Racing & Motorsport
September in Racing History
The excitement and energy in the month of September in the world of motorsports and racing. These and other events formed motor racing history in the month of September from across the world.
The Top 50 Motorsport Moments In The Month of September
As the vibrant hues of September usher in the autumnal equinox, motorsports enthusiasts have been treated to a tapestry of unforgettable moments that resonate with the changing season. September, a month where summer's fury begins to wane and the cool embrace of fall emerges, has consistently been a pivotal month on the racing calendar, marked by game-changing decisions, audacious maneuvers, and legendary triumphs. Journey with us as we throttle back in time, showcasing the top 50 motorsports and racing milestones that have painted September with adrenaline and awe.
Porsche 936 500Km Win
Jochen Mass and Jackie Ickx drive a Porsche 936 to victory in the 500 Km of Dijon-Prenois race in France (1976).
Mansell's Record Count
Nigel Mansell captures his ninth F1 pole (at Portugal), breaking Ayrton Senna’s single-season record (1992).
Dijon 1000 km Race
The Porsche 935 of Jurgen Barth and Henri Pescarolo wins the Dijon 1000 km race (1980).
Barbara Skinner Winner
Barbara Skinner wins the MAC Ladies Cup at the Shelsley Walsh Hillclimb (1932).
A Merger
At a press conference in London, the merger of Team McLaren and Project Four into McLaren International is announced. First carbon fiber F1 car (McLaren MP4) announced (1980).
Lauda Back In the Cockpit
Niki Lauda tests a Ferrari F1 car at Fiorano for the first time since his near-fatal accident one month earlier (1976).
A Record Breaker
Jean Lacoste drives a Chrysler hemi-powered ’32 Ford roadster to a world record when he runs the ¼-mile in 11.61 seconds at 136.36 mph (1961).
Jackie's First of Many
Jackie Stewart, driving a BRM P261, scores his first F1 race victory, winning the Italian Grand Prix at Monza (1965).
Newman's Last Win
Paul Newman scores his final race win, driving a Chevrolet Corvette in an SCCA GT-1 race at Limerock, Connecticut (2007).
500k Fans Watch
500,000 people watch Fritz von Opel, driving an Opel, win the first international auto racing event on the AVUS in Berlin, Germany (1922).
What A Lineup
Jody Scheckter drives a Ferrari to victory in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Of the 24 starters, 13 previously had won F1 races. Eight of the others would go on to win Grands Prix (1979).
Winning Big on the Weekend
Giorgio Francia drives the Jolly Club Alfa Romeo 155 GTA to victory in the Saturday Italian Touring Car race at Enna-Pergusa (1992). He does the same thing the next day.
Surtees Wins First Can-Am
John Surtees, driving a Chevy powered Lola T70, wins the first race of the new Can-Am series, at St. Jovite, Quebec, Canada (1966).
18 Year-Old Racer
Eighteen-year old Joey Logano makes his NASCAR Cup debut at New Hampshire Motor Speedway driving for Joe Gibbs Racing (2008).
A Bad Crash
David Piper crashes a Porsche 917 during filming of the Movie “Le Mans”. He will lose his right leg below the knee as a result of his injuries (1970).
McLaren Goes 1-2
Denny Hulme and Bruce McLaren, both driving Ford powered McLaren M7A racers, finish 1-2 in the Canadian Grand Prix at St. Jovite (1968).
Hunt Disqualified
The CSI Court Of Appeals disqualifies James Hunt from the British GP, which was held two months earlier. Niki Lauda becomes the race winner (1976).
March F3 Debut
March’s first F3 racer debuts with a third place finish by Ronnie Peterson in a race at Caldwell Park, England (1969).
Nothing In It
Pat O’Conner beats Johnny Thompson by 9.9 seconds in the first 100-mile USAC champcar race on the newly paved oval at Trenton, New Jersey (1957).
The Press Release
A Porsche press release officially announces JW Automotive engineering will contest the 1970 Manufacturer’s World Championship with Porsche (1969).
1907 Coppa Florio
Ferdinando Minoia drives an Isotta-Fraschini to victory in the Coppa Florio race in Italy (1907).
Lauda Wins in Italy
Niki Lauda wins the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in a McLaren MP4/2-TAG (1984).
Lister-Jaguar Win
Ed Crawford drives a Lister-Jaguar to victory in the Watkins Glen Grand Prix in Watkins Glen, New York (1958).
Tyrrell Wins In Vegas
Michele Alboreto drives a Tyrrell to victory in the Caesars Palace Grand Prix in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA (1982).
Piquet Wins In Monza
Nelson Piquet drives a Williams FW11B-Honda to victory in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza (1987).
Jackie Stewart Clinches Title
Jackie Stewart, driving a Matra MS80-Ford, wins Italian Grand Prix and clinches his first F1 World Championship (1969).
Porsche Wins its First Can-Am
Porsche wins its first Can-Am race when Tony Dean drives his 908 to a surprise victory at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia (1970).
“The Pass”
Alex Zanardi wins the CART Toyota Grand Prix of Monterey at Laguna Seca Raceway with “The Pass” of Bryan Herta in the Corkscrew on the last lap (1996).
Zora Tames Pikes Peak
Zora Arkus-Duntov drives a Corvette up Pikes Peak in a record-breaking time of 17 minutes, 24.05 seconds (1955).
Rolls Wins Tourist Trophy
C.S. Rolls wins the second Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man in a Rolls-Royce. He covers 259 kilometers in 4 hours and 6 minutes to average 63.5 kph (1906).
March's First Race
A March racing car appears in competition for the first time when Ronnie Peterson drives a 693 in the F3 race at Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire, England (1969).
Peter Brock Wins Bathurst
Peter Brock and Larry Perkins drive a Holden Commodore to victory in the James Hardie 1000 at Mount Panorama, Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia (1984).
First Italian Grand Prix
Jules Goux, driving a Ballot, wins the first Italian Grand Prix at Montichiari, near Brescia (1921).
First USAC Race
George Constantine, driving a Aston Martin DBR2, wins the first USAC sanctioned sports car race, at Lime Rock, Connecticut (1958).
Villeneuve's Best Win Yet
Gilles Villeneuve wins the non-championship Formula Atlantic race through the streets of Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada, driving a March 76B (1976).
Jeff Gordon Wins in NC
Jeff Gordon wins the last NASCAR Winston Cup race ever run at North Wilkboro Speedway in North Carolina (1996).
New Land Speed Record
Andy “Dead Dog” Green pilots the Thrust SSC to a new Land Speed Record of 714.144 mph in Nevada’s Blackrock Desert (1997).
Matra M670C Wins Big
Jean-Pierre Jarier and Jean-Pierre Beltoise win the 1000-kilometer sports car race at Brand Hatch, England, driving a Matra M670C (1974).
A Rare Win
Teo Fabi drives a Porsche-March 89P to victory in the CART Red Roof Inns 200 on the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. Only CART win for engine supplier Porsche and final CART win for chassis maker March (1989).
Donohue Un-Retires
Mark Donohue announces he is coming out of retirement to race in Formula One for Penske Racing (1974).
McLaren Goes 1-2
Denny Hulme and Bruce McLaren drive their Team McLaren M8B-Chevrolets to a 1-2 finish in the Can-Am race at Bridgehampton, New York (1969).
Ferrari 250 GT Wins
Alfonso de Portago drives a Ferrari 250 GT to victory in the Tour de France (1956).
Nigel Mansell Back to Back
Nigel Mansell clinches the CART Indy Car Championship, becoming the first man to win the F1 and Indy Car titles back-to-back (1993).
Ford Clinches Championship
Parnelli Jones drives a Ford Mustang Boss 302 to victory in the SCCA Trans-Am race at Seattle International Raceway in Kent, Washington. Ford clinches the Trans-Am Championship (1970).
Hans & Auto Union Win
Luigi Fagioli takes over Rudolf Caracciola’s Mercedes-Benz W25 and wins the Italian Grand Prix at Monza (1934).
First Tourist Trophy
The first Tourist Trophy, a regularity trial based on fuel comsumption for autos and motorcycles, is won by John Napier in an Arrol-Johnston, on the Isle of Man (1905).
AVUS racetrack opens
The AVUS racetrack opens in Berlin, Germany in 1922. It was a road in Berlin and was also used as a motor racing circuit until 1998. Today, it forms north part of the Bundesautobahn 115.
Scott Pruett Clinches
Scott Pruett clinches the SCCA Trans-Am Championship when he drives a Jaguar XKR to victory in the streets of Miami, Florida.
Championship for Aston
Carroll Shelby and Jack Fairman drive an Aston Martin to victory in the 6-hour Tourist Trophy race at Goodwood, England, securing the World Sportscar Championship for Aston Martin (1959).
Last Grand Prix Before War
Tazio Nuvolari, driving an Auto Union, wins the Grand Prix of Belgrade, the last Grand Prix held before the start of WWII (1939).
Alain Prost Fourth Title
Alain Prost captures his fourth Formula One World Championship (1993).
September Motorsport Birthdays
Indy car racer Robbie Buhl is born in Detroit, Michigan (1965).
New Zealand racer Rob Wilson is born in Auckland (1952).
Lola Cars International Ltd. founder Eric Broadley is born in Bromley, Kent, England (1928).
British industrialist and F1 racer Kenneth McAlpine OBE DL is born (1920).
Australian Touring Car racer Jim Richards born in Otahuhu, New Zealand (1947).
French F2 and F3 racer Compte Adam Potocki is born in Warsaw, Poland (1940).
Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Arie Luyendyk is born (1953).
Indianapolis 500 and French Grand Prix winner Jimmy Murphy is born in California (1894).
Mercedes-Benz factory driver Karl Kling is born in Germany (1910).
Minardi F1 team founder Giancarlo Minardi born (1947).
Ferenc Szisz, who wins the first “Grand Prix,” is born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire (1873).
Sprint Car driver Johnny Herrera is born (1966).
Formula One great Stirling Moss born (1929).
Henry Seagrave, racer and speed record holder, is born in Baltimore, Maryland (1896).
F1 and CART Indy Car racer Bruno Giacomelli born in Poncarale, Brescia, Italy (1952).
NASCAR stock car driver Ricky Rudd is born (1956).
IMSA GTP champion and CART driver Randy Lanier is born (1954).
Dutch open-wheel racer Robert Doornbos is born (1981).
F1 and sports car racer Mike Parkes is born in Surrey, England (1931).
NASCAR great Elmo Langley is born in Cresswell, North Carolina (1929).
F1-racer Gerhard Berger is born (1959).
F1 racer Clay Regazzoni is born in Lugano, Switzerland (1939).
Rally-driver Jean-Louis Schlesser is born (1948).
F1 champion Mika Hakkinen is born (1968).
Ferdinand Porsche is born in Maffersdorf, Bohemia (1875)
Kenny Bernstein, first driver to win both NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car titles born (1944).
Harry Stutz, the founder of the Stutz Motor Car Company, is born in Ansonia, Ohio (1876).
Sports car racer Sherwood Johnston, drove for Briggs Cunningham, born in New York (1927).
Bob Estes, driver, team owner, and co-founder of USAC born (1913).
Antonio Ascari, Alfa Romeo racing great is born in Bonferro di Sorga, Italy (1888).
World rally Champion Björn Waldegård is born (1943).
F1 World Champion Damon Hill is born (1960).
IMSA and CART racer Juan Fangio II is born (1957).
Indy car driver and team owner Dick Simon is born (1933).
Professor Syd Watkins, Formula One medical director, is born (1928).
Stock car racer Donnie Allison is born (1939).
Team McLaren and Team Penske member Teddy Mayer is born (1935).
CART team owner and vintage racer Bruce McCaw is born (1946).
F1 and Sports car driver Jochen Mass is born (1946).
September Motorsport Deaths
Dario Resta dies in a crash during a speed record attempt at Brooklands, England (1924).
Jochen Rindt dies in a crash during practice for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza (1970). He would become the first and only posthumous World Champion (1970).
Raymond Somner dies in a crash during a race at Cobours, France (1950).
Ronnie Peterson dies from injuries suffered in a crash during Italian Grand Prix (1978).
Jimmy Murphy dies in an accident during a Championship race at Syracuse, New York (1924).
Sports car and F1 racer Richie Ginther dies of heart failure (1989).
Prewar Grand Prix great Rudolph Caracciola dies of cancer (1959).
Sports car legend Al Holbert dies in a plane crash near Columbus, Ohio (1988).
Howard “Howdey” Wilcox, American GP and Indy 500 winner, dies in a crash (1923).
Giuseppe Campari and Baconin Mario Umberto Borzacchini are killed when both their cars crash during the second heat of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Count Stanislao Czaykowski dies in another accident during the final race.
NASCAR driver Richard “Richie” Panch dies in an airplane crash in South Carolina (1985)
Gordon Spice, racer and constructor (Spice Engineering) dies from cancer at age 81 (2021).
Touring and sports car racer Jörg Obermoser, who also built Toj sports cars and later made and sold scale model car kits, dies after a long illness (2020).
Stefan Bellof dies from inuries sustained in the crash of his Porsche 956 during the World Endurance Championship race at Spa, Belgium.
Henry Ford II, CEO of Ford and the one who decided Ford would win Le Mans, dies (1987).
Helene Delange, raced between the world wars under the name of Hele Nice, dies (1984).
Land Speed Record setter John Cobb dies in the crash of his jet boat in Scotland (1952).
Don Panoz, founder of Panoz Motorsport and the American Le Mans Series, dies (2018).
Actor, racer, and team owner Paul Newman dies from lung cancer in Connecticut (2008).
Bernardus Marinus “Ben” Pon Jr., Dutch importer of Volkswagens & Porsches, dies (2019).
Racer and rally driver Barrie Williams, who gave Mini Cooper S first win, dies (2018).
Ralph Kent-Cooke, team owner and Le Mans participant, dies in Kentucky (1995).
Bruce Leven, racer and owner of the Bayside Disposal Racing Team, dies at age 78 (2017).
Erwin Kremer, one of the brothers who founded the Kremer racing team, dies (2006).
The worst accident in the history of board track motorcycle racing occurs when two riders and four spectators are killed at Newark, New Jersey (1912).
Jochen Rindt (right) and Lotus boss Colin Chapman celebrate the Austrian’s 1970 British Grand Prix victory. Photo: Maureen Magee
Stefan Bellof, in chassis 012-1, at the 1984 Belgian Grand Prix. Photo: Paul Kooyman
