Louis Unser

{{Infobox racing driver

| name = Louis Unser

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name = Louis Unser Jr.

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1896|03|16}}

| birth_place = Alton, Illinois, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1979|10|18|1896|03|16}}

| death_place = Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.

| titles = Major victories
Pikes Peak Hill Climb (1934, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1946, 1947, 1953)

| module1 =

{{Infobox Champ Car driver|embed=yes

| Total_Champ_Races = 10

| Years_In_Champ = 10

| Best_Champ_Pos = 23rd (tie) (1947)

| First_Champ_Race = 1947 Pikes Peak Hill Climb
(Pikes Peak)

| Last_Champ_Race = 1965 Pikes Peak Hill Climb
(Pikes Peak)

| First_Champ_Win = 1947 Pikes Peak Hill Climb
(Pikes Peak)

| Last_Champ_Win = 1953 Pikes Peak Hill Climb
(Pikes Peak)

| Champ_Wins = 2

| Champ_Podiums = 6

| Champ_Poles = 1

}}}}

Louis Unser Jr. (March 16, 1896 – October 18, 1979) was an American racing driver.{{Cite web |title=Louis Unser |url=http://www.champcarstats.com/drivers/UnserLouis.htm |access-date=2023-07-08 |website=www.champcarstats.com}} He was the patriarch of the Unser family of American auto racers. He was renowned for his hill-climbing career, winning the Pikes Peak Hill Climb nine times between 1934 and 1953.

Oldest Indy car driver

Unser is officially the oldest ever Indy car driver to have started a race. He raced the 1965 Pikes Peak Hill Climb at the age of 69 years 3 months and 19 days, however his record is often given to A. J. Foyt, who competed in the 1992 Indianapolis 500 at the age of 57 years 4 months and 8 days.

Unser is also the oldest Indy car winner. He won the 1953 Pikes Peak Hill Climb at the age of 57 years 5 months and 22 days,{{Cite web |last=PPIHC |date=2024-01-11 |title=BEHIND THE WHEEL - Louis Unser |url=https://ppihc.org/behind-the-wheel-louis-unser/ |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=Pikes Peak International Hill Climb |language=en}} however his record is often given to Mario Andretti, who won at Phoenix in 1993 at the age of 53 years 1 month and 7 days.

Burial

Unser is buried at the Fairview Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Awards and honors

Pikes Peak Hill Climb Museum Hall of Fame (1997){{Cite web |title=Hall of Fame |url=https://ppihc.org/hall-of-fame/ |access-date=2023-09-23 |website=Pikes Peak International Hill Climb |language=en}}
Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2025){{Cite web |title=Louis Unser |url=https://www.mshf.com/Louis-Unser-10-1921258.html |access-date=2025-05-31 |website=www.mshf.com}}

Motorsports career results

= AAA Championship Car results =

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
Year ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! 10 ! 11 ! 12 ! 13 ! 14 ! 15 ! 16 ! 17 ! 18 ! Rank ! Points
1947 \| INDY {{small\| }} \| MIL {{small\| }} \| LAN {{small\| }} \| ATL {{small\| }} \| BAI {{small\| }} \| MIL {{small\| }} \| GOS {{small\| }} \| MIL {{small\| }} \|style="background:#FFFFBF;"\|PIK {{small\|1}} \| SPR {{small\| }} \| ARL \|colspan=7\| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 23rd !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 200
rowspan=1\| 1948 \| ARL \| INDY \| MIL \| LAN \| MIL \| SPR \| MIL \| DUQ \| ATL \|style="background:#CFEAFF;"\| PIK 7 \| SPR \| DUQ \|colspan=6\| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 42nd !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 60
rowspan=1\| 1949 \| ARL \| INDY \| MIL \| TRE \| SPR \| MIL \| DUQ \|style="background:#DFDFDF;"\| PIK 2 \| SYR \| DET \| SPR \| LAN \| SAC \| DMR \|colspan=4\| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 27th !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 160
1950 \|INDY \| MIL \| LAN \| SPR \| MIL \|style="background:#FFDF9F;"\| PIK 3 \| SYR \| DET \| SPR \| SAC \| PHX \| BAY \| DAR \|colspan=5\| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 29th !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 140
1951 \| INDY \| MIL \| LAN \| DAR \| SPR \| MIL \| DUQ \| DUQ \|style="background:#FFDF9F;"\| PIK 3 \| SYR \| DET \| DNC \| SJS \| PHX \| BAY \|colspan=3\| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 33rd !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 140
rowspan=1\| 1952 \| INDY \| MIL \| RAL \| SPR \| MIL \| DET \| DUQ \|style="background:#DFDFDF;"\| PIK 2 \| SYR \| DNC \| SJS \| PHX \|colspan=6\| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 25th !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 160
rowspan=1\| 1953 \| INDY \| MIL \| SPR \| DET \| SPR \| MIL \| DUQ \|style="background:#FFFFBF;"\| PIK 1 \| SYR \| ISF \| SAC \| PHX \|colspan=6\| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 25th !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 200
rowspan=1\| 1954 \| INDY \| MIL \| LAN \| DAR \|SPR \| MIL \| DUQ \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| PIK 18 \| SYR \| ISF \|SAC \| PHX \| LVG \|colspan=5\| !- !0
rowspan=1\| 1955 \| INDY \| MIL \| LAN \| SPR \| MIL \| DUQ \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| PIK 11 \| SYR \| ISF \| SAC \| PHX \|colspan=7\| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 51st !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 20
1965 \| PHX {{small\| }} \| TRE {{small\| }} \| INDY \| MIL {{small\| }} \| LAN {{small\| }} \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| PPR {{small\|12}} \| TRE {{small\| }} \| IRP {{small\| }} \| ATL {{small\| }} \| LAN {{small\| }} \| MIL {{small\| }} \| ISF {{small\| }} \| MIL {{small\| }} \| DSF {{small\| }} \| INF {{small\| }} \| TRE {{small\| }} \| SAC {{small\| }} \| PHX {{small\| }} !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 56th !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 5

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"

Year

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! Points

1947

| INDY
{{small| }}

| MIL
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| LAN
{{small| }}

| ATL
{{small| }}

| BAI
{{small| }}

| MIL
{{small| }}

| GOS
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| MIL
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|style="background:#FFFFBF;"|PIK
{{small|1}}

| SPR
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| ARL

|colspan=7|

!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 23rd

!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 200

rowspan=1| 1948

Louis Unser

Oldest Indy car driver

Burial

Awards and honors

Motorsports career results

= AAA Championship Car results =

See also

References