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Bobby Unser, the auto racing icon who won the Indianapolis 500 three times – including one of the most controversial races in the event’s history – passed away Sunday at his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the age of 87 from natural causes.
Racing Career: Born Robert William Unser in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in February 1934, he began racing as a teenager and won his first race as a 15-year-old participant in the 1950 Southwest Modified Stock Cars. After a stint in the U.S. Air Force from 1953 to 1955, he joined his brothers Al and Jerry in auto racing careers.
Unser’s first Indianapolis 500 race was in 1963, where he crashed and finished in 33rd place. He won his first Indianapolis 500 in 1968, then again in 1975 and in 1981. Unser was one of two drivers – the other being Rick Mears – who won the celebrated race in three different decades.