This Day In Motorsports History: May 17

Formula 1

1992: San Marino Grand Prix
Nigel Mansell won the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, driving for Williams. This victory was part of his dominant 1992 season, where he won nine races and secured his first and only Formula 1 World Championship.

NASCAR

1997: Winston 500
Mark Martin won the Winston 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. This victory was a highlight in Martin's successful 1997 NASCAR Cup Series season, where he finished third in the championship standings.

MotoGP

2009: French Grand Prix
Jorge Lorenzo won the French Grand Prix at Le Mans. This victory was part of Lorenzo's strong 2009 season, where he finished second in the MotoGP World Championship standings.

World Rally Championship (WRC)

1998: Rally Argentina
Carlos Sainz won the Rally Argentina, contributing to his successful campaign in the 1998 WRC season. Sainz's performance in Argentina was a key part of his bid for the championship that year.

IndyCar

1981: Indianapolis 500 Pole Day
Bobby Unser won the pole position for the 1981 Indianapolis 500. Unser went on to win the race in a controversial finish, securing his third Indianapolis 500 victory.

Sports Cars

2015: 24 Hours of Nürburgring
The Audi R8 LMS Ultra won the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, part of the VLN Endurance Championship. This victory was significant for Audi's endurance racing program and showcased the capabilities of the R8 LMS Ultra.

Touring Cars

2014: WTCC Race of Austria
José María López won the first race of the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) Race of Austria. López's victory was part of his dominant season, where he won the WTCC title.

Supercars

2014: Perth SuperSprint
Jamie Whincup won the first race of the Perth SuperSprint, part of the Australian Supercars Championship. Whincup's victory contributed to his successful 2014 season, where he won his sixth Supercars Championship title.

Want More?

If you liked this, you’ll LOVE our podcast and newsletter! Check them out here:

Watch or Listen Now

Watch on Youtube | Spotify | Apple Podcast

Sign up for our 3x a-week newsletter

Subscribe