Tony Bettenhausen


Melvin Eugene "Tony" Bettenhausen 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. He was nicknamed "Tunney" after heavyweight boxing champion Gene Tunney. "Tunney" later became "Tony."
Bettenhausen was part of the midget car "Chicago Gang" with Emil Andres, Cowboy O'Rourke, Paul Russo, Jimmy Snyder, and Wally Zale. They toured tracks in the Midwest and East Coast of the United States.

Racing career

Midget cars

He 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 racers car causing a crash through the guard rail, resulting in fatal injuries to spectator Peter Bernard Stuberak, and injuries to two other spectators.
He won the 1959 Turkey Night Grand Prix, and the Hut Hundred in 1955 and 1956.

Indy cars

He 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.
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.
He prearranged to co-drive with Chicago Gang friend Paul Russo in the 1955 Indianapolis 500. They finished second.
In 1958 he became the first driver to win the national championship without a win. He was assured the title with a second-place finish at Phoenix. He finished second in the national championship to Rodger Ward in 1959.

Death

Bettenhausen was killed in 1961 in a 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 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.

Complete AAA/USAC Championship Car results

Indianapolis 500 results

Starts14
Poles0
Front Row1
Wins0
Top 53
Top 105
Retired10

Complete Formula One World Championship results

YearEntrantChassisEngine1234567891011WDCPoints
1950Blue Crown Spark Plug / MooreKurtis Kraft 2000Offenhauser L4GBR
MON
500
5 †		SUI
BEL
FRA
ITA
21st =1
1951Mobiloil / Rotary EngineeringDeidt Tuffanelli DerricoOffenhauser L4SUI
500
9		BEL
FRA
GBR
GER
ITA
ESP
NC0
1952Blue Crown Spark Plug / Earl SlickDeidt Tuffanelli DerricoOffenhauser L4SUI
500
24		BEL
FRA
GBR
GER
NED
ITA
NC0
1953J.C. AgajanianKuzmaOffenhauser L4ARG
500
9 *		NED
BEL
FRA
GBR
GER
SUI
ITA
NC0
1954Automobile Shippers / CasarollKurtis Kraft 4000Offenhauser L4ARG
500
15 ‡		BEL
FRA
GBR
GER
SUI
ITA
ESP
NC0
1955H.A. ChapmanKurtis Kraft 500COffenhauser L4ARG
MON
500
2 џ		BEL
NED
GBR
ITA
13th =3
1956Belanger MotorsKurtis Kraft 500COffenhauser L4ARG
MON
500
22		BEL
FRA
GBR
GER
ITA
NC0
1957Novi RacingKurtis Kraft 500FNovi V8ARG
MON
500
15		FRA
GBR
GER
PES
ITA
NC0
1958Jones & Maley CarsEpperly Indy RoadsterOffenhauser L4ARG
MON
NED
500
4		BEL
FRA
GBR
GER
POR
ITA
MOR
17th4
1959Hoover Motor ExpressEpperly Indy RoadsterOffenhauser L4MON
500
4		NED
FRA
GBR
GER
POR
ITA
USA
16th3
1960Lindsey HopkinsWatson Indy RoadsterOffenhauser L4ARG
MON
500
23		NED
BEL
FRA
GBR
POR
ITA
USA
NC0

Racing family

Bettenhausen was the father of Gary Bettenhausen, Tony Bettenhausen, Jr. and Merle Bettenhausen.

Awards