Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Unser, who was one of the most colorful, outspoken and popular drivers in the history of IndyCar, died on Sunday, May 2, at his New Mexico home. He was 87.
Unser won the Indianapolis 500 in 1968, 1975 and 1981. He is one of just 10 drivers to win the “500” at least three times and is a member of numerous motorsports Halls of Fame, including induction into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) Hall of Fame in 1990. Unser and Rick Mears are the only drivers to win the “500” in three different decades.
He was one of six members of the Unser family to race in the Indianapolis 500. Bobby and his brother Al, a four-time winner, are the only brothers to win the race.
Bobby Unser ended his driving career as one of the greatest performers in the history of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” He produced 10 top-10 finishes in 19 career “500” starts and led in 10 races for a total of 440 laps, still 10th on the all-time list.
He also was a renowned USAC Sprint Car, Midget and Stock Car competitor, and a participant in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. After retiring as a driver, Unser served as a popular IndyCar color analyst on national telecasts in the 1980s and 1990s.
Unser is survived by his wife, Lisa; sons Bobby Jr. and Robby; and daughters Cindy and Jeri.