Given that helmets were worn as part of a knight’s armor a thousand years ago, it’s amazing that it took so long for hard headgear to become de rigueur in dangerous sports such as auto racing and motorcycle racing. Perhaps it was one of the many symptoms of an attitude...

Sebring’s fourth annual 12-hour classic in 1955 turned out to be thrilling but controversial.The race featured a massive 80-car field, but chaos ensued at the start when six reserve entries – upset they were not selected to race – snuck on to the track and began racing. After a couple...