Unser named Grand Marshal

Bobby Unser gets his first Indy 500 win in 1968

Motorsport legend Bobby Unser has been named as Grand Marshal of Canada’s biggest sports car race of the year, the Mobil 1 presents The Grand Prix of Mosport, August 26-29.

Bobby, the older of the two famous racing brothers (along with Al, Sr.), established the family name many years ago by winning three Indy 500 titles – in 1968, 1975 and 1981. Unser’s first career IndyCar victories came at Mosport when in 1967 he took the checkered flag in both the twin 100-mile races.

“Mosport will always have a special place in my heart. The 1967 Mosport IndyCar race became one of the most important events in my whole life because it was my first IndyCar win. So it’s a real honor to be the Grand Marshal of the Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport and to help the track celebrate their 50th anniversary season," said Unser.

Unser will be at the famed 4-km road course throughout the race weekend, meeting fans and signing autographs. He will give the famous four-word command to the drivers of the American Le Mans Series on Sunday afternoon at 3 pm, just prior to the green flag drop to start the two-hour, 45-minute race.

“We are absolutely thrilled to have Bobby as our Grand Marshal for this weekend’s event and 50th anniversary season celebration. He is such a racing icon," said Myles Brandt, President and General Manager of Mosport International Raceway. “He went on to enjoy such a great career following his first IndyCar win here at Mosport, so it seems fitting that he would give the command for the Mobil 1 present the Grand Prix of Mosport race on Sunday."

The Albuquerque, New Mexico resident has compiled a extensive list of impressive accomplishments during his long and storied racing career, including 35 IndyCar wins (4th all-time), 49 IndyCar pole positions (3rd all-time), eight 500-mile IndyCar wins, two International Race of Champions (IROC) wins and a record of 13 Pikes Peak Hill Climb wins, just to name a few. He has been inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.

“When I was young I was best known as a midget and sprint car driver, mostly on dirt tracks all over the USA," he recalled. “But I really loved road racing as in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, which I won 13 times. My first big career win was at Mosport, one of the most challenging road racing circuits in the world and I’m very proud of that."

The father of four has also served as one of the sport’s premier analysts and color commentators. Unser worked as ABC Television's chief analyst on the network's Indy 500 telecasts, and partnered with Brian Williams on CBC Sports’ of the Molson Indy races in Toronto and Vancouver in the 1980s and ‘90s.