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Tony Bettenhausen

Melvin Eugene "Tony" Bettenhausen (September 12, 1916 – May 12, 1961) was an American racing driver known primarily for his open-wheel career. He twice won the National Championship, doing so in 1951 and 1958.[1] He also competed in stock cars, winning under AAA and USAC sanction.

Tony Bettenhausen
Bettenhausen, circa 1951
BornMelvin Eugene Bettenhausen
(1916-09-12)September 12, 1916
Tinley Park, Illinois, U.S.
DiedMay 12, 1961(1961-05-12) (aged 44)
Speedway, Indiana, U.S.
Championship titles
AAA / USAC Championship Car (1951, 1958)
Champ Car career
118 races run over 17 years
Best finish1st (1951, 1958)
First race1941 Milwaukee 100 (Milwaukee)
Last race1961 Trenton 100 (Trenton)
First win1946 George Robson Memorial (Goshen)
Last win1959 Bobby Ball Memorial (Phoenix)
Wins Podiums Poles
22 40 13
Formula One World Championship career
Active years1950–1960
TeamsKurtis Kraft, Diedt, Kuzma, Epperly, Watson
Entries11
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums1
Career points11
Pole positions0
Fastest laps1
First entry1950 Indianapolis 500
Last entry1960 Indianapolis 500

Bettenhausen was nicknamed the "Tinley Park Express" in honor of his hometown.[2] He was nicknamed "Tunney" after heavyweight boxing champion Gene Tunney. "Tunney" later became "Tony."[3]

Racing career

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Midget car career

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Bettenhausen was part of the midget car "Chicago Gang" with Emil Andres, Cowboy O'Rourke, Paul Russo, Jimmy Snyder, and Wally Zale.[4] These racers toured tracks in the Midwest and East Coast of the United States.

Bettenhausen won the track championship at the Milwaukee Mile in 1942, 1946, and 1947. He was the Chicago Raceway Park champion in 1941, 1942, and 1947.

In October 1950, he was involved in a race in Sacramento, California, when his car locked wheels with another racer's car, causing a crash through the guard rail, resulting in fatal injuries to spectator Peter Bernard Stuberak, and injuries to two other spectators.[5]

Bettenhausen won the 1959 Turkey Night Grand Prix, and the Hut Hundred in 1955 and 1956.

Championship car career

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Bettenhausen drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1941 and 1946-1961 seasons with 121 starts, including 14 in the Indianapolis 500. He finished in the top ten 74 times, with 21 victories.

He won the National Championship in 1951 after recording eight victories and two second-place finishes in fourteen events. He announced his retirement from all racing but the Indianapolis 500 after the season.[3] He decided to return full-time for the 1954 season. He was involved in a midget car wreck in Chicago, suffering head injuries after striking a concrete wall. He was in critical condition for several days.[3]

He prearranged to co-drive with Chicago Gang friend Paul Russo in the 1955 Indianapolis 500. They finished second.[4]

In 1958, Bettenhausen became the first driver to claim the National Championship without a win.[3] He was assured the title with a second-place finish at Phoenix. He finished second in the national championship to Rodger Ward in 1959.

World Drivers' Championship career

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The AAA/USAC-sanctioned Indianapolis 500 was included in the FIA World Drivers' Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indianapolis during those years were credited with World Drivers' Championship participation, and were eligible to score WDC points alongside those which they may have scored towards the AAA/USAC National Championship.

Bettenhausen participated in all 11 World Drivers' Championship races held at Indianapolis. He finished in the top three once, and set one fastest leader lap.[1] He scored 11 World Drivers' Championship points.

Death

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Bettenhausen was killed in a May 12, 1961 crash at Indianapolis while testing a Stearly Motor Freight Special vehicle for Paul Russo. The car smashed into the outside wall of the track and then rolled 325 feet (99 m) along the barrier. The car came to rest in a grassy plot between the wall and Grandstand A, with the tail of the car on fire. Results showed the accident was caused by an anchor bolt which fell off the front radius rod support, allowing the front axle to twist and misalign the front wheels when the brakes were applied, which drove the car into the wall. Bettenhausen died instantly.[6]

Personal life and family

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Bettenhausen was the father of Gary Bettenhausen, Tony Bettenhausen Jr. and Merle Bettenhausen. Gary Bettenhausen and Tony Bettenhausen Jr. both raced in the Indianapolis 500 numerous times. Merle Bettenhausen is his sole surviving son as of 2021.

Awards and honors

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Bettenhausen has been inducted into the following halls of fame:

Motorsports career results

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AAA/USAC Championship Car results

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Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pos Points
1946 INDY
20 		LAN
DNP 		ATL ISF
5 		MIL
9 		GOS
1 		14th 340
1947 INDY
18 		MIL
15 		LAN
10 		ATL
DNQ 		BAI
4 		MIL
11 		GOS
1 		MIL
4 		PIK SPR
1 		ARL
10 		6th 686.8
1948 ARL INDY
14 		MIL
15 		LAN
15 		MIL
6 		SPR
6 		MIL
20 		DUQ
10 		ATL PIK SPR DUQ 15th 324
1949 ARL INDY
DNQ 		MIL
DNQ 		TRE SPR
18 		MIL
15 		DUQ
1 		PIK SYR
9 		DET
1 		SPR
9 		LAN SAC
DNQ 		DMR
16 		12th 466
1950 INDY
31 		MIL
1 		LAN
14 		SPR
11 		MIL
18 		PIK SYR
12 		DET
10 		SPR
1 		SAC
17 		PHX
2 		BAY
1 		DAR
20 		5th 1,027.5
1951 INDY
9 		MIL
1 		LAN
1 		DAR
2 		SPR
1 		MIL
10 		DUQ
1 		DUQ
1 		PIK SYR
1 		DET
4 		DNC
1 		SJS
1 		PHX
13 		BAY
2 		1st 2,556
1952 INDY
24 		MIL
DNQ 		RAL SPR MIL DET DUQ PIK SYR DNC SJS PHX - 0
1953 INDY
9 		MIL SPR DET SPR MIL
DNS 		DUQ
18 		PIK SYR
1 		ISF
6 		SAC PHX
1 		10th 596
1954 INDY
29 		MIL
DNQ 		LAN DAR SPR MIL DUQ PIK SYR ISF SAC PHX
16 		LVG
17 		- 0
1955 INDY
2 		MIL
DNQ 		LAN SPR
DNQ 		MIL
2 		DUQ
DNQ 		PIK SYR
Wth 		ISF
4 		SAC PHX
9 		4th 1,060
1956 INDY
22 		MIL LAN DAR ATL SPR
DNS 		MIL
DNS 		DUQ
8 		SYR
1 		ISF
18 		SAC
14 		PHX
9 		24th 290
1957 INDY
15 		LAN MIL
DNQ 		DET ATL SPR MIL
21 		DUQ
15 		SYR
DNQ 		ISF
11 		TRE
7 		SAC
18 		PHX 29th 80
1958 TRE
2 		INDY
4 		MIL
2 		LAN
5 		ATL
18 		SPR
12 		MIL
25 		DUQ
2 		SYR
3 		ISF
5 		TRE
3 		SAC
5 		PHX
2 		1st 1,830
1959 DAY
18 		TRE
1 		INDY
4 		MIL
17 		LAN
17 		SPR
17 		MIL
16 		DUQ
3 		SYR
6 		ISF
15 		TRE
2 		SAC
1 		PHX
8 		2nd 1,430
1960 TRE
2 		INDY
23 		MIL
4 		LAN
DNQ 		SPR
15 		MIL
14 		DUQ
2 		SYR
2 		ISF
2 		TRE
6 		SAC
5 		PHX
16 		5th 940
1961 TRE
19 		INDY
DNQ 		MIL LAN MIL SPR DUQ SYR ISF TRE SAC PHX - 0
  • 1946 table only includes results of the six races run to "championship car" specifications. Points total includes the 71 races run to "big car" specifications.[12][13]

Indianapolis 500 results

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FIA World Drivers' Championship results

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(key) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 WDC Points
1950 Blue Crown Spark Plug / Moore Kurtis Kraft 2000 Offenhauser L4 GBR
 MON
 500
5 † 		SUI
 BEL
 FRA
 ITA
 21st = 1
1951 Mobiloil / Rotary Engineering Diedt Tuffanelli Derrico Offenhauser L4 SUI
 500
9 		BEL
 FRA
 GBR
 GER
 ITA
 ESP
 NC 0
1952 Blue Crown Spark Plug / Earl Slick Diedt Tuffanelli Derrico Offenhauser L4 SUI
 500
24 		BEL
 FRA
 GBR
 GER
 NED
 ITA
 NC 0
1953 J.C. Agajanian Kuzma Offenhauser L4 ARG
 500
9 * 		NED
 BEL
 FRA
 GBR
 GER
 SUI
 ITA
 NC 0
1954 Automobile Shippers / Casaroll Kurtis Kraft 4000 Offenhauser L4 ARG
 500
15 ‡ 		BEL
 FRA
 GBR
 GER
 SUI
 ITA
 ESP
 NC 0
1955 H.A. Chapman Kurtis Kraft 500C Offenhauser L4 ARG
 MON
 500
2 џ 		BEL
 NED
 GBR
 ITA
 13th = 3
1956 Belanger Motors Kurtis Kraft 500C Offenhauser L4 ARG
 MON
 500
22 		BEL
 FRA
 GBR
 GER
 ITA
 NC 0
1957 Novi Racing Kurtis Kraft 500F Novi V8 ARG
 MON
 500
15 		FRA
 GBR
 GER
 PES
 ITA
 NC 0
1958 Jones & Maley Cars Epperly Indy Roadster Offenhauser L4 ARG
 MON
 NED
 500
4 		BEL
 FRA
 GBR
 GER
 POR
 ITA
 MOR
 17th 4
1959 Hoover Motor Express Epperly Indy Roadster Offenhauser L4 MON
 500
4 		NED
 FRA
 GBR
 GER
 POR
 ITA
 USA
 16th 3
1960 Lindsey Hopkins Watson Indy Roadster Offenhauser L4 ARG
 MON
 500
23 		NED
 BEL
 FRA
 GBR
 POR
 ITA
 USA
 NC 0
† Indicates shared drive with Joie Chitwood after retiring his own car.
* Indicates shared drive with Chuck Stevenson and Gene Hartley.
‡ Indicates shared drive with Duane Carter, Marshall Teague and Jimmy Jackson after retiring his own car.
џ Indicates shared drive with Paul Russo.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Tony Bettenhausen". www.champcarstats.com. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  2. ^ a b "Biography at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d "Tony Bettenhausen biography at the International Motorsport Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on 1 May 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Biography for Paul Russo at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on 6 February 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  5. ^ Spectator Dies from Injuries at Auto Race Track (San Bernardino County Sun, Oct.17, 1950)
  6. ^ "Indy 500 Deadly Accidents, Tony Bettenhausen Sr". Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  7. ^ "Tony Bettenhausen". IMS Museum. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  8. ^ "Tony Bettenhausen". International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  9. ^ "Tony Bettenhausen". www.mshf.com. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  10. ^ "Tony Bettenhausen". www.sprintcarhof.com. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  11. ^ "TONY BETTENHAUSEN - USAC HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2013 - USAC Racing". www.usacracing.com. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  12. ^ "1946 AAA National Championship Trail". www.champcarstats.com. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  13. ^ Capps, H. Donald (October 2009). "The Curious Case of the 1946 Season: An Inconvenient Championship" (PDF). Rear View Mirror. 7 (2): 1–16.
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