Early career

Unser began racing in 1949 in a Modified at Roswell Speedway.^[2][3] In 1950, at the age of 15, he won his first championship in Southwest Modified Stock Cars. In 1955, Bobby and brothers Jerry and Al Unser decided to pursue racing careers in USAC. In 1959, his brother Jerry Unser died in a practice crash for the 1959 Indianapolis 500.^[5]

Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

He debuted in 1955 at Pike's Peak, dubbed "Unser's Peak" because of his family's history of success at the hill climb.^[6] He finished fifth that year, behind his two brothers. A year later, he won his first championship at Pikes Peak.^[7][8] He won six straight titles from 1958 to 1963.^[9] His streak ended in 1964 when his younger brother Al won the race.^[6]

He leads the all-time Pikes Peak International Hill Climb champion's list with 10 overall wins, having set a new track record eight times. ^[10] Unser's record time was broken by Michele Mouton, so Audi approached Unser asking if he would want to attempt to take the record back.^[11] In 1986, after a 12-year absence from the Pikes Peak race, he won the event for the tenth time driving an Audi Quattro. He eclipsed Mouton's time by 16 seconds.^[11] The win also broke the tie he had with his Uncle Louis Unser for nine overall victories each. The 1986 win brought Unser's total number of Pikes Peak victories to 13,^[9] including two stock car class victories (1969 and 1974) and a single sports car class win (1963).

IndyCar career

Unser came from a family of racecar drivers. He won numerous racing championships throughout his career, including three Indianapolis 500 titles.^[6][12] 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."^[13]

Unser made his IndyCar debut in 1962^[9] (excluding the 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.^[9] Unser raced in his first Indianapolis 500 in 1963. He crashed early and placed 33rd.^[14] Unser's second Indianapolis 500 in 1964 ended on the second lap in the crash that killed Eddie Sachs and Dave MacDonald.^[15] Unser moved to an IndyCar owned by Bob Willke from 1966 until 1970.^[9] His first IndyCar win came in 1967 at Mosport, in Ontario.^[6] A year later, Unser won his first Indianapolis 500, setting the record as the first driver to race over 170 miles per hour at Indianapolis.^[6] In 1968, Unser worked with crew chief Jud Phillips^[13] and won his first USAC National Driving Championship^[12] with wins at Stardust International Raceway, Phoenix Raceway, Trenton Speedway, Indy, and the Pikes Peak Hill Climb.^[2]

In 1972, Unser started working for Dan Gurney's All American Racers team^[15] and a John Miller Offenhauser engine.^[13] He set another Indianapolis 500 record for the fastest qualifying time at 195.940 miles per hour (315.335 km/h).^[16] Teams were allowed to bolt on a wing for the first time and speeds rose significantly (the previous record speed was 178.696 miles per hour (287.583 km/h)).^[15] Unser won nine pole positions (in ten races) and won four of the races.^[13] In 1974, he won his second USAC National Driving Championship.^[9] In 13 races, Unser won four times, took second four times, and finished in the top five twelve times.^[15] In the 1975 Indianapolis 500, he won his second 500 in a race that was rain-shortened on lap 174 because of torrential rains.^[6][15] Unser won twice in 1976 as part of the Fletcher Racing Team.^[15][17] He remained on Gurney's team until 1979.^[13]

From 1979 to 1981, Unser raced in the CART series for Team Penske.^[7][8][18] Roger Penske wanted a proven winner to join his young driver Rick Mears.^[15] Unser won six times to Mears' three wins but Mears won the championship and Indianapolis 500.^[15] In 1980 he became the first driver to win the California 500 four times. Unser won four times in 1980 and finished second in the season championship to Johnny Rutherford.^[15] His career ended in 1981 following a controversial win at Indianapolis.

Other achievements

Unser was the 1975 International Race of Champions (IROC) champion and won the 1993 Fast Masters championship.^[2]

Unser challenged Dan Gurney to improve the performance of his 1971 USAC car, leading to the development of the Gurney flap.^[23] In 1993, Unser set a new Bonneville Salt Flats record at Bonneville Speedway of 223.709 in a D/Gas Modified Roadster that stood for 18 years.

In 2003, he published a book, Winners are Driven: A Champion's Guide to Success in Business and Life.

American open-wheel racing results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Complete Formula One World Championship results

Unser participated in two Formula One World Championship Grands Prix.

(key)

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)