1981 Porsche 917 K-81 Race Car

The Porsche 917's racing career was relatively brief — but extremely successful. Over three seasons, the 917 entered 23 races and won 15, including wins at Daytona and Le Mans. Rule changes forced the 917's retirement from international racing, but it was just as dominant in the Can-Am racing series. The 917 pictured here is the last Porsche-sanctioned 917 built, constructed by the Kremer team that won Le Mans in 1979. A rule change for the 1981 season led to Kremer building a custom aluminum frame for the 917, with Porsche providing two Type 912 engines, a Type 920 gearbox, and technical support. The car was finished a month before the 1981 Le Mans race. The result was a disappointing 18th in qualifying and a retirement in the race itself. The second race for the 917 would also be its last at the Brands Hatch 1000km, where it retired with a suspension failure after leading the race. This 917 will go to auction at RM Sotheby's Monaco event in May.