ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Bobby Unser Jr., the son of three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Unser, has died at the age of 65 after developing blood clots following hip surgery.
He was preceded in death by his father, who passed away at the age of 87 on May 2.
A member of the famous Unser racing family, Bobby Unser Jr. scored a sprint car victory at Arizona’s Manzanita Speedway when he was 21 years old. He also scored three wins at Speedway Park in Albuquerque, N.M., in 1977.
However, much like many other members of his family, Bobby Unser Jr. made a name for himself by competing in the Pikes Peak Int’l Hill Climb.
He made his debut in 1976, finishing ninth overall among nearly 50 racers with a time of 12:58.05 in the Open Wheel division. He returned in 1977 and finished second overall behind winner Bob Herring. He was runner-up again in 1978 despite crashing during his qualifying attempt.
The third-generation competitor continued to attack Pikes Peak in the 1980s, eventually moving from the Open Wheel division to compete in a rally car in 1985. He would finish fourth that year.
He eventually gave up motorsports, but not cars. He became a stunt driver and his work was featured in the 1990s television series Walker, Texas Ranger.