# Tony Bettenhausen Jr.

Tony Lee Bettenhausen Jr. (October 30, 1951 – February 14, 2000) was a Champ Car team owner and driver who died in a 2000 plane crash. He was the son of former 14-time Indianapolis 500 competitor Tony Bettenhausen and the brother of 21-time Indy 500 racer Gary Bettenhausen. Another brother, Merle Bettenhausen, was critically injured in his only Indy Car start.

## Career

As a driver, he started 11 Indianapolis 500 races, scoring a best finish of 7th his rookie year in the 1981 race. He took his trademark No. 16 into team ownership in 1985, initially using March and Lola chassis, then purchasing year-old Penske chassis and then entering and qualifying two new Penskes for the 1993 race. One, number 76, was driven by himself, the other by former Formula One driver Stefan Johansson. A number of successful drivers passed through Bettenhausen's Alumax car, including Johansson for the first few years as well as four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Hélio Castroneves and former IndyCar rookie of the year Patrick Carpentier.
Bettenhausen also competed in 33 NASCAR Winston Cup Series events in his career, most coming in 1974 when he scored a career best 7th-place effort at Richmond International Raceway.
A difficult 1999 plagued by a lack of sponsorship and a series of pay-drivers saw the team take on a new look in 2000 with the hiring of Michel Jourdain Jr. and his Herdez sponsorship.
The family holds the dubious distinction of the most combined starts in the famous race without a victory.

## Death

Bettenhausen died in a light plane crash en route from Homestead, Florida to Indianapolis, Indiana that went down in Harrison County, Kentucky. Bettenhausen's wife Shirley, the daughter of former Indianapolis racing star Jim McElreath, as well as business associates Russ Roberts and Larry Rangel were also killed. His legacy of the team lived on under the ownership of former Pacific Racing F1 team owner Keith Wiggins and was renamed Herdez Competition in 2001, with the No. 16 replaced by Herdez's preference for the No. 55 early in 2002. The team has subsequently gone through further changes in ownership, was once Paul Stoddart's Minardi Team USA, and became Wiggins' HVM Racing competing in the IndyCar Series until the end of the 2012 season. On 11 November, 2015 the team was listed as up for auction officially listing the team as defunct.
He is buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis.

## Motorsports career results
### NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

#### Winston Cup Series

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | NWCC | Pts | Ref |
| 1973 | Buster Davis | 84 | Dodge | RSD | DAY | RCH | CAR | BRI | ATL 40 | NWS | DAR | MAR | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 54th | - | |
| 1973 | Gordon Van Liew | 38 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | TAL 30 | NSV | CLT | DOV | TWS 23 | RSD | MCH 32 | DAY | BRI | ATL | TAL | NSV | DAR | RCH | DOV | NWS | MAR | CLT | CAR 16 | | | | 54th | - |
| 1974 | Gordon Van Liew | 9 | Chevy | RSD 17 | DAY 33 | RCH 12 | CAR 19 | BRI 29 | ATL | DAR 18 | NWS 14 | MAR 29 | TAL 30 | NSV 23 | DOV 34 | CLT 21 | RSD 31 | MCH 36 | | BRI 26 | NSV 11 | ATL 24 | POC 27 | TAL 32 | MCH 25 | DAR 11 | RCH 7 | DOV 15 | NWS 25 | MAR 14 | CLT | | | 20th | 601.69 | |
| 1974 | Langley Racing | 64 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DAY 14 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 20th | 601.69 |
| 1974 | Ulrich Racing | 40 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CAR 20 | ONT | 20th | 601.69 | |
| 1982 | Gordon Racing | 24 | Buick | DAY | RCH | BRI | ATL | CAR | DAR | NWS | MAR | TAL | NSV | DOV | CLT | POC | RSD | MCH | DAY | NSV | POC | TAL | MCH 24 | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | NWS | CLT | MAR | CAR | ATL | RSD | NA | 0 | |

##### Daytona 500

| Year | Team | Manufacturer | Start | Finish |
| 1974 | Gordon Van Liew | Chevrolet | 26 | 33 |

### American Open-Wheel racing results
#### USAC Championship Car

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Rank | Points |
| 1979 | Gilmore Racing | ONT | TWS 9 | INDY | MIL 9 | POC 13 | TWS 13 | MIL 15 | 17th | 185 |

#### PPG Indycar Series

PPG Indycar Series results :
| Year | Team | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Pos. | Pts | Ref |
| 1980 | Medlin Racing | Eagle | Offenhauser t | ONT | INDY DNQ | MIL DNQ | POC 32 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 63rd | 5 | |
| 1980 | Agajanian Grant King Racers | Kingfish 73 | Chevrolet V8 | | | | | MDO DNQ | MCH | WGL DNS | MIL | ONT | MCH | MEX | PHX | | | | | | | | | | 63rd | 5 |
| 1981 | Bettenhausen Racing | McLaren | Cosworth DFX V8t | PHX | MIL 12 | ATL 7 | ATL 11 | MCH 2 | RIV DNS | | | | MEX 11 | PHX 19 | | | | | | | 6th | 107 | |
| 1981 | Bettenhausen Racing | Longhorn LR-1 | Cosworth DFX V8t | | | | | | | MIL 14 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6th | 107 | |
| 1981 | Bettenhausen Racing | Phoenix | Cosworth DFX V8t | | | | | | | | MCH 10 | WGL 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6th | 107 | |
| 1982 | Bettenhausen Racing | March 82C | Cosworth DFX V8t | PHX 12 | ATL 19 | MIL 12 | CLE | MCH 10 | | POC 5 | RIV 18 | ROA 7 | MCH 4 | PHX 6 | | | | | | | 10th | 80 | |
| 1982 | Bettenhausen Racing | Phoenix | Cosworth DFX V8t | | | | | | MIL 20 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10th | 80 |
| 1983 | Bettenhausen Racing | March 83C | Cosworth DFX V8t | ATL 10 | INDY 17 | MIL 10 | | MCH 18 | | POC 10 | RIV 8 | | MCH 9 | CPL 21 | | PHX 18 | | | | | 17th | 19 | |
| 1983 | Bettenhausen Racing | March 83P | Cosworth DFX V8t | | | | CLE 18 | | ROA 12 | | | MDO 14 | | | LAG 14 | | | | | | | | | | 17th | 19 |
| 1984 | Provimi Veal Racing | March 84C | Cosworth DFX V8t | LBH DNQ | PHX 22 | INDY 26 | MIL | POR | MEA | CLE | MCH 15 | ROA | POC 16 | MDO | SAN | MCH | PHX | LAG | CPL | | NC | 0 | |
| 1985 | All American Racers | Lola T900 | Cosworth DFX V8t | LBH | INDY 29 | MIL | POR | MEA | CLE | MCH | ROA | POC | MDO | SAN | MCH | LAG | PHX | MIA | | | 59th | 0 | |
| 1986 | Bettenhausen Racing | March 86C | Cosworth DFX V8t | PHX | LBH | INDY 28 | MIL | POR | MEA | CLE | TOR | MCH | POC | MDO | SAN | MCH | ROA | LAG | PHX | MIA | 50th | 0 | |
| 1987 | Bettenhausen Racing | March 86C | Cosworth DFX V8t | LBH 11 | PHX 15 | INDY 10 | MIL DNQ | POR | MEA 13 | CLE 20 | TOR DNQ | MCH 11 | POC 22 | ROA 15 | MDO 25 | NAZ | LAG | MIA | | | 29th | 7 | |
| 1988 | Bettenhausen Racing | Lola T8700 | Cosworth DFX V8t | PHX 6 | LBH DNQ | INDY 33 | | | CLE 15 | | | MCH 4 | POC 15 | MDO 16 | ROA 16 | | LAG 26 | MIA | | | 17th | 25 | |
| 1988 | Bettenhausen Racing | March 86C | Cosworth DFX V8t | | | | MIL 19 | POR | | TOR 17 | MEA 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 17th | 25 | |
| 1988 | Bettenhausen Racing | Lola T8700 | Judd AV | | | | | | | | | | | | | NAZ 13 | | | | | | | | 17th | 25 | |
| 1989 | Leader Card Racing | Lola T8900 | Cosworth DFX V8t | PHX | LBH | INDY DNQ | MIL | DET | POR | CLE | MEA | TOR | MCH | | | | | | | | 50th | 0 | |
| 1989 | Dale Coyne Racing | Lola T8900 | Cosworth DFX V8t | | | | | | | | | | | POC 26 | MDO | ROA | NAZ | LAG | | | | 50th | 0 | |
| 1990 | Bettenhausen Racing | Lola T8700 | Cosworth DFX V8t | PHX | LBH DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | MDO 20 | ROA DNS | NAZ 22 | LAG | | 24th | 4 | |
| 1990 | Bettenhausen Racing | Lola T8700 | Buick 3300 V6t | | | INDY 26 | MIL 13 | DET 16 | POR 17 | CLE 12 | MEA 10 | TOR 26 | MCH 22 | DEN 24 | VAN | | | | | | | | | | 24th | 4 |
| 1991 | Bettenhausen Racing | Penske PC-19 | Chevrolet 265A V8t | SRF 10 | LBH 12 | PHX 18 | INDY 9 | MIL 12 | DET 13 | POR 13 | CLE 13 | MEA 21 | TOR 11 | MCH 5 | DEN 10 | VAN 18 | MDO 18 | ROA 13 | NAZ 10 | LAG 16 | 14th | 27 | |
| 1992 | Bettenhausen Racing | Penske PC-20 | Chevrolet 265A V8t | SRF 13 | PHX 11 | LBH 15 | INDY DNQ | DET | POR 21 | MIL 18 | NHA | TOR | MCH 9 | CLE | ROA | VAN | MDO | NAZ | LAG | | 24th | 6 | |
| 1993 | Bettenhausen Racing | Penske PC-22 | Chevrolet 265C V8t | SRF | PHX | LBH | INDY 20 | MIL | DET | POR | CLE | TOR | MCH | NHA | ROA | VAN | MDO | NAZ | LAG | | 47th | 0 | |

#### Indianapolis 500

| Year | Chassis | Engine | Start | Finish |
| 1980 | Eagle | Offy | Failed to Qualify | Failed to Qualify |
| 1981 | McLaren | Cosworth | 16th | 7th |
| 1982 | March | Cosworth | 27th | 26th |
| 1983 | March | Cosworth | 9th | 17th |
| 1984 | March | Cosworth | 17th | 26th |
| 1985 | Lola | Cosworth | 29th | 29th |
| 1986 | March | Cosworth | 18th | 28th |
| 1987 | March | Cosworth | 27th | 10th |
| 1988 | Lola | Cosworth | 24th | 33rd |
| 1989 | Lola | Cosworth | Failed to Qualify | Failed to Qualify |
| 1990 | Lola | Buick | 13th | 26th |
| 1991 | Penske | Chevrolet | 20th | 9th |
| 1992 | Penske | Chevrolet | Failed to Qualify | Failed to Qualify |
| 1993 | Penske | Chevrolet | 22nd | 20th |