Unser Jr. was born into a racing family in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His father, Al Unser, and uncle, Bobby Unser, were both Indianapolis 500 winners. The Unser family has a record nine Indy 500 victories. By age eleven, Unser Jr. was racing sprint cars, and after high school, he competed in the World of Outlaws series. He transitioned to road racing, winning the Super Vee title in 1981 and the Can-Am title in 1982. In 1983, he won the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, joining his great uncle, uncle, and father as winners of the event.
Unser Jr. made his CART debut in 1982. He competed in his first Indianapolis 500 in 1983, finishing tenth after a penalty. He finished second in the CART championship point standings in 1985, losing to his father by one point. Unser Jr. won the International Race of Champions championship in both 1986 and 1988, becoming the youngest IROC champion at 24. He also won the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1986 and 1987. Unser Jr. secured his first CART series championship in 1990. In 1992, he won his first Indianapolis 500, defeating Scott Goodyear by 0.043 seconds. He also holds the record for most Long Beach Grand Prix victories, with six wins.
In 1994, Unser Jr. joined Penske Racing and won the Indianapolis 500 again. That year, he had a dominant season, winning eight of sixteen races and securing his second CART championship. He was also named ABC's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year. In 1995, Unser Jr. and teammate Emerson Fittipaldi failed to qualify for the Indianapolis 500. He finished second to Jacques Villeneuve in CART championship points in 1995. Unser Jr. left CART to join the Indy Racing League for the 2000 season. He won three races in his IRL career. After breaking his pelvis in an all-terrain vehicle accident in October 2003, Unser Jr. retired from racing on June 30, 2004.
Unser Jr. returned to racing for the 2006 Indianapolis 500 with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and for the 2007 Indianapolis 500 with A. J. Foyt. In 2009, he was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. Unser Jr. has been involved in charity work, starting the Race Clinic for Paralysis in 2010. He has also participated in various vintage and sportscar races, including the 25 Hours of Thunderhill with his son, Al III. In 2014, he won the Indy Legends Charity Pro/Am race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Unser Jr. has four children: Al Richard Unser, Cody Unser, Shannon Unser, and Joe Unser. His memoir, "A Checkered Past," co-authored by Jade Gurss, was published on October 1, 2021.
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