Al Unser, four-time Indy 500 winner, dies at 82

[turbinetree]

Source: Raw Story

By Agence France-Presse
Published December 10, 2021

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Alfred 'Al' Unser, a four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 race, has died aged at the age of 82 after a 17-year cancer battle, his son Al Unser Jr. and the IndyCar championship said on Friday.

"My heart is so saddened. My father passed away last night. He was a Great man and even a Greater Father. Rest In Peace Dad," Al Unser Jr, a two-time Indianapolis winner, wrote on Twitter.

Unser was born on May 29, 1939 in Albuquerque, New Mexico into a racing family with his brother Bobby also a three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 race.

Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/al-unser-four-time-indy-500-winner-dies-at-82/

[MichMan]

1. Incredible 9 Indy 500 wins for the Unser family

[Calista241]

2. I was a kid when I watched him race.

I'll never forget the metal model of his Texaco Indy car I had. Shit, remember Texaco? takes me back.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. "Shit, remember Texaco?"

I had an uncle/aunt/cousins who lived up in New England and whenever my uncle would drive down here, he managed to find the one Texaco station not far from us.

Hell, I think many of us still remember "Esso" (they still call it that up in Canada).



Put a tiger in your tank!!

[twodogsbarking]

10. Remember the red balls for your antenna?

[BumRushDaShow]

11. There are some people who drive some of the classic cars

that still sport the small old style ones...

(they still sell some of the "modern" foam ones)

I also remember having one of those whip flag things on my banana seat bike!

[MichMan]

7. Al was never sponsored by Texaco

Perhaps you are thinking of Tom Sneva who won the 500 in 1983 ?

[jmowreader]

13. Texaco is still in business

They merged with Chevron in 2001.

[BumRushDaShow]

3. Wow.

I didn't realize he was still around but used to watch some of those races back in the '70s.

R.I.P.

[Bayard]

4. I think he won the year my Dad took me to the 500

My ears rang for 3 days afterwards.

RIP

[marybourg]

6. I lived near him on the west side of Albuquerque.

I knew that because his home had a beautiful custom iron fence with gates depicting racing cars. He didn’t try for privacy or anonymity.

[twodogsbarking]

8. Even if you don't follow racing chances are you know of him.

Seventeen years with cancer. Wow.

[ripcord]

12. My uncle's company used to sponsor Bobby Unser

It was a big deal when he came to the old Ontario Motor Speedway in SoCal, a huge tent on the infield with workers and their families getting free food.