Triple Crown of Motor Sport

[Peterkirchem]

What constitutes the triple crown of motorsport and why??

[D-Type]

There is no such thing as the Triple Crown of Motorsport. it's a journalistic invention. They might have copied the term from Rugby where the term has been used for years to describe a team beating the other three British teams in the Five Nations (now Six Nations) series of matches. It's a convenient shorthand for saying 'winning the top event in different forms of Motor sport'. Indianapolis as a race is far more significant than the AAA/CART/Champcar/Indycar/whatever championship and Le Mans is bigger than the Sports Car/GT/Endurance Championship. No GP stands above the others, unless you say the French GP de l'ACF as it was first or Monaco because it's the most glamorous, so they originally plumped for the Championship.

This first hit the press was Graham Hill with his wins at Indianapolis, Le Mans and either the World Championship or Monaco depending on who was writing.

Then the Americans countered with AJ Foyt's wins at Indianapolis, Le Mans and the Daytona 500

Then the Andretti fans came up with Indianapolis, Daytona 500 and the World Championship

And in vintage times there was Louis Chiron with the GP de l'ACF, Le Mans and the Monte Carlo Rally. Or Nuvolari with Le Mans, Mille Miglia and GP de l'ACF

John Surtees can claim a Motor Cycle World Championship (or three), a World Drivers' Championship and a CanAm Championship

And ...

In today's world of specialisation I doubt we will see many 'triple crown' claimants in future.
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The more you learn, the more you realise how little you know.

[D-Type]

A few for manufacturers:

Porsche - perm any 3 from 5 - Le Mans, a French GP and the Paris-Dakar, or a Monte Carlo Rally, or a CanAm Championship

McLaren - perm any 3 from 4 - WDCs, Le Mans, CanAm and Indianapolis

Mercedes in 1955 won the World Drivers' Championship, the Sports Car Championship and the European rally Championship

Ford - perm any 3 from 5 - Daytona 500, Le Mans, Safari, and Indianapolis or WDC as engine manufacturers

Cosworth engines - WDC, Le Mans and Indianapolis

Lotus - WDCs, Indianapolis and Le Mans (well the Index of Performance anyway)

Anybody care to add some more?
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The more you learn, the more you realise how little you know.