Unser Sr. Retires From Racing : Indy 500: The event’s last four-time winner, 54, steps aside after his son wins the pole for this year’s field.
INDIANAPOLIS — Al Unser, the last of the Indianapolis 500’s four-time winners, retired Tuesday only two days after his son, Al Jr., had won the pole for this year’s 500.
The senior Unser was here in hopes of qualifying for his 28th 500 when he abruptly decided he had had enough.
“I said many times that when the day came that I wasn’t producing in the right way, and I wasn’t happy, that I’d get out,†said Unser, who will turn 55 on race day, May 29. “I think the time has come.â€
Unser, who won the 500 in 1970, ‘71, ’78 and ‘87, had been practicing in a Lola-Ford Cosworth entered by Arizona Motor-Sport Racing. His fastest lap had been a disappointing 219.250 m.p.h. and he waved off his only qualifying attempt last Saturday after getting up to only 214.225.
“The other day when I was out there on pit lane, watching my boy qualify and sit on the pole, I finally realized that it just wasn’t there for me and I wasn’t producing like I should. It takes 100%, and I didn’t have that much anymore.â€
His retirement follows by almost a year that of four-time winner A.J. Foyt, who quit on the morning of qualifications. Indy’s only other four-time winner, Rick Mears, retired in December of 1992.
Roberto Moreno will replace Unser in the Arizona Motor-Sports car. In 1985, it was a pass of Moreno by Unser for fourth place in the year’s final race in Miami that enabled him to beat his son by a point for the PPG Cup Indy car championship.
That was his third Indy car championship. He also had won in 1970, when he finished first in 10 races, and 1983.
“I’m very proud of my dad’s decision,†said Al Jr. “I know it was very hard for him. I feel it takes a bigger man to know when to quit, than it takes to stay out there when his heart isn’t 110% in it.
“We talked about it and the Indianapolis 500 means a lot to my father. That’s why it was so tough. We both know that he is still a winner, and that he still could be a winner at this racetrack.â€
Unser’s most memorable race was the 1987 Indy 500. He came here without a ride, then, when Danny Ongais was injured, took the seat in one of Roger Penske’s cars. He started 20th and barely missed a spinning Josele Garza on the first lap. Moving up steadily, he got the lead for the first time on lap 183 when Roberto Guerrero stalled in the pits. Once in front, he held off Guerrero for his fourth 500 victory.
In 27 Indy 500s, Unser had three seconds and four thirds, giving him 11 top-three finishes and the highest finishing percentage of any long-term driver.
His last third place was in 1992, when he gave Buick its only 500 finish.
Mario Andretti, Unser’s longtime rival, previously announced that this will be his final season.
“Al and I did a lot of things together over the years, so I’m glad we’re closing things out together,†Andretti said. “I wish he had a full-time ride so he could close it out that way, but I’m really happy for him that now he can go out and smell the roses, so to speak.
“In my mind, Al Unser is one of the top five racers who has ever lived. Nobody had race savvy like Al Unser in his prime.â€
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