1960.(50th Anniversary countdown)

1960: Competition Press' address is now Newport Beach, California, home of John and Elaine Bond. Watchers of enthusiast magazines will remember that the Bonds also owned Road & Track. Other names on the masthead changed, too: Dean Batchelor is editorial director, with Gordon H. Jennings as tech editor. The advertising director is named David E. Davis Jr.

The first major auto race telecast takes place Jan. 31, when CBS "pioneers with a coast-to-coast live broadcast of the NASCAR compact-car feature.'' With this move, "automotive sports takes a giant step forward with regard to public acceptance.''

A small display ad in the shape of a Bugatti grille trumpets Le Chanteclair restaurant. In the heart of New York City, it is owned by Rene Dreyfus, former champion of France, and brother Maurice.

Porsche and Ferrari pull their factory teams from the 10th annual Sebring 12-hour endurance race. The reason: Each team has its own fuel supplier, and Amoco is the race's official product.

Import-car sales hit 609,409. Volkswagen is the top seller with 120,000 registrations; Renault is second, off by nearly 30,000. Top sports-car sales go to Triumph (23,000) and MG (17,600).

Racer Augie Pabst uses the CP classifieds to sell a 2.5-liter Ferrari Testa Rossa with a Ginther-built engine. Cited as the fastest D Modified car in the country, it can be yours, with trailer, for $6,800.

Porsche unleashes the RS-60, a car expected to compete at Sebring in the hands of privateers. It does: Olivier Gendebien and Hans Hermann take the win, followed by a privateer entry driven by, among others, Bob Holbert.