SPEED SPORT has been reporting on and covering motorsports happenings from all over the world for 85 years, so we thought it would be fun to take a look back in the archives to see what happened 10, 25 and 50 years ago each week.
So check out what SPEED SPORT was covering 10, 25 and 50 years ago this week in Looking Back!
10 Years Ago (Sept. 2, 2009): Ryan Briscoe edged Scott Dixon at the finish line by .0077 seconds to win the IndyCar Series event at Chicagoland Speedway. Dixon and Briscoe battled throughout the race and found themselves trading the lead multiple times within the final five laps. Briscoe took the lead from Dixon on lap 196, with Dixon getting the lead back on lap 198. Briscoe nosed ahead on lap 199 and barely held Dixon off at the line to win the race. It was Briscoe’s third win of the year, which allowed him to retain the IndyCar Series point lead.
Other Happenings: Bryan Clauson edged Darren Hagen to win the Hall of Fame Classic at Angell Park Speedway; Kimi Raikkonen ended Ferrari’s victory drought with a win in the Belgian Grand Prix; Carl Edwards emerged victorious from a wild NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve; Max Angelelli and Brian Frisselle conquered the Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series event at Circuit Gilles Villenueve; Joey Saldana swpet a pair of World of Outlaws events at Canada’s Castrol Raceway.
25 Years Ago (Aug. 31, 1994): Michael Schumacher took the checkered flag first in the Belgian Grand Prix, but his Mild Seven Benetton Ford was disqualified five hours later in post-race inspection when it was discovered the wooden skid pad under his car would not pass technical inspection. Officials found the board was up to 25 percent under the required thickness. Runner-up Damon Hill, driving his Rothman’s Williams Renault, was declared the winner as a result.
Other Happenings: Rusty Wallace won the NASCAR Winston Cup Series race at Bristol, his sixth victory of the season while his younger brother Kenny Wallace won the NASCAR Busch Grand National event the day before; Ernie Irvan remained hospitalized but stable after being injured in a crash at Michigan Int’l Speedway two weeks prior; Bob Senneker won the ASA event at the Milwaukee Mile; Fresh off announcing a deal to race in the Indy Car PPG World Series for Patrick Racing, Scott Pruett won the Trans-Am Series event at Road Atlanta.
50 Years Ago (Sept. 3, 1969): Lee Roy Yarbrough blew by David Pearson on the final lap to win the Southern 500 at South Carolina’s Darlington Raceway, becoming the first driver in NASCAR history to earn more than $150,000 in one season. The race was stopped after 230 laps due to darkness. The race was interrupted twice by rain for more than four hours. Yarbrough got around Pearson going into the third turn on the 230rd and final lap, then beat Pearson to the checkers by a car length.
Other Happenings: Al Tasnady defended his victory in the Daniel Boone 200 at the Reading Fairgrounds half-mile aboard the Cozze Coach after starting 14th in the 40-car field; A.J. Foyt led 45 laps, including the final eight, to win his first stock car race at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds; Sonny Hutchins (NASCAR Late Model Sportsman) and Ray Hendrick (All Star Stock Car Racing League) picked up wins at Dover Downs Int’l Speedway; Bentley Warren earned $6,400 for winning the 13th International Classic at Oswego.