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On This Day in Automotive History: September 15

On This Day in Automotive History
September 15

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Birthdays: Toni Branca (1916), Dawson Lechlider (1920), Al Wagoner (1921), Jim V. Cook (1922), Lloyd Hulette (1925), Dick Turcott (1926), Roxy Dancy (1927), Diego Febles (1929), Bill Foster (1934), Don Strain (1934), Joe Phipps (1935), Luther Burton (1937), Royce Johnston (1939), Roger Dorchy (1944), Ron Cote (1945), Ray Wallace (1947), Anna Cambiaghi (1948), Randy Wars (1948), Walter Surma (1949), Ron Shuman (1952), Jimmy Fennig (1953), Manuel Mello-Breyner (1953), Rob Holden (1956), Rick Sutherland (1956), Ronnie Jones (1957), Klaus Abbelen (1960), Boyd Long Jr. (1962), Simon Emerzidis (1963), Jamie James (1963), Robert Tallini (1966), Luciano Tamburini (1966), Richard Durivage Jr. (1968), Eric Wilson (1970), Bubba Urban (1971), Craig Bracken (1972), Matt White (1974), Frederic Johais (1980), Chris Pasteryak (1980), Josh Andrew (1981), J.C. Stout (1983), Ian Dyk (1985), Joe Oliver (1986), Paulie Harraka (1989), Quin Houff (1997), Garrett Jones (1999)

1923: The Oregon State Highway Department surveys statewide traffic today (6 a.m. to 10 p.m.). Bureau of Public Roads uses the data to prepare a map of Oregon traffic observed, represented by width of lines, on that date. The heaviest traffic is on the Pacific Highway between Aurora and Oregon City (2,239 cars passing a given point). Traffic in the central, eastern, and southern parts of Oregon is so light that it cannot be shown by width of line. Numbers are used instead (e.g., "3T" means "3 trucks" and "44A" means "44 automobiles").

1955: Bureau of Public Roads designates 2,300 miles of urban area routes as part of the National System of Interstate Highways (as it is officially called until 1956), completing designation of the 40,000 miles authorized by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1940 (See August 2, 1947). The Yellow Book, so-called because of its yellow cover, is published to show urban sections of the Interstate System and is distributed to each Member of Congress.

1971: The structural aerodynamic research facility at the Fairbank Highway Research Station in McLean, VA, is officially named the George S. Vincent Memorial Aerodynamic Laboratory in honor of the eminent structural engineer who served with Bureau of Public Roads from 1919 to 1963 and was in charge of the lab from its opening. Vincent died of a heart attack in 1968 while in route to Washington, DC, for a technical meeting in his capacity as special consultant to FHWA on collapse of the Silver Bridge.

1984: The first episode of Pole Position aired.

2007: Colin McRae died in a helicopter crash.

2009: The Ferrari 458 Italia was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

2011: The final Ford Crown Victoria was produced.

2011: The film Drive was released in some markets.

2015: The film Schumacher was released online.