Universal Motoring History film archive

A brief tour of the Sebring race race track in Florida which was the venue of the main American annual endurance race during the 1950s

A newsreel which chillingly shows the dangers of motor racing during this era as leading driver Archie Scott Brown (famous as the race driver with only one arm) is killed in this grand prix meeting.

Motor racing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, complete with plenty of action, crashes and huge crowds.

Around 300,000 spectators witness the 1959 German grand prix where Stirling Moss and Phil Hill are among the leading contenders. Moss wins in a Lotus, although Hill is the champion driver of the year.

The 1966 Indianapolis 500 saw one of the worst starts ever with a mass crash on the first lap. Despite massive mayhem on the track with 11 cars written off, no driver was seriously injured and the race resumed one and half hours later. Further accidents reduced the number of finishers to only seven, with Graham Hill eventually winning the eventful race at his first attempt.

In the days when Snetterton was a major venue in the motor racing world, this Formula 2 race was seen as major event in the calendar and attracted such leading drivers as Graham Hill, who wins the race.

America takes on the best of Europe at this year Le Mans 24 hour endurance event. Many of the American drivers though are forced out of the race in a series of mishaps, except for Dan Gurney and AJ Foyt who take the checkered flag.

A soaked Brands Hatch race track in Kent sees a race ended by torrential rain and plenty of accidents. At one point an ambulance coming to the rescue of one driver hits a race car still on the track.

A rare film of production Jaguars racing around the newly opened Thomson race way track in Connecticut in the late 1950s.

Revealing newsreel of a road race at Bridgehampton in New York featuring many classic British sports cars of the period, including Jaguars and MGs, as well as a huge enthusiastic crowd.

The annual US national stock car championships at Daytona Beach in Florida attracts many cars and huge crowds. One driver survives a spectacular crash, while defending champion Tim Flock wins the race again.

Volkswagon Beetles, MGs and Jaguars race each other in the snow at Franconia, New Hampshire in the heart of winter in the early 1950s.

D type Jaguars are victorious at this year's Le Mans endurance race taking the first four places. Again, huge crowds watch one of the greatest sporting spectacles on earth.

Great film of a motor race at the US Air force's McDill airfield in Florida. All the popular sports cars of the day, including Allards, Jaguars and MGs are in attendance along with many of the leading drivers. The winner is John Fitch.

Classic US stock car racing from the early 1930s at Elgin, Illinois. Great footage of the giant race cars of the era, along with such leading drivers as Ralph De Palma, Dave Evans, Lou Moore and Wilbur Shaw. The cars average more than 80 mph over the 200+ mile event.

The Vanderbilt cup race was one of the earliest and most famous motor races in America in the early years of the 20th Century, and this event, at the Roosevelt race way, is the first time the race has been held since 1937. The winner is Harry Carter.

A brief profile of Ford's racing successes in the 1960s. It includes the Lotus Cortina, built in England, and Carroll Shelby's lighteningly fast 427 Cobra.

For four successive years in the 1960s, Ford won Le Mans, and this brief film features these successes.

Film from the late 1950s showing Triumph sports cars and other models in action on US racetrack during the time when Triumph TR 3 cars were one of the most popular imported sports cars of the period.

Promotional film for properly organized hot rod events in the US in the 1950s. The film is a drama which features one car nut who becomes a hot rod enthusiast after he gets yet another speeding ticket and after he meets a bunch of other motor heads who are already into the hot rod craze.

Promotional film for properly organized hot rod events in the US in the 1950s. The film is a drama which features one car nut who becomes a hot rod enthusiast after he gets another speeding ticket and after he meets a bunch of other motor heads who are already into the hot rod craze.

The popularity of British sports cars in America between the 1950s and 1970s meant that by the 1990s, many older Americans were driving many of these older cars at vintage race meetings all across the country. This footage features a number of the cars at various locations.

A visual reflection on the 1960s and 1970s when British sports cars, especially Triumphs, Jaguars and MGs, enjoyed great success in America, with victories at all the nation's leading circuits.

American race car fanatic, Tom Cotter, has spent years vintage racing his 1958, British racing green, Morris Minor saloon up and down the US east coast. This film features him at one such event and includes some exhilarating in-car footage.

The late John Cooper who enjoyed great success in grand prix racing in the 1950s and further success with his Mini Cooper cars in the 1960s and beyond, describes his experieneces of taking his revolutionary rear engined Cooper Climax car to the Indy 500 race in 1961.