Bobby Unser, three-time Indianapolis 500 winner, passed away on Sunday at the age of 87 at his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His family announced this on Monday.
Ours won the Indy 500 in 1968, 1975 and 1981. This makes him the only driver besides Rick Mears to have won the Indianapolis 500 mile race in three different decades.
He was born in Colorado Springs in 1934 as the brother of Al Unser sen. born. He was also the uncle of Al jun. Both of them also won the Indy 500. Another brother, Jerry, died on the 1959 edition of the race.
Bobby Unser started motorsport at Roswell Speedway in 1949. Just a year later, he won his first championship with the Southwestern Modified Stock Cars at Albuquerque Speedway Park. After three years in the Air Force from 1953 to 1955, Bobby and his brothers Terry and Al decided to pursue racing careers in the United States Auto Club (USAC).
Bobby took seven wins in the USAC Sprint Cars and was third in the championship in 1965 and 1966. He also won six USAC stock car races and three runs in the USAC Midgets.
Bobby Unser at the Indianapolis 500 in 2011
Foto: Eric Gilbert
Great career with the IndyCars
His career with the IndyCars began at the end of 1962. For three years he drove for Andy Granatelli on bolides with the legendary Novi engine. At his first “500” start in 1963 he didn’t get very far: after two laps an accident ended his race.
It was not until 1967 that he took his first win on the Mosport circuit. In 1968 and 1974 he was IndyCar champion (strictly speaking champion of the USAC Championship Car Series). He has picked up 35 victories during his career, finished in the top three eight times and was part of the Hall of Fame of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1990.
After his controversial Indy 500 victory in 1981, he ended his career. The victory was initially denied because he is said to have overtaken other vehicles under yellow. Five months later, he got the win back because team owner Roger Penske took legal action against the result. Ours was instead fined $ 40,000.
Following this controversy, he stated that he was disaffected with the state of the sport. Nevertheless, he started a successful TV career. He worked on IndyCar and NASCAR races for ABC, NBC and ESPN.
Bobby Unser also won 13 class wins at the legendary Pikes Peak hill climb and was ten times overall winner, which is called the “King of the Mountain” at the “Race to the Clouds”.
Ours leaves his wife Lisa, his sons Bobby jun. and Robby and his daughters Cindy and Jeri.
With images from IndyCar.
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