Sad racing news to wake up to...
Al Unser, one of only 4 to win the Indy 500 4 times, the only driver in IndyCar history to win the single-season Triple Crown (with this 1978 Lola pictued below), the all-time lap leader in 500 history. 3-time national champion and numerous wins at Pikes Peak passed away at 82. Brother Bobby, a 3-time winner himself passed away this past May.
RIP Big Al
My dad was a huge Big Al fan. He was by dad's favorite driver. One year my brother was able to get us pit passes for the race at Phoenix. We were in the pits walking around just taking in all of the sites. In the distance there were these two guys that were walking towards us. As they got closer, it became obvious that our paths were going to cross, and someone was going to have to change there path. My dad was rubber necking the entire pits and did not see the two guys coming at us. At the last moment, one of the other guys realized my dad was not paying attention and changed his path not to hit my dad. After the two guys passed, my brother and I looked at each other and said how great it was that we were able to get that close to both Big Al and Little Al. My dad looked at us and asked where they were at. It was then that we had to explain to our dad that not only did he miss seeing his favorite driver, but he almost walked directly into him.
For a few years, it seemed like Big AL, Lloyd Ruby and Bill Puterbaugh all rode the same bike, Al and Lloyd were following Bill Jr's racing career, at Columbus in the karts, and anywhere on the road in the tqs, it was always a pleasure to meet with them, and talk, and have them in attendance at our races, always sad to see a friend leave us, but it is a pleasure to have them with us for a time. Bob
"Being old, isn't half as much fun, as getting there"! Ole Robert I!
Big AL. What a icon. Dirt, road racing, paved ovals, and so many 500's. For pleasure the sparkle in his eye was always the Colorado 500. The real Big AL vented it all.
Big Al was always my favorite, dating back to the Johnny Lightning days. Such a wildly successful driver, and yet I never felt he had the “bravado” that many of his contemporaries had. Humble, unassuming. My aunt used to drink at the coffee shop with him in Rio Rancho. Said he was a really nice man. RIP Champ.
Heres to the generation who drug a old jalopy out of a farmers field and pulled it home to build a racecar. Where him and few buddies were regulars at at some junkyard. Out in the backyard behind your parents house. Oxygen and acetylene bottles tie off to a tree, tool box in some old shed. Mighta got lucky and used his buddies moms one car garage. Greasy ass cloths, no time to clean up Got to load up and get to the track (90 degree weather). All my heroes big leagues and local tracks. Thank you, RIP Big Al
I'm disguised as a responsible adult!...
