With most of the motorsports world on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve decided to highlight some of the sport’s legends on a daily basis. We begin each story within the pages of National Speed Sport News.
Scott Pruett edged Al Unser Jr. heading for the checkered flag to win his first PPG IndyCar World Series race at Michigan Int’l Speedway in what at the time was the second-closest finish in Indy car history.
Pruett defeated Unser by .56 seconds aboard Pat Patrick’s familiar No. 20 Indy car. It was the defining moment of Pruett’s diverse racing career, which began and ended in sports car racing dominance.
Pruett won two Indy car races in 145 career starts before transitioning to NASCAR racing where he went winless in 40 NASCAR Cup Series starts. Pruett was also a two-time winner in Int’l Race of Champions competition.
But it was on road courses where Pruett shined.
Pruett earned 60 sports car victories, 41 of them in what was then known as the Rolex Grand Am Championship, sanctioned by IMSA. Those victories led to four series championships.
During his career, Pruett also won a trio of SCCA a Trans-Am titles and a pair of IMSA GTO crowns. He earned 11 championships in all.
He also won the Rolex 24 At Daytona a record five times.
