Tony Bettenhausen
| Tony Bettenhausen | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bettenhausen, circa 1951 | |||||||
| Born | Melvin Eugene Bettenhausen September 12, 1916 Tinley Park, Illinois, U.S. | ||||||
| Died | May 12, 1961 (aged 44) Speedway, Indiana, U.S. | ||||||
| Championship titles | |||||||
| AAA / USAC Championship Car (1951, 1958) | |||||||
| Champ Car career | |||||||
| 118 races run over 17 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 1st (1951, 1958) | ||||||
| First race | 1941 Milwaukee 100 (Milwaukee) | ||||||
| Last race | 1961 Trenton 100 (Trenton) | ||||||
| First win | 1946 George Robson Memorial (Goshen) | ||||||
| Last win | 1959 Bobby Ball Memorial (Phoenix) | ||||||
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| Formula One World Championship career | |||||||
| Active years | 1950–1960 | ||||||
| Teams | Kurtis Kraft, Diedt, Kuzma, Epperly, Watson | ||||||
| Entries | 11 | ||||||
| Championships | 0 | ||||||
| Wins | 0 | ||||||
| Podiums | 1 | ||||||
| Career points | 11 | ||||||
| Pole positions | 0 | ||||||
| Fastest laps | 1 | ||||||
| First entry | 1950 Indianapolis 500 | ||||||
| Last entry | 1960 Indianapolis 500 | ||||||
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."