View source for Jerry Unser Jr.

{{short description|American racing driver (1932–1959)}}
{{Infobox racing driver
| name              = Jerry Unser
| image             =Jerry_Unser-1959.jpg 
| caption           =Unser in 1959 
| birth_name        = Jeremy Michael Unser Jr.
| birth_date        = {{birth date|1932|11|15}}
| birth_place       = [[Colorado Springs, Colorado]], U.S.
| death_date        = {{death date and age|1959|05|17|1932|11|15}}
| death_place       = [[Indianapolis, Indiana]], U.S.
| titles            = [[USAC Stock Car]] (1957)
| awards            = 
| module1 = 
  {{Infobox racing driver|embed=yes
  | current series    = [[USAC Stock Car|AAA/USAC Stock Car]]
  | years active      = 1956–1958
  | starts            = 
  | championships     = 1
  | wins              = 
  | podiums           = 
  | poles             = 
  | fastest laps      = 
  | best finish       = 1st
  | year              = 1957
| module2 = 
  {{Infobox Champ Car driver|embed=yes
  | Total_Champ_Races = 3
  | Years_In_Champ    = 3
  | Best_Champ_Pos    = 28th ([[1955 AAA Championship Car season|1955]])
  | First_Champ_Race  = [[1955 AAA Championship Car season|1955]] [[Pikes Peak Hill Climb]] ([[Pikes Peak Hill Climb|Pikes Peak]])
  | Last_Champ_Race   = [[1959 USAC Championship Car season|1959]] [[Trenton 200|Race of Champions]] ([[Trenton Speedway|Trenton]])
  | Champ_Wins        = 0
  | Champ_Podiums     = 0
  | Champ_Poles       = 0
| module3 = 
  {{Infobox F1 driver|embed=yes
  | Years             = {{F1|1958}}–{{F1|1959}}
  | Team(s)           = [[Kurtis Kraft]], [[Kuzma (constructor)|Kuzma]]
  | Races             = 2 (1 start)
  | Championships     = 0
  | Wins              = 0
  | Podiums           = 0
  | Points            = 0
  | Poles             = 0
  | Fastest laps      = 0
  | First race        = [[1958 Indianapolis 500]]
}}}}}}}}

'''Jeremy Michael Unser Jr.'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jerry Unser |url=http://www.champcarstats.com/drivers/UnserJerry.htm |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=www.champcarstats.com}}</ref> (November 15, 1932 – May 17, 1959) was an American [[racecar driver]]. He was the 1957 [[United States Automobile Club|USAC]] [[USAC Stock Car|Stock Car]] champion.

Jerry was the first of the Unser family to compete at [[Indianapolis 500|Indianapolis]]. In his only start, in [[1958 Indianapolis 500|1958]], he was caught up in a 13-car pileup on the first lap and flew over the turn three wall, emerging unhurt. He died in a practice crash before the [[1959 Indianapolis 500]], leaving behind a widow, Jeanne Unser, and two sons, Jerry and [[Johnny Unser]].

His brothers [[Al Unser|Al]] and [[Bobby Unser|Bobby]] and his nephew [[Al Unser Jr.|Al Jr.]] have won the "500". His son [[Johnny Unser|Johnny]] and nephew [[Robby Unser|Robby]] have also competed in the race.

==Death==

On May 2, 1959, on the second day of practice for the 1959 Indianapolis 500, Unser lost control of his car coming out of turn 4 on a practice lap. The car hit the wall after spinning, then went end over end down the front straightaway, leaving behind a trail of parts. The car burst into flames as a result. Track officials estimated his speed just before the accident to be about 133&nbsp;mph. He was conscious during his rescue, yelling "My legs are on fire. Call my wife." Before he could be pulled from the vehicle, the fire had to be put out. Unser was taken to Methodist Hospital with a broken neck and 3rd degree burns over both legs and one arm. In critical condition, he suffered burns over 35 percent of his body, and was in a coma. Unser died from his injuries and pneumonia two weeks later on May 17, 1959. Following the accident, it became mandatory for drivers to wear fire-resistant driving suits. Most drivers already wore the suits, but some drivers at the time wore t-shirts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1959/05/18/page/61/article/driver-jerry-unser-dies-of-crash-burns/|title=Driver Jerry Unser Dies of Crash Burns (May 18, 1959)|website=chicagotribune.com|accessdate=16 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://indymotorspeedway.com/v1/500d-59.htm|title=Indy 500 deadly accidents, 1959, Jerry Unser|website=indymotorspeedway.com|accessdate=16 September 2017|archive-date=13 July 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713030426/http://indymotorspeedway.com/v1/500d-59.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unserracingmuseum.com/family-history.php|title=Unser Racing Museum - Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico|website=www.unserracingmuseum.com|accessdate=16 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211032106/http://www.unserracingmuseum.com/family-history.php|archive-date=11 February 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Indianapolis 500 results==
{{col-begin|width=auto}}
{{col-break}}
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Year
!Car
!Start
!Qual
!Rank
!Finish
!Laps
!Led
!Retired
|-
![[1958 Indianapolis 500|1958]]
|92
|24
|142.755
|23
|31
|0
|0
|Crash T3
|-
|colspan=6|'''Totals'''
|0
|0
|
|}
{{col-break|gap=1em}}
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Starts
|1
|-
!Poles
|0
|-
!Front row
|0
|-
!Wins
|0
|-
!Top 5
|0
|-
!Top 10
|0
|-
!Retired
|1
|}
{{col-end}}

==World Championship career summary==
The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. Jerry Unser participated in 1 World Championship race but scored no World Championship points.

===Complete Formula One World Championship results===
([[:Template:F1 driver results legend 2|key]]) (Races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
! Year
! Chassis
! Engine
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! WDC
! Points
|-
| [[1958 Formula One season|1958]]
! [[Kurtis Kraft]]
! [[Offenhauser]] [[Straight-4|L4]]
| [[1958 Argentine Grand Prix|ARG]]<br />
| [[1958 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]<br>
| [[1958 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]]<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1958 Indianapolis 500|500]]<br>{{small|31}}
| [[1958 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]<br>
| [[1958 French Grand Prix|FRA]]<br>
| [[1958 British Grand Prix|GBR]]<br>
| [[1958 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br>
| [[1958 Portuguese Grand Prix|POR]]<br>
| [[1958 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br />
| [[1958 Moroccan Grand Prix|MOR]]<br>
! NC
! 0
|-
| [[1959 Formula One season|1959]]
! [[Kuzma (constructor)|Kuzma]]
! [[Offenhauser]] [[Straight-4|L4]]
| [[1959 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]<br />
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[1959 Indianapolis 500|500]]<br />{{small|DNQ}}
| [[1959 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]]<br />
| [[1959 French Grand Prix|FRA]]<br />
| [[1959 British Grand Prix|GBR]]<br />
| [[1959 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br />
| [[1959 Portuguese Grand Prix|POR]]<br />
| [[1959 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br />
| [[1959 United States Grand Prix|USA]]<br />
|
|
! NC
! 0
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Find a Grave|5951808}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-sports}}
{{succession box
|before= [[Johnny Mantz]]
|title = [[USAC Stock Car]] Champion
|years = 1957
|after = [[Fred Lorenzen]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{s-start}}
{{succession box|title=[[List of Formula One fatal accidents|Formula One fatal accidents]] |before=[[Stuart Lewis-Evans]]|after=[[Bob Cortner]]|years=May 17, 1959}}
{{s-end}}
{{Unser family}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Unser, Jerry Jr.}}
[[Category:1932 births]]
[[Category:1959 deaths]]
[[Category:Indianapolis 500 drivers]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Colorado Springs, Colorado]]
[[Category:Racing drivers from Colorado]]
[[Category:Racing drivers who died while racing]]
[[Category:Sports deaths in Indiana]]
[[Category:Unser family|Jerry Jr.]]
[[Category:USAC Stock Car drivers]]


{{US-autoracing-bio-stub}}