Gary Bettenhausen, oldest of the three racing sons of two-time Indycar National Champion Tony Bettenhausen, has died at the age of 72. Although a two-time USAC Sprint Car champion, a two-time USAC Champ Dirt Car titlist and a double winner of the famed Turkey Night Midget Grand Pri—Gary, like his father, never managed to win the cherished Indy 500.
He came very close in 1972, leading 138 laps in one of Roger Penske’s McLaren-Offy entries before being knocked out of the lead by ignition failure with but 18 laps to run. Teammate Mark Donohue went on to win that day. Bettenhausen would lose the Penske ride two years later when, after ignoring Penske’s pleas to quit racing on the dirt, he badly injured his right arm in a violent crash on the fairgrounds mile at Syracuse, N.Y.
His best finish from 21 races at Indianapolis was 3rd in 1980 when he started next to last in the 33-car field. He was Indy’s fastest qualifier in 1991, and did win four other Indycar races during his career, but never the one he wanted most. He also raced stock cars with both USAC and NASCAR. He was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1993, and the National Midget Racing Hall of Fame in 1998.
Bettenhausen is survived by his wife of 50 years, Wavelyn, and his brother Merle, to whom Vintage Racecar extends its sincerest condolences.
