OCTOBER 21, 2026

October in Racing History courtesy of Sports Car Digest

• F1 & sports car racer Willy Mairesse is born in Momignies, Belgium (1928).

• The Lancia-Bertone Stratos HF rally car is homologated for Group 4 by the FIA (1974).

• Emerson Fittipaldi drives a Patrick racing March 85C-Cosworth to victory in the CART Indy Car race at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin (1986).

• F1 and sports car racer Andrea de Cesaris dies at age 55 in a motorcycle accident on a freeway near Rome, Italy (2014).

• German racer Manfred Winkelhock is born (1951).

• Gilles Villeneuve drives a Ferrari to victory in the United States Grand Prix. Final F1 GP drive for Jackie Ickx (1979).

• Innes Ireland wins his first and only Grand Prix at the third United States Grand Prix. First USGP at Watkins Glen, New York. First GP win for the Lotus team. First GP win for a Scotsman. Last World Championship GP for Tony Brooks and Sterling Moss (1961).

• Jackie Stewart wins the exhibition USAC Fuji 200 (actually 206 miles) road race for Indy cars at Fuji International Speedway in Japan driving a Lola-Ford (1966).

• The Chaparral 2C is introduced to the public (1965).

• Ralf Kelleners drives a March 707 to victory in the Interserie race at Hockenheim, West Germany (1970).

• The Automobile Association of Australia stops sanctioning auto races (1952).

• 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).

• John Watson is announced as the replacement for the allegedly retiring James Hunt at McLaren (1978).

• Stirling Moss wins the Watkins Glen, New York, Formula Libre race in an F1 Cooper-Climax (1959).

• The USAC Championship race in Kent, Washington, is won by Mario Andretti driving an STP/Granatelli Racing Brawner/Hawk-Ford (1969).

• The Nash-Healey sports car debuts at the Paris Salon de l’Automobile (1950).

• Jorge de Bagration and Manuel Barbeito pilot a Lancia Startos HF to victory in the Rallye de España of the European Rally Championship (1976).

• Rick Mears wins the CART Indy Car race in Mexico City driving a Penske PC9-Cosworth (1980).

• Five-time Le Mans winner Derek Bell is born in Pinner, England (1941).

(Getty Images/Formula1.com)

Max Verstappen (No. 3 Oracle Red Bull Racing) put in a dominant drive to take victory in the Singapore Grand Prix, the Red Bull driver holding the lead throughout the hot and humid encounter to seal his first-ever Grand Prix win at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. After defending against Charles Leclerc (No. 16 Scuderia Ferrari) into the first corner, Verstappen ensured that he emerged in P1, and while the Ferrari initially remained on his tail, the four-time World Champion soon built up a significant gap at the front. The mid-race pit stops phase did little to change Verstappen’s commanding run, the Dutchman enjoying a smooth stop as he switched from the soft to the medium tires. Leclerc held onto P2, crossing the line 7.3 seconds behind, while Kimi Antonelli (No. 12 Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team) completed the podium in third – a result that would extend the youngster’s championship lead further. Watch the Race Highlights here. (Thank you to Formula1.com) 

(MotoGP.com)

Three hundred MotoGP wins for Italy. A history-making Aprilia top-four lockout. And a first victory since the Italian Grand Prix for Marco Bezzecchi (No. 72 Aprilia Racing). That result, after the drama bubbled over in the Mandalika cauldron on Saturday, was desperately needed as Bezzecchi claws back crucial ground in the championship chase. Second place went to the heroic Raul Fernandez (No. 25 SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team), who, despite two broken fingers, climbed onto the podium, while Jorge Martin (No. 89 Aprilia Racing) finished third to retake the World Championship lead after Marc Marquez (No. 93 Ducati Lenovo Team) came home in P6. Watch the Race Highlights here. (Thank you to MotoGP.com)

Editor's Note: This is our dearly departed billboard, which we had at Road America for several years. Peter gifted the phrase "America's National Park of Speed" to the track, which now uses it proudly in all of its communications. -WG

Editor's Note: Click on "Next 1 Entries" at the bottom of this page to see previous issues. - WG