FILE – In this file photo dated May 24, 1981, Bobby Unser holds up three fingers after winning his third Indianapolis 500 car race in Indianapolis, Indiana. Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Unser has died. He died of natural causes at his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Sunday, May 2, 2021. He was 87 years old. (AP Photo / File)
FILE – In this May 30, 1968 file photo, Bobby Unser celebrates winning the 52nd run of the Indianapolis 500 car race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana. Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Unser has died. He died of natural causes at his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Sunday, May 2, 2021. He was 87 years old. (AP Photo / File)
FILE – Racing driver Bobby Unser can be seen in this 1977 file photo. Bobby Unser, a three-time Indianapolis 500 winner and part of the only pair of brothers to win “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing”, has died. He was 87 years old. He died of natural causes at his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Sunday, May 2, 2021, Indianapolis Speedway said Monday. (AP photo / file)
By JENNA FRYER, AP Auto Racing Writer
Bobby Unser, a beloved three-time Indianapolis 500 winner and part of the only pair of brothers to win The Greatest Spectacle in Racing, has died. He was 87 years old.
He died of natural causes at his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Sunday, Indianapolis Motor Speedway said Monday.
Ours was one of the greatest speedway racers in history, winning the race in 1968, 1975 and 1981.
“It’s part of the Mount Rushmore of Indy,” said Dario Franchitti, another three-time Indy 500 winner.
Younger brother Al Unser is one of only three drivers to have won the Indy 500 four times – 1970, 1971, 1978 and 1987. The Unser family tradition extends to Al Unser son Al Unser Jr., who won the Indy 500 in 1992 and 1994 .
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“Bobby was a fierce competitor on the track and his larger than life personality made him one of the most popular and unique racing drivers we have ever seen,” said Roger Penske, the current Speedway owner but the team owner for Our Winning Car at the 1981 Indy 500.
“In addition to his many victories and successes, Bobby was a true racing driver who increased the performance of everyone around him. He was also one of the most colorful characters in motorsport.”
Bobby Unser was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado on February 20, 1934, and moved to New Mexico with his family as a child. His father owned a garage along Route 66 and he, his three brothers, grew up in old jalopies before dropping out of high school at 15 and starting his racing career at Roswell New Mexico Speedway.
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