Big Name in Racing Charged With Drunk Driving

Al Unser Jr. won Indy 500 twice, but he has long battled alcohol problems
By Newser Editors,  Newser Staff
Posted May 20, 2019 10:40 AM CDT
An Indy 500 Winner Charged With Drunk Driving
In this 2007 photo, Al Unser Jr. waits to practice at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis.   (AP Photo/Tom Strattman)

A big name in auto racing is making headlines for the wrong reasons. Two-time Indy 500 winner Al Unser Jr. was charged with drunk driving early Monday, reports the Indianapolis Star. Unser, 57, is now retired from racing, but he won the Indy 500 in 1992 and 1994 and competed in it 17 other times. No details about the arrest were immediately available, beyond that Unser was booked into the Hendricks County Jail about 3:20am. Unser has spoken previously about his yearslong battle with alcohol.

In fact, FOX59 notes that he spoke at a school just a few weeks ago, saying that he hoped his story of being a recovering alcoholic would be a lesson to students. Unser has two previous drunk-driving arrests, in 2007 and 2011, and he also was arrested in 2002 after a fight with his girlfriend in which alcohol was a factor. (Another recent high-profile DWI arrest: that of the "Trivago guy.")

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