Lee Kunzman was a resilient IndyCar driver known for his remarkable comebacks and significant achievements in American motorsports. He passed away on February 27, 2025, at age 80.

Kunzman competed in four Indianapolis 500 races (1972, 1973, 1977, and 1979), achieving his best finishes of seventh place in both 1973 and 1977. His highest qualifying position was 11th in his final appearance in 1979. His IndyCar career peaked with a second-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1979, following an intense battle with Johnny Rutherford.

In USAC competition, Kunzman secured 30 national feature victories - 16 in Midget and 14 in Sprint Car races. His racing career began impressively with a win in his first USAC start at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds in Davenport, Iowa. He earned Little 500 Rookie of the Year honors at Anderson Speedway in 1967.

1969 marked Kunzman's breakthrough year, with eight USAC National Midget victories, including the prestigious Astro Grand Prix at Houston's Astrodome. He added another major victory in 1970 at the Night Before the 500 at Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Despite suffering severe injuries throughout his career, including a near-fatal crash in 1970 at I-70 Speedway and a devastating accident in 1973 at Ontario Motor Speedway, Kunzman demonstrated remarkable resilience by returning to racing each time. His most inspiring comeback came in 1975, when he finished fourth at Ontario Motor Speedway - the very track where he had been seriously injured 15 months earlier.

After retiring from driving, Kunzman served as team manager for Hemelgarn Racing, leading them to an Indianapolis 500 victory in 1996 and an IndyCar Series championship in 2000 with driver Buddy Lazier. His contributions to motorsports were recognized with his 2006 induction into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame.

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