Bob Lazier

22/12/1938 - 18/4/2020

Record updated 21-Apr-20

Bob Lazier retired from racing long before either of his sons reached the big time, but he had a long and successful racing career. The highlight of that career was in 1981, when he finished 19th at the Brickyard. After retirement, he encouraged his sons to race, but unlike many racing dads, he also insisted that they graduate from college. He also had nothing to do with the boy's early ventures into professional racing. He sat on the sidelines and cheered them on, but had no involvement in their teams or with their cars. He once told reporters, "It was their goal to go racing, not mine to get them to go racing. You don't do anything in life because it's for your father. You have to do it for your own passion." It wasn't until Buddy was reaching toward the Indy car level that Bob stepped in to assist. With Jaques, it was the same story. Not until he was already a success did his father enter the picture, working in the pits with his son's team. When asked if he helped coach his sons on the track, he responded, "I don't spend a lot of time being a driving coach. They're way past that. I didn't get as far as either one of them."