Unser Racing Museum, Opening Monday, Tells Compelling Story of Family

Revved and ready Unser Racing Museum, opening Monday, tells compelling story of family By Aurelio Sanchez lives in the fast lane, from the “They were not only good told through quotes in graphics Journal Staff Writer gravel roads of Pikes Peak to racers, but also wonderful on the walls and through verybody knows the the brickyards of Indianapolis. mechanics so they were able to images and films. Unsers are a great “We want visitors to feel the at times transform the sport and “People will hear them talk Esports racing story, but adrenaline, sense the anxiety make it better,” she added. about what it was like for how many know they’re also a and share the thrill that we go Visitors to the museum will them,” Gish said. “They did it compelling human and family through in every race,” Al be greeted with the sight of Big the old-fashioned way, with story? Unser Sr. said in a release from Al’s Johnny Lightning Special, hard work and perseverence.” A new museum in Rowland Communications in the 1971 Indy 500 winner. Gish said the design team Albuquerque will strive to tell a New York. Themed galleries will branch knew that racing enthusiasts part of the Unser story not as “For years people have been out with artifacts, images and would go to the museum, but recognizable as their highly dropping by the garage to catch films telling the story of some the team also wanted to make it public achievements on the a glimpse of winning cars,” he of the family’s most memo- compelling for people who race track. continued in the release. rable racing feats. might not be racing fans. “One of the things that “Susan and I thought it would The Pikes Peak gallery, “The cars are stunning, but impressed me was that the be great to give them more of called “Race to the Clouds,” we tried to design the exhibits Unsers are really down-to- an experience and maybe even includes a massive mural back- from a lot of different angles, Earth people who never forgot feel like part of our family.” drop. Twelve Unsers have and one very important one that they were common people. The exhibit is designed to be raced, and many have won. The was that the Unser family is a Even though they had all of an open window into the histo- race was first won by Louis very human story, told through these amazing accomplish- ry of open-wheel racing, Gish Unser in 1934. Bobby Unser the lives of the family,” she ments, they were always very said. has a dozen wins. said. humble,” Clay Gish, director of “I was amazed to learn that Another gallery features fam- The dynasty boasts two writing and research for ESI through the four generations of ily patriarch Jerry Unser open- young racers coming up Design, said in a phone inter- the Unser racing dynasty, their ing his garage in 1936 in through the ranks: Al Unser III view. ESI Design is a New time in racing has really mir- Albuquerque. Gish described and Jason Tanner, Gish said. York company that designed rored the evolution of the the exhibit as a three-dimen- “It’s a story still being told,” museum exhibits for the Unser sport,” Gish said. sional Unser family scrapbook, Gish said. Racing Museum. Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Sr. will open the museum Monday, Sept. 19, for the Unser family, whose members have won nine, or 10 percent, of the Indy 500 races since it started in 1911. Only A.J. Foyt and Rick Mears have won as many Indy 500s as Al Unser Sr. Bobby Unser has won three Indy 500 races and Al Unser Jr. has won two races. The museum will showcase not only race cars and racing artifacts, but also the personali- ties that populated the Unsers’ Big Al’s famous Johnny Lightning Special, the 1971 Indy 500 winner, will be featured as the central exhibit at the Unser Racing Museum..

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