Kraft Auctions Offers Fans a Chance to Own a Piece of Datsun Racing History
Kraft Auctions will auction 1,200+ lots from the Bobby Unser Estate, Johnny Rutherford’s private
collection, and over two dozen other collectors. Two of the most iconic drivers in auto racing history, Bobby Unser and Johnny Rutherford will be featured February 2nd in a hybrid online/live auction conducted by Indiana-based Kraft Auctions.
Kraft Auction Services is presenting over 150 items from the Bobby Unser Estate including his 1974 Datsun 260Z pace car that will cross the auction block on Friday, February 2, at Kraft Auction’s main campus in Valparaiso, Indiana. Bobby Unser was a 3-time Indianapolis 500 winner (1968, 1975 & 1981) and raced for the winning teams of Leader Card Racers, Dan Gurney’s All American Racers and Penske Racing – winning an Indy 500 with each team. Unser and his family dominated the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, with Bobby capturing ten Overall wins at the Race to the Clouds.
Bobby’s philosophy was simple: People will remember the guy who wins the pole position (fast qualifier)
and the guy who wins the race. Nothing else mattered. In 1968 Bobby Unser won his first Indy 500, and
then in 1972 he teamed with legendary driver and team owner Dan Gurney’s All-American Racers. Bobby
won four races and seven poles out of ten races that season. People knew his name.
At the first USAC race of the 1974 season at Ontario Motor Speedway Bobby won his first of 4 California
500s. Bobby had started racing in 1949 and 25 years later, Bobby won his second National
Driving Championship with 4 wins. To put things in perspective Bobby had turned 40 years old just 2 weeks prior.
That leads us the Datsun 260Z pace car. There are two stories on how Bobby ended up with this awesome car. Story number one (the printed story) is that the Ontario Motor Speedway was the Indianapolis Motor Speedway of the west, so they emulated what IMS did by giving the winner one of the two pace cars. Nice G-Rated storybook ending. Story number two is that Bobby really wanted the sporty Datsun. Call it a mid-life crisis, but Bobby wanted this car. The story goes that Bobby had one of his crew guys hop in the 260Z for a little test drive… all the way to Albuquerque.
Leading the list of Bobby’s items up for auction is the low mileage Datsun 260Z pace car (VIN# RLS30-000020), which has spent its entire life garaged in New Mexico with under 12,000 miles of use. Other special and historic items include race worn driving suits, and Bobby’s 1968 USAC Charity basketball uniform. Bobby’s race jackets, gloves and awards are also crossing the block. 
Rutherford’s Team McLaren jackets, along with driving suits, jackets, trophies, art, and books will be up for auction in partnership with Kraft Auctions. Other highlights of the auction include:
Johnny Rutherford’s 1980 Turbo Trans Am Indy pace car
Juan Manuel Fangio Bust Statue by Larry Braun
Johnny Rutherford’s 1974 McLaren M16 Spare Nose
Brady Bacon’s 2024 Race Worn Chili Bowl Helmet
Johnny Rutherford’s Indy Gasoline Alley Wood Garage Doors
Mike Mosley’s Crushed 1971 Watson Indy Car Cube
1915 Venice 300 Grand Prix Pennant
Online pre-bid is open now
Friday, February 2, 2024 | Preview @ 8:00am | Live Auction @ 10:00 am
Kraft Auctions 48 N 450 E Valparaiso, IN 46383
KraftAuctions.com
About Kraft Auction Service
Kraft Auction Service is a professional auction service based in Valparaiso, IN servicing buyers and sellers
since 1976. Conrad Kraft, who founded the company, built the business on honesty and integrity, and his
son Jonathan continues those traditions today. Kraft Auction Service is one of the nation’s leading auction
companies for personal property and online auctions.
Contacts: Jonathan Kraft, Kraft Auction, (773) 750-4645, [email protected]
Bart Stevens, Radius Nation, (214) 293-3003, [email protected]