Indianapolis, Indiana – Motorsports fans are mourning the loss of Lee Kunzman, a respected Indianapolis 500 veteran and accomplished short-track racer, who passed away on February 27 at the age of 80. Known for his resilience and determination, Kunzman carved out a successful racing career despite enduring several life-threatening accidents.
Kunzman competed in the iconic Indianapolis 500 four times, making starts in 1972, 1973, 1977, and 1979. His best finish came in both 1973 and 1977, when he placed seventh. In his final Indy 500 appearance in 1979, he secured his highest qualifying position of 11th. That same year, he came agonizingly close to victory in the INDYCAR SERIES race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, finishing second after a fierce battle with Johnny Rutherford.
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Born in Iowa, Kunzman was a dominant force in the United States Auto Club (USAC) circuit, where he notched 30 career national feature victories—16 in Midget racing and 14 in Sprint Car events. His talent was evident from the start, as he won his very first USAC event at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds in Davenport, Iowa. His rapid rise continued in 1969 when he secured eight USAC National Midget victories, including a win at the prestigious Astro Grand Prix in Houston’s Astrodome.
Kunzman’s racing career was marked by moments of triumph as well as incredible adversity. In 1970, just days after winning the Night Before the 500 at Indianapolis Raceway Park, he suffered a devastating crash at I-70 Speedway in Missouri when his throttle stuck, leaving him with severe burns over 40 percent of his body and multiple fractures. Undeterred, he spent two months in the hospital before making an astonishing return in April 1971, winning a USAC National Midget race at Tri-County Speedway in Ohio.
His persistence paid off as he went on to finish fifth, third, and second in the USAC National Sprint Car standings from 1971 to 1973. However, another tragic incident halted his momentum in 1973 when he sustained serious head injuries and partial paralysis following a crash during an INDYCAR SERIES tire test in Ontario, California. The accident sidelined him for the entire 1974 season, but true to his nature, Kunzman made yet another remarkable comeback in 1975. In his first race back, he finished an impressive fourth in the 500-mile event at Ontario Motor Speedway, the very site of his previous crash.
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Following his retirement from driving, Kunzman remained deeply involved in motorsports. He played a key role as team manager for Hemelgarn Racing, guiding the team to victory at the 1996 Indianapolis 500 and securing the INDYCAR SERIES championship in 2000 with driver Buddy Lazier. Under his leadership, the team also finished second at the Indianapolis 500 in 1998 and 2000.
Kunzman’s impact on the racing world was formally recognized in 2006 when he was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, cementing his legacy as a fierce competitor and an inspiration to many. His contributions to motorsports, both on and off the track, will not be forgotten.
