Wheels Across the Pacific: Transnational Histories of the Automotive Industry
2022-09-17
The Automotive Historians Australia (AHA) and the SAH co-convened a one-day online symposium for their members on 9/17. Ten speakers presented nine papers, exploring ways in which the Australian and North American auto industries shared parts and components, staff, expertise and skills, engineering, design and studio practices, business and management structures, and advertising and trade practices. Download the symposium program. (10/16/22)

2022 Eastern Division AACA National Fall Meet in Hershey, PA
2022-10-04 - 2022-10-07
We resumed our customary big-tent presence on the flea market Orange Field this year and were happy to see Hershey Week resemble something close to “normal.” Tuesday was the obligatory foul weather day this year, but by Thursday and Friday the sun was shining and the temps were comfortable. For the first time, our Annual General Meeting took place at the tent Wednesday afternoon; the session went well and after the required reports a lively discussion ensued among the dozen attendees about the future of the SAH. The Fall Board Meeting was held at the Hershey Country Club Wednesday evening, the Annual Book Signing took place Thursday afternoon at the tent with 16 authors in attendance, and the Annual Awards Banquet was held Thursday evening at the Hershey Country Club. The Fall Board Meeting minutes will be posted to the members section of the website in the near future. (10/17/22)

Third European Conference for Automotive History
2022-10-14 - 2022-10-16
The third European Conference for Automotive History was held at MAuto, Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile, in Turin. The conference was organized jointly by Thomas Ulrich of the AHG in Germany and Anders Ditlev Clausager of the SAHB in the UK, with sponsorship from FIVA (Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens). Eighteen half-hour English language presentations were made to ninety attendees from twenty countries. One of the premier European automobile museums proved to be an excellent conference venue. Conference participants toured the archives and preservation facilities at MAuto and visited the Stellantis Heritage Hub in the Mirafiori factory and the Fiat Centro Storico downtown in an original F.I.A.T. building. (Skip McGoun, 11/15/22)

Sixth Annual Michael R. Argetsinger Symposium for International Motor Racing History
2022-11-04 - 2022-11-05 | Watkins Glen International (WGI), 2413 Bronson Hill Rd, Watkins Glen, NY, United States
The Sixth Annual Michael R. Argetsinger Symposium for International Motor Racing History, in Watkins Glen, NY, was co-hosted by the International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC) and the SAH. The open-to-the-public in-person symposium was live streamed at the Watkins Glen International Media Center, located in the track infield, thanks to the generous support and technical expertise of Eric Monterastelli of Gran Touring Motorsports.
Two full days of presentation sessions included fifteen half-hour individual presentations and one round table discussion. Several Symposium presenters Zoomed from Australia, Belgium, Italy, Scotland and New Zealand. Keynote speaker Buz McKim, renowned NASCAR historian, presented “Moonshine and Its Connection to the American Auto Industry.” The Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce generously sponsored a recepetion at the IMRRC on Friday evening.
For a list of sessions held each day, courtesy of the IMRRC, click: Friday, November 4th and Saturday, November 5th. Audio recordings and ideos of each session will be released at a future date. (11/28/22)

8th Annual Argetsinger Symposium on Motor Racing
2024-11-01 - 2024-11-02 | Watkins Glen International (WGI), 2413 Bronson Hill Rd, Watkins Glen, NY, United States
Since 2015 the SAH has co-hosted the Michael R. Argetsinger Symposium on International Motor Racing History in association with the International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC) at Watkins Glen, New York.
The Argetsinger Symposium provides scholars, writers and researchers with an opportunity to present their work on the history of motor sports to peers, the wider motor sports community, and to the general public. Submissions on all topics relating to automotive competition are welcome, including: motor sports history and historiography, social, cultural and institutional studies, gender studies, oral history, public history, political history, the history of technology, the evolution and development of motor sport technology, sports geography, and communications studies.
Open to the public, the event has established itself as a unique forum and has a growing audience of motor sports enthusiasts. If you love motor sports, be sure to attend in person or virtually. If you are a racing historian, be sure to submit a paper abstract when the Call for Papers is issued in the summer.

Call for Papers
Motor sport scholars, historians, independent researchers, graduate and undergraduate students are invited to submit proposals for presentations at the 2024 Argetsinger Symposium, which will take place November 1-2 in Watkins Glen, New York.
Abstracts not exceeding 200 words should be sent to the Symposium administrators by this year’s deadline of August 2, 2024.
Abstracts should summarize the content and thesis of the presentation in a succinct and compelling manner. Proposals should include examples of the graphic images presenters intend to use during their talk.
Please also indicate whether the presentation will be given in person at Watkins Glen, or remotely via Zoom.
For complete information on how and where to submit your proposal, please download the Call for Papers.
Submission review, selection, and notification will be completed the week of August 19, 2024.

Michael Argetsinger
The symposium is named in honor of Michael R. Argetsinger (1944-2015), who was a sports car racer himelf, the author of five books on racing, and a founding member of the IMRRC. Michael was the son of Cameron and Jean Argetsinger, who brought Formula One racing to America and founded the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Race Course, as well as the later Watkins Glen International. Michael inherited his parents’ passion for motor sports.

Michael Argetsinger at a book signing in 2009

2024 Event
The Eighth Annual Michael R. Argetsinger Symposium on International Motor Racing History will take place November 1 and 2 at the Watkins Glen International Racetrack Media Center building in the track infield. The event is co-hosted by the International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC).
Members of the public can attend the Symposium at the track for free. The event will also be live-streamed.
This year’ symposium includes 16 talks on topics ranging from the early days of Formula One at Watkins Glen to the evolution of women in racing and features a keynote address by renowned professional driver and pioneer of women in motor racing, Lyn St. James.
For the complete details concerning the schedule and the presentations, please follow the link below.
Presentations from previous years can be accessed from the same page.

Read More About the 2024 Symposium

Automotive History Live!
2026-07-10 - 2026-07-11 | Studebaker National Museum, 201 Chapin St, South Bend, IN, 46601, United States
The Studebaker National Museum and the SAH are co-hosting a two-day lecture series in conjunction with the 2026 Concours d’Elegance at Copshaholm in South Bend, IN. The lecture series is on Friday & Saturday, July 10 & 11, 2026 and the Concours is on Saturday. Anyone interested in helping out at the event should contact Andy Beckman.

SAH/SAHB "Chin Wag"
2026-09-13 15:30 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
They’re friendly, casual Zoom gatherings to talk about any aspects of automotive history. Our Chin-Wag Zooms last 90 minutes and typically have ten to twenty participants who are free to come and go during each session. We are known to go off into the weeds and down rabbit holes and while there is no set agenda, participants are welcome to suggest topics or questions beforehand. Society and club business are NOT discussed. Most importantly, it’s an opportunity to meet or to become better acquainted with enthusiasts in other lands; recent Chin-Wags included attendees from France, Italy, the UK, New Zealand, Australia, and three time zones across the US and Canada.

The next Chin-Wag takes place on Sunday, September 13.
Sunday start times:
US and Canada 12:30 PM PDT, 2:30PM CDT, 3:30PM EDT
20:30 in the UK
21:30 in Europe
…and concurrently, these Monday morning start times:
5:30AM in Australia
7:30AM in New Zealand
To have your name added to the Chin-Wag Zoom invitation list, simply reply to this Newsletter email.
We hope you’ll join us! (bb)

Fifth FIVA Pan-European Conference for Automotive History
2026-09-18 - 2026-09-20
FIVA [the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens or international federation of historic vehicles] invites members and friends to the Fifth Pan-European Conference for Automotive History, organised by FIVA in cooperation with the Norwegian Federation for Historic Vehicles (LMK) and hosted at the Norwegian Roads Museum to be held September 18-20, 2026 at the Norwegian Roads Museum, Norway.
This biennial conference was originally masterminded by the late Anders Ditlev Clausager together with Thomas Ulrich and today it is a leading international forum that brings together historians, researchers, curators, authors, professionals, and passionate enthusiasts to share knowledge, present new research, and engage in high-level discussion on the cultural, social, and technological history of mobility.
Whether you wish to contribute a paper or attend as an informed and engaged listener, the conference offers a unique opportunity for learning, inspiration, and international networking in an outstanding Nordic setting.
Additional information on the conference can be found here.

Annual Awards Banquet
2026-09-19 18:00 - 23:00 | Durant-Dort Factory One, 303 W. Water Street, Flint, MI, 48503, United States
All are welcome – SAH members, non-members, friends
Social hour with cash bar begins at 6PM with dinner at 7PM
Dinner will be followed by the 2026 SAH Awards Ceremony, and conclude with a presentation by guest speaker Shelley Selim
Please print the reservation form linked below and send to the
SAH treasurer Rubén Verdés by September 5, 2026
If you are unable to attend but would like to contribute, you are welcome to donate to the SAH Awards Fund, which helps defray the costs of the plaques awarded to honorees. Those who donate will be recognized in the SAH Awards Banquet Program.

Tenth Annual Michael R. Argetsinger Symposium on International Motor Racing History
2026-11-12 - 2026-11-13 | Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel, 16 N Franklin St, Watkins Glen, NY, 14891, United States
The International Motor Racing Research Center and the Society of Automotive Historians will convene the Tenth Annual Michael R. Argetsinger Symposium on International Motor Racing History at Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel in historic Watkins Glen, New York, on Thursday and Friday, November 12 & 13, 2026.
