Gary bettenhausen get caught up the accident when he ran into andrettis. Driver gary bettenhausen slammed on his brakes, leapt from his stillmoving car and raced to help an injured competitor. The two men killed were identified as russ roberts, a partner in bettenhausen s racing team, and larry rangel, an. The eldest son of tony bettenhausen, gary was born to be a race driver coming into the world on november 18, 1941. Gary bettenhausen made 21 indianapolis 500 starts between 1968 and 1993, with a best result of third in 1980.
His brother, tony, is a former indycar driver and team owner. Nicknamed the tinley park express in honor of his hometown, he was a premier world class driver of midget cars and formula one cars. Team penske news throwback thursday gary bettenhausen. In the 1972 race, driving an eagleoffenhauser customized by the all american racers, grant took the lead when gary bettenhausen had to leave the race. A number of successful drivers passed through bettenhausens alumax car. He was a member of a racing family consisting of father melvin tony bettenhausen, and brothers tony jr.
Born into a racing family, gary was one of three sons sired by indy 500 and sprint car racer tony. Driver gary bettenhausen career statistics racingreference. A wheel came off the right rear of jeff andretti car causing him spin 360 degrees hitting the wall violently headon. As it was, gary bettenhausen, who died suddenly sunday evening at the age of 72, made himself a winning race driver, a champion and a.
Bettenhausen was a member of a famous racing family and a veteran of openwheel competition who drove in 21 indianapolis. He was born in blue island, illinois, raised in tinley park, illinois, graduated in the class of 1962 from bremen high school midlothian, illinois in midlothian, illinois and at the time of his death resided in monrovia, indiana. Driver gary bettenhausen 1968 usac champ car series. Contentsshow racing family his father was indianapolis 500 and sprint car legend tony bettenhausen, and his brother was former champ car team owner tony bettenhausen jr. As did his famous father tony who was killed during practice laps at indy in 1961, gary earned his stripes, first in the midget dirt racing ranks, moving into sprint cars, and finally to indy cars. Gary bettenhausen 72, of monrovia, passed away peacefully at home on. Gary bettenhausen stock car racing wiki fandom powered by. A prosthesis extends from merles right sleeve, replacing the arm he left at michigan international speedway in his first indy car race. The two men killed were identified as russ roberts, a partner in bettenhausens racing team, and larry rangel, an.
Get the latest race results driver gary bettenhausen on. No other race driver in any time or sphere had so many day of days as sir stirling craufurd moss, who died on sunday at the age view comments. It was after that injury that the schmuck he kinda liked that nickname really became a hero to a lot of us. Indy 500 veteran gary bettenhausen dead at 72 youtube. Mar 17, 2014 as it was, gary bettenhausen, who died suddenly sunday evening at the age of 72, made himself a winning race driver, a champion and a pillar of perseverance.
He nearly won the race 1972, leading 8 laps before suffering a late race mechanical failure. Gary bettenhausen was the perfect definition of a race car driver of his time, said president douglas j. Bettenhausen was son of tony bettenhausen, a 14time 500 starter whose best finish was second in 1955, and brother of the late tony bettenhausen. Gary bettenhausen 72, of monrovia, passed away peacefully at home on march 16, 2014. Click on the site to see gary bettenhausens career results at that track glossary. Above kidding around with aj foyt and larry dickson, with whom gary dominated usac sprint cars from 68 through 71. Gary bettenhausen remembered by robin miller racer.
Gary bettenhausen, a legend of the terre haute action track, has died at age 72. Get the latest race results, news, videos, pictures, win record and more for gary bettenhausen on. Janet guthrie was the first woman to qualify and compete in the indianapolis 500. Mar 19, 2014 gary bettenhausen 72, of monrovia, passed away peacefully at home on march 16, 2014. Gary bettenhausen bio, facts, family famous birthdays. As it was, gary bettenhausen, who died suddenly sunday evening at the age of 72, made himself a winning race driver, a champion and a pillar of perseverance. Robin millers toughest drivers series gary bettenhausen indycar. Rex mays 300 usac champ car series riverside international raceway riverside, california december 1, 1968. Gary bettenhausen, the son of indianapolis 500 and sprint car legend tony bettenhausen, made 27 indycar starts and five nascar starts for team penske from 19721974. Bettenhausen was a member of a famous racing family and a veteran of openwheel competition who drove in 21 indianapolis 500s between 1968 and 1993. Gary bettenhausen stats, race results, wins, news, record. He was inducted into the national sprint car hall of fame in 1993.
Click on the site to see gary bettenhausens career results at that track. Car owner lindsey hopkins, left, and driver gary bettenhausen share a moment after bettenhausen qualified for the indianapolis 500 mile race with. Click on the year to see the standings for that year. May 25, 2009 a wheel came off the right rear of jeff andretti car causing him spin 360 degrees hitting the wall violently headon. Mar 17, 2014 car owner lindsey hopkins, left, and driver gary bettenhausen share a moment after bettenhausen qualified for the indianapolis 500 mile race with a speed of 190.
Tony was happy that gary soon was going to make him a grandpa. Gary bettenhausen finished 10th at indy, but was the big winner. Melvin eugene tony bettenhausen september 12, 1916 may 12, 1961 was an american racing driver, who won the national championship in 1951 and 1958 bettenhausen was nicknamed the tinley park express in honor of his hometown. Mar 16, 2014 gary bettenhausen was the perfect definition of a race car driver of his time, said president douglas j. Feb 15, 2000 gary bettenhausen, the oldest of the brothers, made his indy car debut at phoenix in 1966 and made the first of 21 starts at the indy 500 in 1968. Mar 17, 2014 gary bettenhausen was the perfect definition of a race car driver of his time, indianapolis motor speedway president j. In formula one cars he was national racing champion in 1951 and. October 30, 1951 february 14, 2000 was a champ car team owner and driver who died in a 2000 plane crash. Indy 500 great gary bettenhausen died the indianapolis star.
The daytona originally had a aluminum front spoiler. The versatile race car driver competed on an array of tracks, from the indianapolis motor speedway to dirt tracks. View latest articles, news and information about what happened to gary bettenhausen, american race car driver, that died on sunday march 16th 2014at age 72. Gary bettenhausen gary clyde bettenhausen birthplace. Gary will best be remembered by indianapolis motor speedway fans for the manner in which he carried the bettenhausen familys passion for. Gary bettenhausen obituary il the indianapolis star. Tony lee bettenhausen, 48, part of auto racing family. Top amazingly, bettenhausen passed his indy rookie test driving a dirt car in 1968. Mar 16, 2014 bettenhausen was son of tony bettenhausen, a 14time 500 starter whose best finish was second in 1955, and brother of the late tony bettenhausen jr. View career statistics for gary bettenhausen tweet. Besides racing tony bettenhausen loved his family and his 60acre farm in tinley park il.
Gary bettenhausen, the oldest of the brothers, made his indy car debut at phoenix in 1966 and made the first of 21 starts at the indy 500 in 1968. Shirley bettenhausen was the daughter of longtime indy car driver jim mcelreath. Click on the number of races to see individual races for that year. The bettenhausen name is synonymous with openwheel racing in america. Gary bettenhausen obituary gary bettenhausen funeral. Gary bettenhausen race results in the nascar winston cup series. New book recalls legacy of the racing bettenhausen family. He was nicknamed tunney after heavyweight boxing champion gene tunney. Between them, gary and merle bettenhausen have two good arms. Mar 17, 2014 gary is the son of tony bettenhausen, a popular frontrunner in the 1950s who started in the indy 500 a total of 14 times. Nascar former driver gary bettenhausen born november 18, 1941 is a retired american auto racing driver.
Indianapolis ap officials with the indianapolis motor speedway say race car driver gary bettenhausen has died. Born in chicago, il, he was the eldest son of melvin tony bettenhausen and. In his comeback in a midget race at fort waynes coliseum in the winter of. He lost the use of his left arm and ride with roger penske in the same 1974 accident but gary bettenhausen epitomized toughness and he came back from those setbacks to stay competitive for the.
Gary bettenhausen was the perfect definition of a race car driver of his time, indianapolis motor speedway president j. Gary bettenhausen the indiana racing legend home facebook. Sep 20, 2016 the majority of the family members grew up on a 240acre farm that included having a dirt racetrack carved out of it for the bettenhausens including father tony and sons tony jr. Gary bettenhausen, the eldest son of the famous american motor racing dynasty, has died aged 72.
He went on to win two sprint car and two usac silver crown championships. Indianapolis 500 veteran gary bettenhausen passes away at 72. Bettenhausen is a member of the national midget auto racing hall of fame, international motorsports hall of fame and motorsports hall of fame of america. The race is remembered historically as a moment of firsts for the event. Indianapolis 500 veteran gary bettenhausen passes away at. Gary bettenhausen stock car racing wiki fandom powered. Melvin eugene tony bettenhausen september 12, 1916 may 12, 1961 was an american racing driver, who won the national championship in 1951 and 1958. Robin millers toughest drivers series gary bettenhausen. I didnt always agree with everything he did, but i never doubted he could do it, said merle bettenhausen of his older brother.
Race car driver gary bettenhausen, who died sunday, could have been an indy car legend, but he preferred driving anything and everything. The bettenhausen foundation october 24, 2019 todd and cary stand proudly with their dad, gary, in the pit lane at indianapolis on may 12, 1991, after he turned in the fastest qualifying run of the month. Mar 17, 2014 indianapolis ap officials with the indianapolis motor speedway say race car driver gary bettenhausen has died. Gary bettenhausen, who auto racing legend mario andretti said was all that we loved about the people who did our business but who paid a. He raced successfully in many types of cars, on every type of track, and he.
Gary bettenhausen race results and driver statistics for. Gary bettenhausen was the perfect definition of a race car driver of his time. Tony lee bettenhausen, 48, part of auto racing family the. Gary bettenhausen racing career profile driver database. Tony bettenhausen, sr 19161961 find a grave memorial. He was born in blue island, illinois, raised in tinley park, illinois. The majority of the family members grew up on a 240acre farm that included having a dirt racetrack carved out of it for the bettenhausens including father tony and sons tony jr. Gary bettenhausen finished 10th at indy, but was the big. Gary bettenhausen american race car driver dead at age 72. Bettenhausen was nicknamed the tinley park express in honor of his hometown. As did his famous father tony who was killed during practice laps at indy in 1961, gary earned his stripes, first in the midget dirt racing ranks. Indy 500 great gary bettenhausen died indianapolis star.
Bettenhausen was a member of a famous racing family and a veteran of. Gary bettenhausen november 18, 1941 march 16, 2014 was an american auto racing driver. Racing career midgets he began as a midget car driver. Indianapolis 500 veteran gary bettenhausen has died at the age of 72, indianapolis motor speedway officials confirmed. Gary is the son of tony bettenhausen, a popular frontrunner in the 1950s who started in the indy 500 a total of 14 times.