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. He also competed in stock cars, winning under AAA and USAC sanction.
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."
Racing career
Midget car career
Bettenhausen was part of the midget car "Chicago Gang" with Emil Andres, Cowboy O'Rourke, Paul Russo, Jimmy Snyder, and Wally Zale. 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, Bettenhausen 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.
Bettenhausen won the 1959 Turkey Night Grand Prix, and the Hut Hundred in 1955 and 1956.
Championship car career
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.
Bettenhausen 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 was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery and Arboretum, Section 58, Lot 110,
thumb|Photo of a grave at [[w:Crown Hill Cemetery|Crown Hill Cemetery provided to Wikimedia Commons by Crown Hill Foundation.]]
Personal life and family
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.
Awards and honors
Bettenhausen has been inducted into the following halls of fame:
- Auto Racing Hall of Fame (1968)
- National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame (1985)
- Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (1997)
- National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (2008)
- United States Auto Club (USAC) Hall of Fame (2013)
Motorsports career results
AAA/USAC Championship Car results
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
! Year
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! 12
! 13
! 14
! 15
! Pos
! Points
|-
! rowspan=1| 1946
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY<br><small>20</small>
| LAN<br><small>DNP</small>
| ATL
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| ISF<br><small>5</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL<br><small>9</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| GOS<br><small>1</small>
|colspan=9|
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 14th
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 340
|-
! rowspan=1| 1947
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY<br><small>18</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL<br><small>15</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| LAN<br><small>10</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| ATL<br><small>DNQ</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| BAI<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL<br><small>11</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| GOS<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| MIL<br><small>4</small>
| PIK
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SPR<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ARL<br><small>10</small>
|colspan=4|
!style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 6th
!style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 686.8
|-
! rowspan=1| 1948
| ARL
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY<br><small>14</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL<br><small>15</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| LAN<br><small>15</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| MIL<br><small>6</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| SPR<br><small>6</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL<br><small>20</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| DUQ<br><small>10</small>
| ATL
| PIK
| SPR
| DUQ
|colspan=3|
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 15th
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 324
|-
! rowspan=1| 1949
| ARL
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| INDY<br><small>DNQ</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| MIL<br><small>DNQ</small>
| TRE
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SPR<br><small>18</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL<br><small>15</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| DUQ<br><small>1</small>
| PIK
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| SYR<br><small>9</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| DET<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| SPR<br><small>9</small>
| LAN
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| SAC<br><small>DNQ</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DMR<br><small>16</small>
|colspan=1|
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 12th
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 466
|-
! rowspan=1| 1950
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY<br><small>31</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| MIL<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| LAN<br><small>14</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SPR<br><small>11</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL<br><small>18</small>
| PIK
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| SYR<br><small>12</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DET<br><small>10</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SPR<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SAC<br><small>17</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| PHX<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| BAY<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DAR<br><small>20</small>
|colspan=2|
!style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 5th
!style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 1,027.5
|-
! rowspan=1| 1951
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY<br><small>9</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| MIL<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| LAN<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| DAR<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SPR<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| MIL<br><small>10</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| DUQ<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| DUQ<br><small>1</small>
| PIK
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SYR<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| DET<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| DNC<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SJS<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| PHX<br><small>13</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| BAY<br><small>2</small>
!style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st
!style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 2,556
|-
! rowspan=1| 1952
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY<br><small>24</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| MIL<br><small>DNQ</small>
| RAL
| SPR
| MIL
| DET
| DUQ
| PIK
| SYR
| DNC
| SJS
| PHX
|colspan=3|
! -
! 0
|-
! rowspan=1| 1953
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY<br><small>9</small>
| MIL
| SPR
| DET
| SPR
|style="background:#FFFFFF;"| MIL<br><small>DNS</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| DUQ<br><small>18</small>
| PIK
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SYR<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| ISF<br><small>6</small>
| SAC
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| PHX<br><small>1</small>
|colspan=3|
!style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 10th
!style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 596
|-
! rowspan=1| 1954
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY<br><small>29</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| MIL<br><small>DNQ</small>
| LAN
| DAR
| SPR
| MIL
| DUQ
| PIK
| SYR
| ISF
| SAC
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| PHX<br><small>16</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| LVG<br><small>17</small>
|colspan=2|
! -
! 0
|-
! rowspan=1| 1955
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| INDY<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| MIL<br><small>DNQ</small>
| LAN
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| SPR<br><small>DNQ</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| MIL<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| DUQ<br><small>DNQ</small>
| PIK
|style="background:#DFC484;"| SYR<br><small>Wth</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| ISF<br><small>4</small>
| SAC
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| PHX<br><small>9</small>
|colspan=4|
!style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4th
!style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 1,060
|-
! rowspan=1| 1956
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY<br><small>22</small>
| MIL
| LAN
| DAR
| ATL
|style="background:#FFFFFF;"| SPR<br><small>DNS</small>
|style="background:#FFFFFF;"| MIL<br><small>DNS</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| DUQ<br><small>8</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SYR<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ISF<br><small>18</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SAC<br><small>14</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| PHX<br><small>9</small>
|colspan=3|
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 24th
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 290
|-
! rowspan=1| 1957
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY<br><small>15</small>
| LAN
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| MIL<br><small>DNQ</small>
| DET
| ATL
| SPR
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL<br><small>21</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DUQ<br><small>15</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| SYR<br><small>DNQ</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| ISF<br><small>11</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| TRE<br><small>7</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SAC<br><small>18</small>
| PHX
|colspan=2|
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 29th
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 80
|-
! rowspan=1| 1958
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| TRE<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| INDY<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| MIL<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| LAN<br><small>5</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ATL<br><small>18</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SPR<br><small>12</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL<br><small>25</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| DUQ<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| SYR<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| ISF<br><small>5</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| TRE<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SAC<br><small>5</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| PHX<br><small>2</small>
|colspan=2|
!style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st
!style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1,830
|-
! rowspan=1| 1959
|style="background:#efcfff;| DAY<br><small>18</small>
|style="background:#ffffbf;| TRE<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#dfffdf;| INDY<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#efcfff;| MIL<br><small>17</small>
|style="background:#efcfff;| LAN<br><small>17</small>
|style="background:#efcfff;| SPR<br><small>17</small>
|style="background:#efcfff;| MIL<br><small>16</small>
|style="background:#ffdf9f;| DUQ<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#cfeaff;| SYR<br><small>6</small>
|style="background:#efcfff;| ISF<br><small>15</small>
|style="background:#dfdfdf;| TRE<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#ffffbf;| SAC<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#efcfff;| PHX<br><small>8</small>
|colspan=2|
!style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2nd
!style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 1,430
|-
! 1960
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| TRE<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY<br><small>23</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| MIL<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| LAN<br><small>DNQ</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SPR<br><small>15</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL<br><small>14</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| DUQ<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| SYR<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| ISF<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| TRE<br><small>6</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SAC<br><small>5</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| PHX<br><small>16</small>
|colspan=3|
!style="background:#dfffdf;| 5th
!style="background:#dfffdf;| 940
|-
! 1961
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| TRE<br><small>19</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| INDY<br><small>DNQ</small>
| MIL
| LAN
| MIL
| SPR
| DUQ
| SYR
| ISF
| TRE
| SAC
| PHX
|colspan=3|
! -
! 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.
Indianapolis 500 results
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Year
!Car
!Start
!Qual
!Rank
!Finish
!Laps
!Led
!Retired
|-
!1946
|42
|26
|123.094
|13
|20
|47
|0
|Rod
|-
!1947
|29
|25
|120.980
|17
|18
|79
|0
|Timing gear
|-
!1948
|6
|22
|126.396
|10
|14
|167
|0
|Clutch
|-
!1950
|14
|8
|130.947
|16
|31
|30
|0
|Wheel bearing
|-
!1951
|5
|9
|131.950
|30
|9
|178
|0
|Spun T4
|-
!1952
|27
|30
|135.384
|17
|24
|93
|0
|Stalled
|-
!1953
|98
|6
|136.024
|20
|9
|196
|0
|Crash T3
|-
!1954
|10
|21
|138.275
|19
|29
|105
|0
|Bearing
|-
!1955
|10
|2
|139.985
|13
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| 2nd
|200
|0
|Running
|-
!1956
|99
|5
|144.602
|5
|22
|160
|0
|Crash T1
|-
!1957
|27
|22
|142.439
|9
|15
|195
|0
|Flagged
|-
!1958
|33
|9
|143.919
|10
|4
|200
|24
|Running
|-
!1959
|1
|15
|142.721
|18
|4
|200
|0
|Running
|-
!1960
|2
|18
|145.214
|9
|23
|125
|0
|Rod
|-
|colspan=6|Totals
|1975
|24
|
|}
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Starts
|14
|-
!Poles
|0
|-
!Front Row
|1
|-
!Wins
|0
|-
!Top 5
|3
|-
!Top 10
|5
|-
!Retired
|10
|}
FIA World Drivers' Championship results
(key) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
! 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<br>
| MON<br>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 500<br>
| SUI<br />
| BEL<br>
| FRA<br>
| ITA<br />
|
|
|
|
! 21st =
! 1
|-
| 1951
! Mobiloil / Rotary Engineering
! Diedt Tuffanelli Derrico
! Offenhauser L4
| SUI<br />
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 500<br>
| BEL<br>
| FRA<br>
| GBR<br>
| GER<br />
| ITA<br />
| ESP<br>
|
|
|
! NC
! 0
|-
| 1952
! Blue Crown Spark Plug / Earl Slick
! Diedt Tuffanelli Derrico
! Offenhauser L4
| SUI<br />
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 500<br>
| BEL<br>
| FRA<br>
| GBR<br>
| GER<br />
| NED<br>
| ITA<br />
|
|
|
! NC
! 0
|-
| 1953
! J.C. Agajanian
! Kuzma
! Offenhauser L4
| ARG<br />
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 500<br>
| NED<br>
| BEL<br>
| FRA<br>
| GBR<br>
| GER<br />
| SUI<br />
| ITA<br />
|
|
! NC
! 0
|-
| 1954
! Automobile Shippers / Casaroll
! Kurtis Kraft 4000
! Offenhauser L4
| ARG<br />
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 500<br>
| BEL<br>
| FRA<br>
| GBR<br>
| GER<br />
| SUI<br />
| ITA<br />
| ESP<br>
|
|
! NC
! 0
|-
| 1955
! H.A. Chapman
! Kurtis Kraft 500C
! Offenhauser L4
| ARG<br />
| MON<br>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 500<br>
| BEL<br>
| NED<br>
| GBR<br>
| ITA<br />
|
|
|
|
! 13th =
! 3
|-
| 1956
! Belanger Motors
! Kurtis Kraft 500C
! Offenhauser L4
| ARG<br />
| MON<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 500<br>
| BEL<br>
| FRA<br>
| GBR<br>
| GER<br>
| ITA<br />
|
|
|
! NC
! 0
|-
| 1957
! Novi Racing
! Kurtis Kraft 500F
! Novi V8
| ARG<br />
| MON<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 500<br>
| FRA<br>
| GBR<br>
| GER<br>
| PES<br>
| ITA<br />
|
|
|
! NC
! 0
|-
| 1958
! Jones & Maley Cars
! Epperly Indy Roadster
! Offenhauser L4
| ARG<br />
| MON<br>
| NED<br />
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 500<br>
| BEL<br>
| FRA<br>
| GBR<br>
| GER<br>
| POR<br>
| ITA<br />
| MOR<br>
! 17th
! 4
|-
| 1959
! Hoover Motor Express
! Epperly Indy Roadster
! Offenhauser L4
| MON<br />
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 500<br />
| NED<br />
| FRA<br />
| GBR<br />
| GER<br />
| POR<br />
| ITA<br />
| USA<br />
|
|
! 16th
! 3
|-
| 1960
! Lindsey Hopkins
! Watson Indy Roadster
! Offenhauser L4
| ARG<br />
| MON<br />
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 500<br />
| NED<br />
| BEL<br>
| FRA<br />
| GBR<br />
| POR<br />
| ITA<br />
| USA<br />
|
! NC
! 0
|}
: <nowiki>†</nowiki> Indicates shared drive with Joie Chitwood after retiring his own car.
: <nowiki>*</nowiki> Indicates shared drive with Chuck Stevenson and Gene Hartley.
: <nowiki>‡</nowiki> Indicates shared drive with Duane Carter, Marshall Teague and Jimmy Jackson after retiring his own car.
: <nowiki>џ</nowiki> Indicates shared drive with Paul Russo.
Notes
References
External links
- Tony Bettenhausen - ChampCarStats.com
- Tony Bettenhausen - Motorsport Memorial