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On This Day in Automotive History: February 26

On This Day in Automotive History
February 26

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Birthdays: Babe Stapp (1904), Jean-Pierre Wimille (1908), Ken Schroeder (1911), Robert La Caze (1917), Herb Fry (1922), Richard Cummings (1924), Philippe Farjon (1936), Don Puskarich (1939), Don Biederman (1940), Peter Brock (1945), Ron Dickson (1947), Michael Jacobs (1948), Danny Frye, Jr. (1949), Rupert Keegan (1955), Vernon Reese (1955), Taylor Fletcher (1957), John Fletcher (1967), Terry Cook (1968), Terry Mason Jr. (1972), Chris Herbison (1973), Sebastien Loeb (1974), Greg Fahey (1978), Marc Hynes (1978), Joe Zampa (1978), Kertus Davis (1981), Mathieu Kingsbury (1985), Brad Coleman (1988), Christopher Zoechling (1988), Ryan Fischer (1989), Paul Hartwig Jr. (1991), Jordan King (1994), Destiny Klym (1997), Mateo Llarena (2004)

1961: In a 2-hour ceremony, the Terraba River Bridge officially opens near Palmar, Costa Rica, on the Inter-American Highway. The U.S. paid two-thirds of the cost of the bridge and the adjacent 56 miles of road through some of the roughest terrain on the highway. The 1,120-foot long bridge consists of four 90-foot, steel beam spans on the north and three 250-foot, through-steel trusses on the south. With more than 3,000 people in attendance, the official opening by President Mario Echandi Jimenez is followed by speeches by the assembled dignitaries, including Bureau of Public Roads' Assistant Commissioner for Operations, Paul F. Royster.

1970: The second generation Pontiac Firebird debuted.

2004: The film Pure Drifting was released.

2008: A 3-month American Axle & Manufacturing strike began.

2017: Carl Reese broke the Guinness Book of World Record for Greatest Distance in 24 hours on a Motorcycle (individual) on a track. Reese partnered with Continental AG to use the 8.5 mile closed track to set his latest world record. Continental Tire Proving Grounds are located in Uvalde, Texas. Reese totaled 2116.5 miles in less than a 24-hour period. Breaking the existing Guinness record of 2023.5 miles held by Matthew McKelvey in 2014.