Ayrton Senna drives a McLaren-Honda to victory in the Japanese GP at Suzuka (1988).
Petty's First NASCAR Win
Lee Petty wins his first NASCAR race, in a Plymouth, at 1/2-mile Heidelburg Speedway in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania (1949).
First Day of Racing
Gordon England wins the 108-mile race, for 750-cc cars, on the first day of racing on track at Montlhéry, France (1924).
Last Win for Alfa Tipo B
Antonio Brivio wins the Coppa della Silla in Cosenza, Italy. Last win for the Alfa Romeo Tipo B (1935).
Andretti's Final CART Drive
Mario Andretti drives in his final CART Champ Car race. He fails to finish after lying 7th. Paul Tracy wins the race at Laguna Seca, California (1994).
Alpine Clinches Championship
The Alpine Renault A110 of Jean-Luc Therier and Jacque Jaubert wins the San Remo Rally. Alpine clinches the World Rally Championship (1973).
Hamilton First NASCAR Win
Bobby Hamilton drives the Petty Racing STP Pontiac to victory at Phoenix, Arizona, for his first NASCAR Winston Cup win (1996).
26 Year Old Ferrari's Choice
Enzo Ferrari puts 26-year-old Mauro Forghieri in charge of the entire Scuderia Ferrari racing program (1961).
Another McLaren 1-2
Denny Hulme drives a McLaren M8F-Chevrolet to victory in the Can-Am race at Riverside, California. (1971).
Wet & Wild
Dario Franchitti wins the rain-soaked inaugural CART Texaco Grand Prix through the streets of Houston, Texas (1998).
Mansell's First F1 Win
Nigel Mansell scores his first F1 win when he drives a Williams-Honda to victory in the European Grand Prix at Brand Hatch, England (1985).
First Vanderbilt Cup Race
American George Heath, driving a French Panhard, wins the first Vanderbilt Cup Race, on Long Island in New York (1904).
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway opens with a 400-mile NASCAR Grand National race won by Speedy Thompson in a Ford (1960)
Short-Lived Track
Sitges, the first permanent racetrack built in Spain opens. Similar in configuration to Brooklands, it was abandoned after a few races because of poorly designed banking (1923).
Tipo 61 First Race
A Maserati Tipo 61 is entered in a race for the first time. Edwin Martin, driving the second Tipo 61 produced (chassis 2453), wins the SCCA Regional race run in Alabama (1959).
Fangio Wins In Spain
Juan Manuel Fangio drives a Mercedes-Benz W196 to victory in the Spanish Grand Prix at Pedralbes (1954).
Follmer Rocks at IROC
George Follmer drives a Porsche Carrera RSR to victory in the IROC race at Riverside, California (1973).
Bruce McLaren First Can-Am Win
Bruce McLaren scores his first Can-Am race win (1967).
Andretti Wins
Mario Andretti wins the sprint car race at Salem, Oregon, for his first United States Automobile Club victory (1964).
Ferrari Goes 1-2-3-4
Ferrari 250GT SWBs take the top four places in the Paris 1000km race, with Olivier Gendebien and Lucian Bianci driving the winning entry (1960).
Gulf Mirage-Ford M1
Jacky Ickx and Paul Hawkins drive a Gulf Mirage-Ford M1 to victory in the Paris 1000 km sports car race in France (1967).
March 712 Wins In Italy
Ronnie Peterson drives a March 712 to victory in the F2 race at Vallelunga, Italy (1971).
6-Straight for Donahue
Mark Donohue drives a Penske Porsche 917/30 to victory in the last Can-Am race of the season, at Riverside, California. This is the last of six straight Can-Am wins for Donohue, and final Can-Am victory for Donohue and Porsche (1973).
Piquet Wins It Easy
Nelson Piquet clinches the F1 World Driving Championship when his only Nigel Mansell, is injured in a crash during practice at Suzuka. Mansell missed final two races of the season as a result of his injuries (1987).
T33 Series Last Race
Arturo Merzario drives an Alfa Romeo T33/SC/12 to victory in the Interseries race at Hockenheim, Germany, the final race for the T33 series, which began 10 years earlier (1977).
Fangio Wins His First GP
J.M. Fangio wins his first World Grand Prix driving title when he wins the Spanish Grand Prix at Pedralbes driving an Alfa Romeo 159M (1951).
Sound Barrier Broken
British Royal Air Force fighter pilot Andy Green becomes the first man to officially break the sound barrier on land when he averages 763.04 mph (1220.86 kph) in two passes in the Thrust SSC (1997).
A Special Day
Dan Gurney wins the Mexican Grand Prix in a Brabham-Climax. Last Grand Prix for Phil Hill. John Surtees clinches the F1 Driving Championship (1964).
Bernd RosemeyerOctober Motorsport Birthdays
F1 & sports car racer Willy Mairesse is born in Momignies, Belgium (1928).
German racer Manfred Winkelhock is born (1951).
Five-time Le Mans winner Derek Bell is born in Pinner, England (1941).
Australian touring car driver Tony Longhurst is born in Sydney, Australia (1957).
British racer David Prophet is born in Hong Kong (1937).
Australian racer Paul Hawkins is born (1937).
Belgian racer Patrick Nève is born (1949).
American racer Walt Hansgen in born (1919).
Gérard Welter, co-founder of the WM-Peugeot and WR Racing, born (1942).
Racing journalist and TV commentator Chris Economaki born in Brooklyn, New York, (1920).
Bernd Rosemeyer, Grand Prix racing great of the 1930s, born in Germany (1909).
Racer Sir John Whitmore born (1937).
Bernie Ecclestone, one-time owner of Brabham and president and CEO of Formula One Management and Formula One Administration, born in Suffolk, England (1930).
Les Richter, NFL All-Pro football player, President and General Manager of Riverside International Raceway, and NASCAR executive, is born in Fresno, California (1930).
Touring car racer Paul Radisich born (1962).
Edward Vernon “Eddie” Rickenbacker, early 20th century racer, WWI fighter ace, owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway between the world wars, and founder of the Rickenbacker Motor Company and Eastern Airlines, is born in Columbus, Ohio (1890).
Sauber team founder Peter Sauber born (1943).
Sarah Fisher, the first woman to compete in the Indy Racing League, is born (1980).
CART champion and IRL team owner Michael Andretti is born (1962).
Racer Manfred Winklehock is born in Waiblingen, West Germany (1951).
NASCAR Winston Cup champion Bill Elliot is born in Dawsonville, Georgia (1955).
F1 and sports car racer Andrea de Adamich is born in Trieste, Italy (1941).
Two-time CART Champ Car champion Allesandro “Alex” Zanardi is born (1969).
October Motorsport Deaths
Bema Eli “Barney” Oldfield dies in Beverly Hills, California, at age 69 (1946).
Count Louis Vorow Zborowski dies in wreck during the Italian GP at Monza (1924).
Jo Siffert dies in a wreck during a nonchampionship F1 race at Brands Hatch, England (1971).
Wilbur Shaw dies in a small plane crash in Indiana, when the plane’s wings ice over (1954).
Prewar Mercedes driver Hermann Lang dies of natural causes (1987).
Lotus Formula One driver Gunnar Nilsson dies from cancer (1978).
Francois Cevert dies when his Tyrrell-Ford crashes during practice for the U.S GP (1973)
Jim Chapman, onetime PPG Racing Director, dies (1996)
Innes Ireland, the driver who gave Lotus its first F1 victory, dies of cancer (1993).
Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony Hulman dies (1977).
William P. Thomas, builder of the Chevy-powered Cheetah racecars, dies at age 88 (2009).
Italian racer Giovanni Giuseppe Gilberto “Nanni” Galli dies at the age of 79 (2019).
Tony Hulman, IMS Chairman, the man who saved the Indy Motor Speedway, dies (1977).
F1 and sports car racer Andrea de Cesaris dies at age 55 in a motorcycle accident (2014).
Louis Renault, one of the brothers who founded the Renault automobile company, dies in prison. He had been beaten for 30 straight days by his captors after being arrested by the French government at the end of World War II for collaborating with Germans during the war (1944).
Jo Siffert
