46 Facts About Bobby Unser

Robert William Unser was an American automobile racer.

Bobby Unser won the 1968 and 1974 United States Automobile Club national championships.

Bobby Unser won the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb overall title 10 times.

Bobby Unser was the brother of Al, Jerry Unser and Louis Unser, the father of Robby Unser and the uncle of Al Unser Jr.

Bobby Unser was one of ten drivers to have won the 500 three or more times and the first of two to have won in three decades.

Bobby Unser was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the son of Mary Catherine and Jerome Henry Bobby Unser, the third oldest of four brothers.

Bobby Unser began racing in 1949 in a Modified at Roswell Speedway.

In 1959, his brother Jerry Bobby Unser died in a practice crash for the 1959 Indianapolis 500.

Bobby Unser debuted in 1955 at Pike's Peak, dubbed "Unser's Peak" because of his family's history of success at the hill climb.

Bobby Unser finished fifth that year, behind his two brothers.

Bobby Unser won six straight titles from 1958 to 1963.

Bobby Unser's streak ended in 1964 when his younger brother Al won the race.

Bobby Unser leads the all-time Pikes Peak International Hill Climb champion's list with 10 overall wins, having set a new track record eight times.

Bobby Unser won numerous racing championships throughout his career, including three Indianapolis 500 titles.

Bobby Unser raced for Andy Granatelli between 1963 and 1965 with a Novi engine.

Bobby Unser moved to an IndyCar owned by Bob Willke from 1966 until 1970.

In 1968, Bobby Unser worked with crew chief Jud Phillips and 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, Bobby Unser started working for Dan Gurney's All American Racers team and a John Miller Offenhauser engine.

Bobby Unser set another Indianapolis 500 record for the fastest qualifying time at 195.940 miles per hour.

Bobby Unser won nine pole positions and won four of the races.

In 13 races, Bobby Unser won four times, took second four times, and finished in the top five twelve times.

Bobby Unser won twice in 1976 as part of the Fletcher Racing Team.

From 1979 to 1981, Bobby Unser raced in the CART series for Team Penske.

Bobby Unser won six times to Mears' three wins but Mears won the championship and Indy 500.

Bobby Unser won four times in 1980 and finished second in the season championship to Johnny Rutherford.

Bobby Unser's career ended in 1981 following a controversial win at Indianapolis.

Bobby Unser was the center of one of the most controversial finishes in Indy 500 history at the 1981 Indianapolis 500.

Bobby Unser won the pole in the No 3 Roger Penske-owned car and led the most laps.

Bobby Unser passed eight cars during the caution, while Andretti passed two cars.

Bobby Unser won the race by 5.18 seconds, but was stripped of it the following morning in favor of second-place finisher Andretti.

Bobby Unser retired during off-season testing for Pat Patrick at Phoenix.

Bobby Unser claimed that Patrick's team did not protest the finish and that Patrick was on Unser's side in the controversy.

Bobby Unser was the 1975 International Race of Champions champion and won the 1993 Fast Masters championship.

Bobby Unser challenged Dan Gurney to improve the performance of his 1971 USAC car, leading to the development of the Gurney flap.

Bobby Unser was a television broadcaster for 20 years after his retirement from racing.

Bobby Unser was a television commentator for IndyCar races after his retirement working for NBC, ABC, and ESPN.

Bobby Unser worked as the analyst for the IMS Radio Network in 1986.

Bobby Unser received announcer honors with Paul Page and Sam Posey.

Bobby Unser has announcing in the booth for his brother Al's record-tying fourth Indy 500 victory in 1987 and Al's 1985 CART championship.

The most famous NASCAR race Bobby Unser broadcast was the 1989 The Winston in which Rusty Wallace won by wrecking Darrell Waltrip with 2 laps to go; Bobby Unser was the first broadcaster of the broadcasting team to spot the post-race fist-fight between Wallace and Waltrip's pit crews.

Bobby Unser appealed, claiming to have been lost before the accident, but the court ruled that maps were widely available and it was a public welfare offense, thus intent was not necessary.

Bobby Unser appealed this decision all the way to the US Supreme Court, but his writ of certiorari was denied.

Bobby Unser died on May 2,2021, at the age of 87 at his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico from natural causes.

Pallbearers outside of the Unser family include Willy T Ribbs, Johnny Rutherford, and Rick Galles.

Bobby Unser coached Robby for the 1998 and 1999 Indianapolis 500.

Bobby Unser participated in two Formula One World Championship Grands Prix.