Bobby Unser

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Bobby Unser was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the son of Mary Catherine and Jerome Henry Unser, the third oldest of four brothers. When he turned one, his family moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico where his father started a garage on U.S. Route 66. From 1953 to 1955, he served in the United States Air Force and became a top competition sharpshooter in military matches. He began racing in 1949 in a Modified at Roswell Speedway, and at age 15 in 1950, he won his first championship in Southwest Modified Stock Cars. In 1959, his brother Jerry Unser died in a practice crash for the 1959 Indianapolis 500. Unser was an early user of five-point harnesses, adopting them from aviation. When asked in 2008 about his potential to move from midget and sprint cars, Unser said, "I never considered Indianapolis because I didn't think I was good enough. But Rufus (Parnelli Jones) told me I was going and he got me a ride and I always be indebted to him."

In Their Own Story

The 1981 Indianapolis 500 was one of the most controversial finishes in the race's history. Unser won the pole in the No. 3 Roger Penske-owned car and led the most laps (89 laps). On lap 149, during a caution period, Unser and Mario Andretti made their pit stops and headed back to the race. Unser passed eight cars during the caution, while Andretti passed two cars. Unser won the race by 5.18 seconds, but was stripped of it the following morning in favor of second-place finisher Andretti. After a five-month lawsuit and protest by Penske, Unser was re-awarded the win in October 1981. For his infraction, Unser was instead fined $40,000 ($142,000 in today's money). In his autobiography Winners Are Driven, Unser expressed his beliefs that the debacle was politically motivated and that USAC disqualified him (and benefited Andretti), hoping to start a falling-out between Pat Patrick and Roger Penske in order to destroy CART. For years, Unser and Andretti did not speak to each other willingly until early 2017 when Unser announced on his YouTube channel that Andretti reached out to wish him the best after Unser got extremely sick.

Reader's Guide

Bobby Unser's career spanned from the 1950s through 1981. He made his IndyCar debut in 1962 (excluding Pikes Peak races which were part of the IndyCar season in the 1950s). He raced for Andy Granatelli between 1963 and 1965 with a Novi engine. His first IndyCar win came in 1967 at Mosport, Ontario. In 1968, he won his first Indianapolis 500, setting the record as the first driver to race over 170 miles per hour at Indianapolis. That same year, working with crew chief Jud Phillips, he won his first USAC National Driving Championship with wins at Stardust International Raceway, Phoenix Raceway, Trenton Speedway, Indy, and the Pikes Peak Hill Climb. In 1972, driving for Dan Gurney's All American Racers team, he set another Indianapolis 500 record for the fastest qualifying time at 195.940 miles per hour (315.335 km/h). He won nine pole positions (in ten races) and won four of the races. In 1974, he won his second USAC National Driving Championship. In 13 races, Unser won four times, took second four times, and finished in the top five twelve times. From 1979 to 1981, Unser raced in the CART series for Team Penske. He won six times to Mears' three wins but Mears won the championship and Indianapolis 500. In 1980 he became the first driver to win the California 500 four times. His career ended in 1981 following the controversial win at Indianapolis. After retiring, Unser was a television broadcaster for 20 years, working for NBC, ABC, and ESPN. He also broadcast several NASCAR events between 1986 and 1992.

Did You Know?

• Bobby Unser was an early user of five-point harnesses, adopting them from aviation.
• He served in the United States Air Force from 1953 to 1955 and became a top competition sharpshooter in military matches.
• Unser challenged Dan Gurney to improve the performance of his 1971 USAC car, leading to the development of the Gurney flap.
• In 1993, Unser set a new Bonneville Salt Flats record of 223.709 mph in a D/Gas Modified Roadster that stood for 18 years.
• Unser was the first driver to win the California 500 four times (1980).