Auto-history.tv -motoring history film archive

Film of what is believed to be the first international motor race ever recorded on film and one of the first major road races in America. It includes great footage of the pioneering race cars from at the beginning of the 20th Century and the huge number of curious spectators who turned out to witness this new sporting spectacle.

An informative visual guide to the early years of motor racing in America and the big heavy cars of the day which would be raced at the nation's primitive race tracks.

Great period footage of big American race cars competing in hill climbs, at Indy and at outlawed Midwest dirt tracks as the new sport of motor racing grows in popularity.

Excellent footage of the difficulties faced by the fearless drivers who tackled this year Monte Carlo Rally. The film shows MGs, Austins and other standard production cars being driven along icy narrow mountainous roads in the dead of night. A French team were the overall winners, although only around one third of the original starters crossed the finishing line.

Stirling Moss wins the Monaco Grand Prix through the principality's narrow streets, having led the race almost from the start.

A huge fire engulfs the Langhorne race track in Pennsylvania and one by one the competing cars crash into each other causing one of the worst motor race accidents ever caught on camera where no-one is killed.

An extraordinary Italian motor racing innovation where a twin torpedo car is tested at high speed on the famous Monza race track.

Youngsters build their own miniature cars and then race them in the US national 1935 soap box derby.

An all action stock car race in Atlanta which unfortunately claims the life of Englishman and former Indianapolis winner, George Robson.

Film of the Monza motor race in Italy featuring Ferraris, Porcshes and other leading race cars. The winner is Lorenzo Bandini in a Porsche.

A newsreel of the 40th running of the Indianapolis 500 race. It contains the usual mishaps, although there are no serious accidents. The winner is Pat Flaherty.

New Zealander Dennis Hulme wins the German Grand Prix on his way to becoming the 1967 World Drivers Champion.

Graham Hill, Jim Clark, Dan Gurney, Dennis Hulme are among the leading drivers at the 1967 Watkins Glen Grand Prix which is won by Clark in a Lotus 49.

A midget motor race at Soldiers Field in Chicago.

There's plenty of mishaps at Daytona Beach as former national US stock car champion Roy Hall wins this latest postwar event.

An excellent newsreel of the 1947 Indianapolis 500 which includes the usual accidents and mishaps. The winner is Chicago driver Mauri Rose.

Circuit racing as it would have been in bygone times. An all-action chariot race from Rome.

Great period footage of a stock car race at Trenton, New Jersey, which contains all the usual thrills and spills.

A 1950s stock car race at Daytona Beach on both the sand and the road. The film contains plenty of great cars and action.

175,000 fans witness the 1952 Indianapolis 500. The winner is Troy Ruttmann with an average speed of over 128 miles per hour.

A hill climb race to the top of Pikes Peak in Colorado, more than 10,000 feet above sea level.

Lavish selection of jaw-dropping convertible cars on offer at a 1950s motor show

Aston Martins come first and second at the annual Le Mans 24 hour endurance race with the winning car being driven by Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori. Due to all sorts of mishaps, less than half the starting cars actually finish the event.