Al Unser, one of only four drivers to win the Indianapolis 500 a record four times, died Thursday following years of health issues. He was 82.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway said early Friday that Unser died at his home in Chama, New Mexico. Unser was part of an elite club of four-time winners of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” Unser won in 1970, 1971, 1978 and 1987, and is the only driver with both a sibling and a child who also won the 500.

His namesake son, Al Unser Jr., is a two-time winner. The Unser family combined for a record nine wins in the Indy 500.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway plans to have about 135,000 fans attend the Indianapolis 500 in May.

The plan to have 40% of the speedway's capacity was approved by the Marion County Public Health Department, according to a press release from IMS.

The following health and safety measures will also be in place, according to the press release:

• Face coverings will be required and enforced throughout the venue.

• Temperature checks will be administered upon public gate entry.
• There will be spacing between customer groups in the grandstands. In addition, spacing will be enforced throughout the venue.
• Spectator viewing mounds will be closed to the general public throughout the Month of May, with no Race Day General Admission tickets sold.
• Frequent cleaning and sanitation processes will be in place, with hand sanitizer and washing stations readily available.

“Our fans mean everything to us, and we can’t wait to welcome them ‘Back Home Again’ for this year’s Indy 500,” Indianapolis Motor Speedway President J. Douglas Boles said in the release. “The city and state have worked with us to identify the appropriate health and safety precautions so that we can successfully host a limited but very enthusiastic crowd. The health and safety of everyone coming to IMS, along with Central Indiana and the Hoosier State, have been paramount throughout this process.”

Penske Entertainment President and CEO Mark Miles said the number-one thing for fans to do is get vaccinated as quickly as possible.

“We continue to offer vaccinations at IMS and will be extending our mass vaccination clinic throughout the Month of May," Miles said. "This is all part of the effort to continue getting Indiana back on track.”

Additional details will be released later about select vaccination days from May 1-27 at the track.

“The COVID-19 vaccine is the best tool we have to help us return to the activities we love and have missed over the last year, and every day, more members of our community receive the lifesaving protection it offers thanks in part to community partners like Roger Penske and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway," said Dr. Virginia Caine, director and chief medical officer of the Marion County Public Health Department. "Our vaccination rates, combined with the outdoor nature of the event, make it possible for fans to return to these hallowed grounds for the Indy 500 this year. We are grateful to the IMS team for their collaboration throughout this planning process and appreciate their work to ensure vaccines reach our neighbors."

The additional information below about tickets and events was included in the press release:

• Fans who do not currently have Indy 500 tickets and are interested in attending can apply online at ims.com. If additional tickets are available, these fans will be given first opportunity to finalize purchases.

• Tickets for all other on-track days remain available, and the same health precautions for gate entry and grandstand access will be in place.
• With no General Admission access to the infield during the Month of May, the Friday, May 28 Carb Day concert, the Saturday, May 29 Legends Day concert and the Sunday, May 30 Snake Pit concert have all been canceled.
• IMS customers still have the option to roll their 2021 purchase into 2022, receiving an IMS event credit rather than attending this year’s race.
• A fan FAQ with additional details about Month of May and Indy 500 items has been posted to IMS.com/PlanAhead.
• Fans will continue to receive ongoing event information and plan-ahead updates from IMS in the weeks leading into the race.

This story was originally published by Andrew Smith at WRTV.