| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 9 of 29 in the 1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Series | |||
 The 1987 Winston 500 program cover, featuring Bobby Allison. | |||
| Date | May 3, 1987 | ||
| Official name | 18th Annual Winston 500 | ||
| Location | Lincoln, Alabama, Alabama International Motor Speedway | ||
| Course |
Permanent racing facility 2.66 mi (4.28 km) | ||
| Distance | 178 laps, 473.48 mi (761.992 km) | ||
| Scheduled Distance | 188 laps, 500.08 mi (804.8 km) | ||
| Average speed | 154.228 miles per hour (248.206 km/h) | ||
| Attendance | 135,000 | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Melling Racing | ||
| Time | 44.998 | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Davey Allison | Ranier-Lundy Racing | |
| Laps | 101 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 28 | Davey Allison | Ranier-Lundy Racing | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | ESPN | ||
| Announcers | Bob Jenkins, Larry Nuber | ||
| Radio in the United States | |||
| Radio | Motor Racing Network | ||
The 1987 Winston 500 was the ninth stock car race of the 1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 18th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, May 3, 1987, before an audience of 135,000 in Lincoln, Alabama at Alabama International Motor Speedway, a 2.66 miles (4.28 km) permanent triangle-shaped superspeedway. The race was shortened from its scheduled 188 laps to 178 due to impending darkness that was caused by a lengthy red flag for debris cleanup and catch fence repairs for an earlier accident.[1]
By race's end, Ranier-Lundy Racing's Davey Allison had managed to dominate a majority of the race, leading 101 laps when the race was called to take his first career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his first victory of the season.[2][3] To fill out the top three, Junior Johnson & Associates' Terry Labonte and Wood Brothers Racing's Kyle Petty finished second and third, respectively.
The race is considered to be one of the most influential races in terms of the advancement of auto racing safety. On the 21st lap of the race, Stavola Brothers Racing's Bobby Allison lost his engine, with pieces of his engine cutting his right rear tire at speeds of around 210 miles per hour (340 km/h). The car turned backwards and went airborne, hitting the wall and tearing down a wide stretch of protective fencing to protect fans from accidents. After the car hit the fence, the car was described to have spun "round-and-round like an insane top" per The Atlanta Constitution writer Bill Robinson,[4] collecting other cars in the accident and the accident itself injuring four spectators; none of them serious.[5]
The nature of the crash became a source of controversy for NASCAR. In response, NASCAR implemented the mandatory restrictor plate by the start of the 1988 season, which restricted air intake to the engine, made cars considerably slower, and unintentionally ushered in the era of pack racing.[6]
