Old school as they come, iron headed and iron willed.He could tame any race track and any car. When it came to a hard slick race track there was nobody better.
We had the honor and the distinct pleasure to have watched Mr. Bettenhausen race at both The Speedway and at The Springfield Mile.
Your kind are becoming farther and fewer between, sir, and the sport all of us here love is much better as a result of your involvement.
Rest in peace and may God bless and comfort Mr. Bettenhausen's family and friends.
Silver Crown Championship Dirt Cars properly driven on a one mile dirt track are classic poetry in motion. Using that analogy, Jack Hewitt is one of the greatest poets of all time.
I was privileged to watch Gary Bettenhausen in sprint cars at Salem and Terre Haute in the 60's, and in sprints, midgets and Silver Crown cars throughout the Midwest in the 70's and 80's. He was truly an "old school" racer who had determination, bravery and "smoothness" that unfortunatel,y many of today's drivers can only dream about. He was one of my racing heroes. RIP Gary B.
