Auto-history.tv -motoring history film archive

Excellent documentary featuring Juan Manual Fangio winning the famous Sebring 12 hour endurance race in a Ferrari, with all the other major international sports and race cars, as well as drivers in attendance. The film provides an excellent insight into the more free-spirited attitude towards racing during the mid 1950s.

Excellent documentary featuring Juan Manual Fangio winning the famous Sebring 12 hour enduracne race in a Ferrari, with all the other major international sports and race cars, as well as drivers in attendance. The film provides an excellent insight into the more free-spirited attitude towards racing during the mid 1950s.

John Fitch was one of the most successful American post-war race drivers of his generation winning countless races in the US, Europe and South America. In this exclusive interview from 1996 he reflects back on his racing exploits during the innocent, golden years of motor racing as well as on some of the cars he owned.

Excellent documentary record of hot rod dragester racing in the US in the late 1950s. Contains great action footage, a rich assortment of very fast modified cars as well as many of the leading drag racing champions of the era.

Excellent documentary record of hot rod dragester racing in the US in the late 1950s. Contains great action footage, a rich assortment of very fast modified cars as well as many of the leading drag racing champions of the era.

A young Mario Andretti tests new tires at the Pheonix International Raceway in preparation for the forthcoming 1965 Indianapolis 500.

A classic newsreel of the 1964 Indianapolis 500. Sadly, in front of a huge crowd, the race claimed the lives of Eddie Sachs and Dave Macdonald. The race is suspended for one and half hours, but in the resumption, Indy legend AJ Foyt wins the event for the second time at an average speed of more than 147 mph.

Newsreel of the 1963 Le Mans 24 hour endurance race. Incredibly, Ferraris dominate the event to such an extent they capture the first six places.

The 46th running of the Indy epic is another action packed event. Parnelli Jones sets the early pace, but Roger Ward comes strong at the end and repeats his success of 1959.

More than 200,000 people attend the golden anniversary of the Indianapolis 500. A monumental crash causes mayhem on the track, but, miraculously, the drivers only suffer a few bruises amongst them. Less than half the starters actually complete the race and in one of the closest finishes ever, AJ Foyt narrowly defeats Eddie Sachs, to claim the winning prize of $125,000.

A sock car race meeting at Daytona Beach in Florid in 1960.

A promotional film for the launch of the Bentley Turbo R -one of the most luxurious (and powerful) cars ever built. It shows many of the car's great qualities, as well as footage of the car achieving a British national endurance record at the Millbrook test track.

Great action from the national hot rod speed trials at Bonneville in the early 1950s. A range of cars travel along the sands and the eventual winner tops more than 215 miles per hour.

In another two-man Indy car, Chicago driver Billy Arnold leads this year's 500 from the third lap all the way to the finish in one of the most one sided victories on record. His average lap speed was over 113 mph -the fourth fastest time to date.

Huge crowds have assembled for the US annual national soap box derby where youngsters from North America and Europe bring their own homemade "cars" to a special race track in Akron, Ohio.

Newsreel of famous Italian driver Tazio Nuvolari winning the Monaco grand prix along the Monte Carlo waterfront in an Alpha Romeo at the beginning of the 1930s.

Film showing uncontrolled motorised mayhem as dozens of stock cars race around the Brands Hatch grand prix course in Kent.

At the beginning of the 1900s, Henry Ford was not only starting mass production of regular cars, he was also a race car pioneer and this film shows the famous 999 race car he built which the breaks the world land speed record in 1902.

Rare film featuring MG TCs and other popular sports cars of the era at the original road race through the town of Watkins Glen in upstate, New York, which subsequently became a major venue on the international grand prix circuit.

Film from the early 1950s featuring the main sports cars of the era in the annual "race to the clouds" event up Mount Washington in New Hampshire.

Burning heat and regular mishaps mar the 1953 Indy 500, but Bill Vuchovich overcomes the problems to gain his first Indy victory.

An all-action stock car race from Atlanta, Georgia, which sees a number of spectacular crashes, but miraculously no fatalities.

A film showing how former Ferrari grand prix race driver Bob Bondurat trains motoring professionals to become better drivers at his driver training school in California. There's plenty of skidding and screeching brakes.

An excellent "day in the life" documentary of motor racing legend Richard Petty who dominated American motor racing in the 1960s and 70s.

Great footage of a range of period sports cars competing in the Monte Carlo Rally -complete with the added difficulty of heavy snow on the treacherous mountain roads. A Swedish made Saab is the winner.