Al Unser Explained

Al Unser
Birth Name:Alfred Unser
Birth Date:29 May 1939
Birth Place:Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
Death Place:Chama, New Mexico, U.S.
Titles:USAC/CART Championship Car (1970, 1983, 1985)
USAC Silver Crown (1973)
Major victories
Pikes Peak Hill Climb (1964, 1965)
Indianapolis 500 (1970, 1971, 1978, 1987)
Pocono 500 (1976, 1978)
California 500 (1977, 1978)
24 Hours of Daytona (1985)
Module1:
Embed:yes
Total Champ Races:321
Years In Champ:30
Best Champ Pos:1st (1970, 1983, 1985)
First Champ Race:1964 Tony Bettenhausen 200 (Milwaukee)
Last Champ Race:1993 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
First Champ Win:1965 Pikes Peak Hill Climb (Pikes Peak)
Last Champ Win:1987 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
Champ Wins:39
Champ Podiums:98
Champ Poles:28
Module2:
Embed:yes
Total Cup Races:5
Years In Cup:3
Best Cup Pos:106th (1986)
First Cup Race:1968 Motor Trend 500 (Riverside)
Last Cup Race:1986 Winston Western 500 (Riverside)
Cup Wins:0
Cup Top Tens:3
Cup Poles:0

Alfred Unser (May 29, 1939 – December 9, 2021) was an American automobile racing driver, the younger brother of fellow racing drivers Jerry and Bobby Unser, and father of Al Unser Jr. He was the second of four men (A. J. Foyt, himself, Rick Mears and Hélio Castroneves) to have won the Indianapolis 500 four times (1970, 1971, 1978, 1987), the fourth of six to have won the race in consecutive years, and the winner of the National Championship in 1970, 1983, and 1985. The Unser family has won the Indy 500 a record nine times. He was the only person to have both a sibling (Bobby) and child (Al Jr.) as fellow Indy 500 winners. Al's nephews Johnny and Robby Unser have also competed in that race. In 1971, he became the only driver to date to win the race on his birthday (his 32nd).

After his son Al Unser Jr. joined the national championship circuit in 1983, Unser was generally known professionally by the retronym "Al Unser Sr." He was also nicknamed "Big Al", and Al Unser Jr. was likewise nicknamed "Little Al".

Personal life

Unser was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the youngest of four sons of Mary Catherine (Craven) and Jerome Henry "Jerry" Unser.[1] His father and two uncles, Louis and Joe, were also drivers. Beginning in 1926 they competed in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, an annual road race held in Colorado. Joe Unser became the first member of the Unser family to lose his life to the sport, killed while test-driving an FWD Coleman Special on the Denver highway in 1929.

Al's oldest brother Jerry became the first Unser to drive at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He qualifying 23rd and finishing 31st in the 1958 Indianapolis 500. However, tragedy struck the next year when he was killed by injuries sustained in a fiery crash during a practice session.

Middle brother Bobby drove in his first Indianapolis 500 in 1963. In 1968, he became the first family member to win. He went on to win the race a total of three times. Son Al Unser Jr. drove in his first Indy 500 in 1983, winning twice. His mother Mary "Mom" Unser became a popular a fixture at the track. Each year she treated the participants to a chili cookout in the garage area. She died on December 18, 1975.[2]

Al Unser married Wanda Jesperson in 1958 and they had three children- Alfred Jr., Mary, and Deborah. Deborah was killed in a dune buggy accident in 1982. Al and Wanda divorced in 1971. Al married Karen Sue Barnes on November 22, 1977. Karen and Al divorced in 1988.

Al Unser, with his family, owned and operated the Unser Racing Museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Racing career and Indianapolis 500

USAC and Indycar

He began racing in 1957, at age 18, initially competing primarily in modified roadsters, sprint cars and midgets. In 1965 he raced in the Indianapolis 500 for the first time and finished ninth. His breakout year in IndyCar's was in 1970 when he joined Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing, where he would drive for the next seven years.

He won the Indianapolis 500 in 1970, two years after his brother, Bobby. During the race, he led for all but ten of the 200 laps and averaged 155.749mi/h. His quick pit stops were a factor in the victory, as well as the fact that VPJ had an insurmountable advantage over the field that year. That season, he won a record ten times on oval, road and dirt tracks to capture the United States Auto Club national championship. Unser competed in USAC's Stock Car division in 1967, and was the series Rookie of the Year.

In 1971, with Vel's Parnelli Jones, he won the Indianapolis 500 again, starting from the fifth position with an average speed of, and holding off Peter Revson's McLaren for the victory. Unser's bid to become the first three-time consecutive Indy 500 champion was thwarted when he finished second to Mark Donohue in the 1972 Indianapolis 500. Unser would continue driving for the team up until 1977. During a few of those years, VPJ lost their competitive edge after changing their chassis, as well as their failed F1 bid. By 1977, the team regained competitive form, although Unser would announce his departure for Jim Hall Racing at year's end. Unser would later say, in a 2020 interview, that his departure from VPJ stemmed from disagreements with Jones and his partners over the direction of the team, although Unser maintained a friendship with Jones.

Despite starting the 1978 Indianapolis 500 from the fifth position in a First National City Travelers Checks Chaparral Lola, Unser's car was considered before the race to be a second-tier entry at best, if not an outright long shot to win. Moving to the front of the field for the first time on lap 75, he and opponent Danny Ongais engaged in an on-again off-again duel for 75 more laps, before an engine failure on Ongais' car on lap 150 allowed Unser to assume a commanding 35 second lead. Although suffering right front-wing misalignment due to impacting a tire on his final pit stop, a situation that led to the lead shrinking steadily over the race's final 20 laps, it nevertheless proved wide enough for victory by nine seconds to spare at the checkered flag. Unser's race average speed of 161.363mi/h ranked as the then-second fastest ever run (one mile per hour less than the then-1972 record), and would not itself be topped for second for four more years.

In 1979, Unser departed Jim Hall's team for the Longhorn Racing Team owned by Bobby Hillin Sr.. Although Unser went winless for three seasons, he would later say that driving for the Hillin family was his most joyful experience as a driver before his successful Penske years. The team folded operations after three years, putting Unser out of a ride.

In the 1983 season, Unser joined Team Penske and drove for four years in a Penske-owned car. Unser controlled the late stages of the 1983 Indianapolis 500, leading 61 laps. With less than 20 laps to go, Unser got challenges from Tom Sneva who led the most laps. With help from his son - who was several laps down - Unser began pulling away from Sneva. However Sneva got by Al Jr., and set sail for Unser Sr.. Sneva caught up to Unser within one lap of passing Al Jr., and passed him to retake the lead with nine laps to go. Sneva then easily pulled away to win the race by 11 seconds, avenging his firing from the team in 1978. After the race, Unser Jr. was penalized two laps for his actions as well as having passed two cars under caution on lap 170.

Unser won the IndyCar championships in 1983 and 1985 by winning one race and then having several top-five finishes. In 1986, Penske decided to focus the team's attention on teammate Rick Mears when he healed from serious injuries. As a result, Unser cut down his schedule to only a few IndyCar races a year, which he would do going forward.

NASCAR and IROC

Outside of his open-wheel career, Unser was a semi-regular competitor in IROC, winning three races and the 1977-1978 championship. His final IROC start was an 11th-place finish at the 1993 Michigan race after winning the pole.[3]

Unser also started five races in NASCAR, three in the late 1960s and two in 1986. His best finishes were a pair of 4th-place results, one at the 1968 Daytona 500 and the other at the 1969 Motor Trend 500 at Riverside International Raceway. He fared less well in two 1986 starts, finishing 29th at Watkins Glen and 20th at Riverside.[4]

Fourth Indianapolis 500 victory

See main article: 1987 Indianapolis 500. In 1987, Penske's slate of drivers included Rick Mears, Danny Sullivan, and Danny Ongais. Al Unser Sr. was dropped from the team, and entered the month of May without a ride. During the first week of practice, Al Sr. spent much of the week shopping for a ride, and a few offers were made by owners. Al Sr., however, refused the offers, as he insisted on landing a ride in a competitive, well-funded car only. Unser planned on staying through the week, and if he did not have a ride by the end of the first week of time trials, he was planning to return home. Coincidentally, his son Al Unser Jr. (driving for Shierson Racing) was having difficulty with his car's handling. At the end of the first weekend of time trials, Al Jr. surprisingly had not yet qualified. Al Sr. agreed to stay through the week in order to help his son get his car up to speed.

Danny Ongais crashed into the wall during the first week of practice, suffering a serious concussion, and was declared unfit to drive. Meanwhile, the Penske team's new Penske PC-16 chassis had been uncompetitive during practice. By the end of the first week of practice, Penske parked the PC-16s and elected to qualify back-up cars for the race. Mears and Sullivan were provided 1986 March-Ilmor Chevrolet machines, while a third car, a 1986 March-Cosworth, was planned for third driver.

Midway through the second week of practice, Roger Penske consummated a deal with Al Sr. to drive the third car. Penske promised Unser a well-funded effort, and a brand new Cosworth engine, the same chassis/engine combination that had won the previous four Indy 500s. The year-old March was removed from a Penske Racing display at a Sheraton hotel in the team's hometown of Reading, Pennsylvania, and hurriedly prepared for a return to active competition. Unser easily put the car in the field on the third day of time trials.

At the start Unser was in the 20th position. On a day when heavy attrition felled most of the field's front-runners, including the overwhelmingly dominant Newman-Haas entry of Mario Andretti, Unser worked his way steadily forward and took the lead on the 183rd lap, after Roberto Guerrero's car stalled on his final pit stop. Averaging 162.175mi/h, Unser bested a charging Guerrero by 4.5 seconds to win his fourth Indy 500, only five days before his 48th birthday. In doing so he tied Foyt as the winningest Indy 500 driver and broke brother Bobby's record as the oldest Indy winner.

Unser rode the wave of his fourth Indy victory to secure a ride at Penske for the Michigan 500, Pocono 500, and Marlboro Challenge for 1987. Near the end of the year, Unser had two other starts. He drove as a substitute for Roberto Guerrero at Nazareth, and had a competitive run until crashing a few laps short of the finish. He was then hired to drive the brand new Porsche Indy car at Laguna Seca. The team was still in its infancy, and the car dropped out. Unser left the team after only one race.

In 1988 and 1989, Unser returned to Penske to secure a ride at the three 500-miles races (Indianapolis, Michigan, Pocono). Unser appeared headed for a third Pocono 500 victory during the 1988 Pocono 500 until he suffered ignition failure while leading with 28 laps remaining. Unser had led a race-high 79 laps.[5]

Retirement

After reorganization at Team Penske in 1990, Unser was finally crowded out of his part-time ride. With competitive rides filling up, and his career winding down, he joined the sub-par Patrick Racing Alfa Romeo team for 1990. After finishing 13th at Indy, Unser returned to the team for the Michigan 500. A broken right-front push-rod after only six practice laps led to a severe crash. The 51 year-old Unser suffered a broken right femur, right collarbone, and three upper right ribs.[6] He quit the team after the crash.

He spent most of the month of May 1991 shopping around for a competitive ride. The restrictions on the number of leases to the Chevy Ilmor engine kept him out of a ride during the first week of practice. A last-minute deal with the UNO/Granatelli team (where he would be Arie Luyendyk's teammate) fell through when there was not enough time to prepare the car. Instead of jumping into another car "just to make the show," Unser sat out the 1991 race and watched from the sidelines for the first time since 1969.[7]

In 1992, Unser entered the month of May for the second year in a row without a ride. During the first week of practice, Nelson Piquet was involved in a serious crash, and was unable to drive. Unser was hired by Team Menard to fill the position vacated by Piquet. Unser drove to a 3rd-place finish, while his son Al Unser Jr. won the race. It was Team Menard's best Indy 500 finish, the best finish for the Buick Indy engine, and the first time the Buick engine had gone the entire 500miles. Later in the year, Unser was selected to drive as a substitute for the injured Rick Mears at Nazareth. It was Unser's first start for Penske since 1989, and his final start in a CART series event. He finished 12th, earning 1 championship point.

In 1993, driving for King Racing, he led 15 laps at the Indianapolis 500 to extend his career laps-led record. He finished 12th, one lap down.

A month shy of his 55th birthday, Unser entered the 1994 race with Arizona Motorsports, hoping to qualify for what would be his 28th Indy 500. The team was very underfunded, and Unser had considerable trouble getting the car up to speed. On the first weekend of qualifying, he waved off after a poor qualifying lap. After some minimal practice the following day, he quit the team. He announced his retirement on May 17, 1994. His son Al Unser Jr. won the Indianapolis 500 on his father's 55th birthday.

Health and death

Unser suffered from hereditary haemochromatosis, which contributed to him being diagnosed with liver cancer in 2004 and having a tumor and half of his liver removed in 2005.[8] Unser continued to suffer from cancer for the next 17 years before dying from the disease aged 82 on December 9, 2021, in his home in Chama, New Mexico.[9]

Career highlights

Unser has led the second most laps of any driver in the history of the Indianapolis 500, at 644.[10] Unser tied Ralph DePalma's long standing record of 612 laps led on the last lap of his 4th victory.[11]

Unser holds the record of being the oldest driver to ever win the 500 at 47 years old (1987), breaking the previous record set by his brother Bobby.[12]

Unser won two 500-mile races at Pocono (in 1976[13] and 1978[14]) and two more at Ontario (in 1977 and 1978) bringing his total of 500-mile race wins (including four Indianapolis 500s) to eight.

Unser was the 1978 IROC champion.[15] He also competed in the 1968 Daytona 500 and four other NASCAR Winston Cup & Grand National races, all held on road courses with a best finish of fourth (twice).

Awards

Motorsports career results

American open-wheel racing

(key) (

Races in bold indicate pole position)

PPG Indy Car World Series

CART results
YearTeamChassisEngine1234567891011121314151617RankPointsRef
1979Chaparral RacingPHX
4
ATL
6
ATL
3
TRE
6
5th2085[18]
Chaparral 2KINDY
22
TRE
2
TRE
12
MCH
13
MCH
3
WGL
5
ONT
5
MCH
10
ATL
5
PHX
1
1980Longhorn RacingLonghorn LR01Cosworth DFX V8tONT
16
INDY
27
MIL
20
POC
24
MDO
13
MCH
7
WGL
19
MIL
13
ONT
4
MCH
5
MEX
3
PHX
15
8th1153[19]
1981Longhorn RacingLonghorn LR02Cosworth DFX V8tPHX
17
MIL
5
ATL
6
ATL
7
MCH
11
RIV
14
MIL
5
WGL
14
MEX
2
PHX
22
10th90[20]
Eagle 81MCH
3
1982Longhorn RacingLonghorn LR03Cosworth DFX V8tPHX
21
ATL
8
MIL
17
CLE
3
MCH
4
MIL
DNS
7th125[21]
Longhorn LR03BPOC
23
RIV
17
ROA
2
MCH
18
PHX
1983Penske RacingCosworth DFX V8tATL
2
INDY
2
MIL
2
CLE
1
MCH
2
ROA
3
POC
11
RIV
11
1st151[22]
MDO
4
MCH
5
CPL
4
LAG
11
PHX
4
1984Penske RacingCosworth DFX V8tLBH
22
PHX
21
9th76[23]
INDY
3
MIL
5
POR
27
MEA
8
CLE
10
MCH
30
ROA
3
POC
8
MDO
8
SAN
13
MCH
4
PHX
17
LAG
6
CPL
14
1985Penske RacingCosworth DFX V8tLBH
5
INDY
4
MILPOR
4
MEA
3
CLE
3
MCH
2
ROA
7
POC
3
MDO
27
SAN
13
MCH
12
LAG
2
PHX
1
MIA
4
1st151[24]
1986Penske RacingChevrolet 265A V8tPHX
18
LBHINDY
22
MILPORMEACLETORNC0[25]
MCH
14
POC
20
MDOSANMCHROALAGPHXMIA
15
1987Penske RacingCosworth DFX V8tLBHPHXINDY
1
MILPORMEACLETORMCH
2
POC
15
ROAMDO13th39[26]
Vince Granatelli Racingstyle"background:#EFCFFF;"NAZ
10
Porsche MotorsportsPorsche V8tLAG
24
Penske RacingChevrolet 265A V8tMIA
DNQ
1988Penske RacingChevrolet 265A V8tPHXLBHINDY
3
MILPORCLEMCH
9
POC
13
MDOROANAZLAGMIA19th23[27]
Vince Granatelli RacingCosworth DFX V8tTOR
9
MEA
19
1989Penske RacingChevrolet 265A V8tPHXLBHINDY
24
MILDETPORCLE
10
MEATORMCH
8
POC
7
MDOROANAZLAG16th14[28]
1990Patrick RacingAlfa Romeo Indy V8tPHXLBHINDY
13
MILDETPORCLEMEATORNC0[29]
MCH
Wth
DENVANMDOROANAZLAG
1991A. J. Foyt EnterprisesChevrolet 265A V8tSRFLBHPHX
17
INDYMILDETPORCLEMEATORMCHDENVANMDOROANAZLAGNC0[30]
1992Team MenardBuick 3300 V6tSRFPHXLBHINDY
3
DETPORMILNHATORMCHCLEROAMDO16th15[31]
Penske RacingChevrolet 265B V8tNAZ
12
LAG
1993King RacingSRFPHXLBHINDY
12
MILDETPORCLETORMCHNHAROAVANMDONAZLAG32nd1[32]
1994Arizona MotorsportsFord XB V8tSRFPHXLBHINDY
Wth
MILDETPORCLETORMCHMDONHAVANROANAZLAGNA-[33]

Indianapolis 500

YearChassisEngineStartFinishTeam
1965LolaFord32align=center style="background:#CFEAFF;"9Ansted-Thompson Racing
1966LotusFord23align=center style="background:#EFCFFF;"12STP Corporation
1967LolaFord9align=center style="background:#DFDFDF;"2Mecom Racing Enterprises
1968LolaFord6align=center style="background:#EFCFFF;"26Retzloff Racing Team
1969LotusFordalign=center colspan=2 style="background:#DFC484;"WthVel's Parnelli Jones Racing
1970ColtFordalign=center style="background:#FFFFBF;"1align=center style="background:#FFFFBF;"1Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing
1971ColtFord5align=center style="background:#FFFFBF;"1Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing
1972ParnelliOffenhauser19align=center style="background:#DFDFDF;"2Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing
1973ParnelliOffenhauser8align=center style="background:#EFCFFF;"20Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing
1974EagleOffenhauser26align=center style="background:#EFCFFF;"18Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing
1975EagleOffenhauser11align=center style="background:#EFCFFF;"16Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing
1976Cosworth4align=center style="background:#CFEAFF;"7Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing
1977Cosworth3align=center style="background:#FFDF9F;"3Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing
1978Cosworth5align=center style="background:#FFFFBF;"1Chaparral Racing
1979ChaparralCosworth3align=center style="background:#EFCFFF;"22Chaparral Racing
1980LonghornCosworth9align=center style="background:#EFCFFF;"27Longhorn Racing
1981LonghornCosworth9align=center style="background:#CFCFFF;"17Longhorn Racing
1982LonghornCosworth16align=center style="background:#DFFFDF;"5Longhorn Racing
1983Cosworth7align=center style="background:#DFDFDF;"2Penske Racing
1984MarchCosworth10align=center style="background:#FFDF9F;"3Penske Racing
1985MarchCosworth7align=center style="background:#DFFFDF;"4Penske Racing
19865align=center style="background:#EFCFFF;"22Penske Racing
1987MarchCosworth20align=center style="background:#FFFFBF;"1Penske Racing
19883align=center style="background:#FFDF9F;"3Penske Racing
19892align=center style="background:#EFCFFF;"24Penske Racing
1990MarchAlfa Romeo30align=center style="background:#CFCFFF;"13Patrick Racing
199222align=center style="background:#FFDF9F;"3Team Menard
199323align=center style="background:#CFCFFF;"12King Racing
1994Ford-Cosworthalign=center colspan=2 style="background:#DFC484;"DNQ / WthArizona Motorsports

Non-Championship Formula One Results

(key)

NASCAR

(key) (

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

Winston Cup Series

Daytona 500

International Race of Champions

(key) (

Bold – Pole position. * – Most laps led.)
International Race of Champions results
SeasonMakeQ1Q2Q31234Pos.PtsRef
1975–76ChevyMCH
8
RSD
9
RSD
2
DAY
5
6th-[34]
1976–77MCH
5
RSD
7
RSD
5
DAY
9
8th-[35]
1977–78MCH
1
RSD
1*
RSD
3
DAY
7
1st-[36]
1978–79MCHMCH
2
RSDRSD
11
ATL
10
11th-[37]
1986ChevyDAY
1
MOH
5
TAL
6
GLN
12*
4th51[38]
1987DAY
10
MOH
10
MCH
6
GLN
7
11th27[39]
1988DAY
6
RSD
6
MCH
5
GLN
5
8th38[40]
1991DodgeDAY
3
TAL
6
MCH
7
GLN
9
6th37[41]
1993DodgeDAY
12
DAR
9
TAL
11
MCH
11
12th21[42]

24 hours of Daytona

YearTeamManufacturerStartFinish
24hours of 1985 Daytona 1985Henn's Swap Shop Racing 3align=center style="background:##FFFFBF;"1
24hours of 1985 Daytona 19878align=center style="background:##FFFFBF;"4
24hours of 1991 Daytona 19919align=center style="background:##FFFFBF;"35

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Laws of the State of New Mexico. June 15, 1976. Albright & Anderson, printers. June 15, 2021. Google Books.
  2. News: Coronary Fatal To 'Mom' Unser. The Indianapolis Star. December 19, 1975. February 20, 2018.
  3. Web site: Driver Season Stats - Racing-Reference.
  4. Web site: Driver Season Stats - Racing-Reference.
  5. Web site: 1988 Quaker State 500 Results - Racing-Reference.
  6. News: Unser Sr: Broken Leg, Collarbone . Detroit Free Press . (Michigan) . Associated Press . August 3, 1990 . 33.
  7. 1991 Indianapolis 500 Daily Trackside Report - Day 13, Thursday May 16, 1001 (Page D-20)
  8. Web site: Al Unser expected to make full recovery. November 9, 2005. December 10, 2021. espn.com. ESPN.
  9. Web site: Al Unser Sr., four-time winner of Indianapolis 500, dies at 82 . espn.com . 10 December 2021 . ESPN, Inc. . 10 December 2021.
  10. Web site: 106th Indianapolis 500 Post-Race Notes . indianapolismotorspeedway.com . 29 May 2022 . 30 May 2022.
  11. News: Fryer . Jenna . Al Unser, four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, dies at 82 . The Washington Post . 12 December 2021.
  12. Web site: Al Unser Sr., four-time winner of Indianapolis 500, dies at 82 . espn.com . 10 December 2021 . ESPN, Inc. . 12 December 2021.
  13. News: Katz . Michael . Al Unser Is First In 500 at Pocono . . 28 June 1976 . 12 December 2021.
  14. News: Katz . Michael . Al Unser takes 500 at Pocono P. . . 26 June 1978 . 12 December 2021.
  15. Web site: 1978 IROC Results . racing-reference.info . NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. . 14 December 2021.
  16. http://www.mshf.com/hall-of-fame/inductees/al-unser.html Al Unser
  17. Web site: Hall of Fame . 2023-09-23 . Pikes Peak International Hill Climb . en.
  18. Web site: Al Unser – 1979 CART Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. August 16, 2023.
  19. Web site: Al Unser – 1980 CART Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. August 16, 2023.
  20. Web site: Al Unser – 1981 CART Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. August 16, 2023.
  21. Web site: Al Unser – 1982 CART Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. August 16, 2023.
  22. Web site: Al Unser – 1983 CART Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. August 16, 2023.
  23. Web site: Al Unser – 1984 CART Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. August 16, 2023.
  24. Web site: Al Unser – 1985 CART Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. August 16, 2023.
  25. Web site: Al Unser – 1986 CART Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. August 16, 2023.
  26. Web site: Al Unser – 1987 CART Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. August 16, 2023.
  27. Web site: Al Unser – 1988 CART Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. August 16, 2023.
  28. Web site: Al Unser – 1989 CART Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. August 16, 2023.
  29. Web site: Al Unser – 1990 CART Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. August 16, 2023.
  30. Web site: Al Unser – 1991 CART Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. August 16, 2023.
  31. Web site: Al Unser – 1992 CART Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. August 16, 2023.
  32. Web site: Al Unser – 1993 CART Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. August 16, 2023.
  33. Web site: Al Unser – 1994 CART Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. August 16, 2023.
  34. Web site: Al Unser – 1976 IROC Results. Racing-Reference. March 22, 2018.
  35. Web site: Al Unser – 1977 IROC Results. Racing-Reference. March 22, 2018.
  36. Web site: Al Unser – 1978 IROC Results. Racing-Reference. March 22, 2018.
  37. Web site: Al Unser – 1979 IROC Results. Racing-Reference. March 22, 2018.
  38. Web site: Al Unser – 1986 IROC Results. Racing-Reference. March 22, 2018.
  39. Web site: Al Unser – 1987 IROC Results. Racing-Reference. March 22, 2018.
  40. Web site: Al Unser – 1988 IROC Results. Racing-Reference. March 22, 2018.
  41. Web site: Al Unser – 1991 IROC Results. Racing-Reference. March 22, 2018.
  42. Web site: Al Unser – 1993 IROC Results. Racing-Reference. March 22, 2018.