INDIANAPOLIS — Lee Kunzman, a four-time starter in the Indianapolis 500 passed away on February 27 at the age of 80, Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced.
Kunzman’s racing career was marked by resilience as he overcame serious injuries to participate in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” in 1972, 1973, 1977, and 1979, achieving his best finish of seventh in both 1973 and 1977. His final start in 1979 saw him secure an 11th-place qualifying position.
Kunzman also had a successful career in the INDYCAR SERIES, where his best finish was second at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1979, fighting hard against winner Johnny Rutherford. After retiring as a driver, he became a team manager for Hemelgarn Racing, which celebrated an Indy 500 win in 1996 and the INDYCAR SERIES title in 2000.
Originally from Iowa, Kunzman had tremendous success in the United States Auto Club (USAC), racking up 30 national victories in Midget and Sprint Car racing. He first gained attention in 1967 as the Rookie of the Year in the Little 500 at Anderson Speedway and achieved eight USAC National Midget wins in 1969.
Kunzman faced serious challenges during his career, including a life-threatening crash in 1970 that left him with burns and fractures. Remarkably, he returned to racing just two months later. He endured another severe accident in 1973 but made a triumphant comeback by finishing fourth in a race at the same track where he was injured.
