![]() He easily could have been the example for when Burt Reynolds, atop a forklift in the movie Smokey and the Bandit, said, “I can drive any forkin’ thing.”Īnd indeed Unser could-and did-drive any forkin’ thing with great aplomb and success, no matter the motorsport genre. Our thoughts and condolences are with Lisa, the Unser family and Bobby’s many friends and fans during this difficult time.”īobby was at home with anything that had a steering wheel in it. “Throughout his time as a driver, a commentator, and an ambassador of our sport, Bobby’s stories and his passion for racing were legendary. He was also one of the most colorful characters in motorsports. Beyond his many wins and accomplishments, Bobby was a true racer that raised the performance of everyone around him. “Bobby brought so much to Team Penske during his time with our team, including a memorable victory in the 1981 Indianapolis 500. Bobby was a ferocious competitor on the track, and his larger-than-life personality made him one of the most beloved and unique racers we have ever seen. “There simply was no one quite like Bobby Unser. One of Unser’s closest friends, and also his boss for several years, is Indianapolis Motor Speedway chairman and Team Penske owner Roger Penske, who released the following statement following his dear friend’s passing: While Andretti was admittedly angry at being denied a second 500 career win-and the way it happened-their friendship remained intact. After a lengthy and at times contentious back-and-forth battle, USAC officials reversed themselves and awarded Unser the victory on Oct. ![]() However, USAC officials assessed Unser a one-position penalty for what they called an illegal pass on pit lane during a caution three-quarters of the way through the race.Īndretti was subsequently awarded the win, but Unser appealed. Unser won the 1981 500 by a commanding 5.18 seconds over Andretti. While they had a rough-and-tumble relationship at times on the racetrack, Andretti and Unser also had a great friendship for decades, even after one of the most controversial finishes in Indy 500 history-one that took more than four months to decide a winner. Foyt and even younger brother Al Senior faced in their own respective careers. That was no more evident than when he was in his element-around racetracks, in cars, or being cheered on by fans-and became a fiery competitor, one of the toughest drivers guys like Mario Andretti, A.J. ![]() Oh, but he was a great race car driver, for sure. He didn’t brag about his success or how good a race car driver he was. He truly was their uncle, even if it was an honorary title.īut for all his success, including winning three Indianapolis 500 races (1968, 1975, and 1981), Unser also was a quiet, reserved man. He’d oftentimes spend extended periods of time to sign autographs, patiently waiting until he had made each and every last fan happy for having stood in line just to get a scribble on a piece of paper or program and a “Hi, how are you doing?” from Uncle Bobby. ![]()
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