Al Unser, Jr.: DRIVER
No. 50 abc Supply Dallara/Honda

Career Highlights:

Two-time Indy 500 champion: 1992 with Galles Racing and 1994 with Penske Racing
Two-time Champ Car titlist: 1990 with Galles Racing and 1994 with Penske Racing
Two-time IROC champion: 1986 as a rookie and won again in 1988
24 Hours of Daytona Winner: 1986

            Al Unser, Jr. joins A.J. Foyt’s team for the Indianapolis 500 in a one-off drive. Unser will drive the ABC Supply No. 50 car, numbered in recognition of A.J.’s 50^th anniversary in Indy car racing.

“It’s a real honor to be driving for A.J., especially during his 50^th anniversary season, and especially at Indy,” said Unser. “A.J. has so much history at the Speedway, and the Unsers are a part of that history. A.J. played a big role in getting my dad started at Indy in ’65 so when A.J. called me to drive for him, I felt honored and very proud.”

The number 50 is significant too because Unser Jr. is the 50th different driver to run for Foyt and this year’s 500 is Foyt’s 50^th straight as either a driver or an owner.

“Al, Jr. is a really talented driver whose experience will bring a lot of good things to our team this month,” said Foyt. “I’m looking forward to working with him at Indy. We’ve stepped up our IndyCar program overall this year in a lot of ways. Hiring a veteran like Al, Jr., who has won at the Speedway and knows it so well, will help our regular driver Darren because it’s been a couple years since he’s run there. I think this is our best chance at Indy since we won it in ‘99.”

Unser, Jr., who turned 45 on April 19^th, will be making his 19^th start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He ran his first 500 in 1983, when he qualified fifth but ran out of fuel and finished tenth.

In the past 18 starts at the Speedway, Unser, Jr. recorded seven top-five finishes and 10 top-tens. He won the race while driving for Rick Galles in 1992 and for Roger Penske in 1994. He almost won it in 1989 for Galles when battling Emerson Fittipaldi for the checkered. The two touched wheels going through turn three, sending Unser to the wall and Fittipaldi to victory lane. He came back in 1992 to edge out Scott Goodyear by .043 seconds, a record for the closest finish.

Unser, Jr. is scheduled to be inducted into the Indianapolis 500 Hall of Fame on Saturday, May 19^th. He will join his father Al, uncle Bobby and team owner A.J. Foyt.

In 328 combined starts in Champ Car (273) and IndyCar (55) to date, Unser has 34 victories, 142 top-five finishes (88 podiums) and 210 top-ten finishes, plus seven poles. In the 18 seasons that he competed in Champ Car full-time, he finished in the top-five 11 times. In four full seasons in the IndyCar Series, he finished in the top-ten every year, winning a race in 2000, 2001 and 2003.

He holds the record for victories (six) in the Long Beach (CA) Grand Prix and has multiple triumphs at Vancouver, B.C. (four), Cleveland, OH (three) and Portland, OR (three). In 1994, he won eight of 16 races driving for Team Penske. His more recent IndyCar wins came at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (2000), St. Louis’ Gateway Int’l Raceway (2001) and Ft. Worth’s Texas Motor Speedway (2003).

Al Unser: Up Close & Personal

Al”s Favorites:

Pastime:                Snowmobiling
Music:                    Classic Rock
Vacation Spot:        Northern New Mexico and Hawaii
Food:                      Lasagna
Beverage:               Root Beer
Dessert:                  Cheesecake
Movie:                     Love Actually
Actor/Actress:         Paul Newman/Natalie Portman
TV Sport:                 Football (other than racing)
Race Track:             Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Restaurant:             Dunaways (in Indy)
Holiday:                   Christmas
Season:                    Winter

Something you do before every race: “Talk to my Dad.”

Most interesting fact about your career: “Winning Indy.”

Something most people don’t know about you: “Not Possible.”

Quality you most admire in others: “Telling the truth.”

His first job: Machinist

What you’d be if you weren’t a race driver: Machinist

How you got started in racing: “Ah, dah!” (go-karts)

How you relax at the track: “In my motorcoach.”

How you relax away from the race track: Fishing

Secret Wish: To win Indy

Awards: Borg-Warner Trophy – twice [for Indy 500 victories]

Most proud achievement: Winning the Borg-Warner Trophy twice