ColdTrackDays Exclusive // Al Unser Sr.

You are not likely to find another blog with an opportunity such as this. The great people at SOVREN (www.sovren.org) have managed to wrangle Al Unser Sr. himself as their celebrity guest for this years Children's Hospital - Northwest Historic. They have given us here at ColdTrackDays an opportunity of a lifetime, a chance to sit down and speak with the Indy legend himself on July 2nd, just two days before the SOVREN event. Born May 29, 1939 in Albuquerque New Mexico, Al Unser Sr. is one of only three men to have won the Indianapolis 500 four times. He is also the only man to have both a sibling (Bobby Unser) and a son (Al Unser Jr.) to win the Indy 500 as well. Beginning his racing career at the age of 18, Unser began in modified midgets and sprint cars, but by 1965 he was racing in his first Indy 500 (in A.J. Foyt’s backup car), where he finished ninth overall. Winning his first Indy 500 in 1970, just two years after his brother Bobby, Unser Sr. lead for all but 10 of the 200 laps, averaging a speed of 155mph. Winning again in ‘71, Unser looked to be well on his way to a three time sweep of the famous 500 miles. But it would not be until 1978 that Unser was to see the checkered again at Indy. Starting in the fifth position, he was the underdog. But after battling his way through the pack, Unser took the lead on lap 75 and went on to win. His fourth victory did not come until 1987, when he bested a field of skilled young talent, in a year old car that had been relegated to showroom duty at the Penske Racing display, in the Sheraton hotel in Reading, Pennsylvania. Unser’s racing career is a storied one, filled with family tradition and inspiring moments. So with our coming opportunity to speak with the Sr. legend himself, we would love to hear from you, the reader. Email us at sales@coldtrackdays.com with a few suggested questions for our interview with Al Unser Sr. For more info on the Unser family, visit www.unserracingmuseum.com // 06.05.2008