Origin: Bicester, Oxfordshire, England
Engine: 8-Cylinder
Transmission: 6-Speed Manual
For the 1992 CART season, five identical Galmer G92 chassis were commissioned by Galles-Kraco Racing. Two were run by Danny Sullivan, while the other three, including this one, were run by Al Unser Jr. This particular chassis was used in four races: The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach (4th place), the ABC Supply Wisconsin 250 at Milwaukee IndyFest Presented by the Metro Milwaukee Honda Dealers (7th place), the Honda Indy Toronto (7th place), and the Kohler Grand Prix (2nd place).
Al Unser Jr. went on to win the Indianapolis 500 that season over Scott Goodyear in one of the closest finishes in the prestigious race’s history. The official race-winning margin was 0.043 seconds, but the United States Auto Club actually calculated the true margin of victory to be an astonishing 0.0331 seconds. After the season wrapped up, this chassis ended up in the hands of Maury Kraines, founder of Kraco Enterprises, one half of Galles-Kraco Racing.
Mr. Rich met Mr. Kraines through Paul Lemke, the former head golf professional at Butterfield Country Club, where Mr. Rich was a member. Mr. Lemke moved on from that position in 1991 to The Vintage Club in California, where Mr. Kraines was a member, and connected the two men. When Mr. Rich completed the car museum in 1994, he asked Mr. Kraines if he would be willing to lend a car to display. Mr. Kraines sent him the Galmer G92. Upon Mr. Kraines’s unfortunate passing in 2006, his two sons officially sold the racecar to Mr. Rich so it could become a permanent part of the museum. It is the only car in the museum that does not run.
This Galmer G92 was displayed at the 2013 Geneva Concours d’Elegance, where a curious attendee posted about it online in a track forum. In early 2018, the post was seen by the Unser family’s curator, who had been looking for the chassis, once thought lost. Upon identifying it, it’s old driver Al Unser Jr. personally contacted Mr. Rich with a request. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum was putting on ‘The Amazing Unsers,’ an exhibit showcasing him and his family—the most decorated family in Indianapolis 500 history. He knew the exhibit would not be complete without a Galmer G92. Mr. Rich happily lent the racecar, which was returned after the exhibit closed in October 2018.