Merle Bettenhausen Passes Away At The Age Of 82

Merle Bettenhausen Passes Away At The Age Of 82

The inspirational Merle Bettenhausen, who overcame the odds to continue to race and win despite an accident that took his right arm, passed away on the morning of April 29, 2026, 26 days following a massive stroke. He was 82 years old.

Born on June 9, 1943, the Tinley Park, Illinois racer grew up in the famed Bettenhausen racing family. His father, Tony Bettenhausen, captured both the 1951 AAA and 1958 USAC National Championship. In 1961, Tony was killed in a practice crash at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway when Merle was just 17 years old.

Merle’s older brother, Gary Bettenhausen, scored four USAC national driving championships in Sprint Cars and Silver Crown cars, and made 21 starts at the Indianapolis 500. Merle’s younger brother, Tony Bettenhausen Jr., made 11 Indianapolis 500 starts and later became a team owner on the Indy Car circuit.

All three brothers were racers to the core, and by 1968, Merle was making his own name in the USAC ranks, winning the first of his eight career National Midget feature events at Indianapolis Raceway Park that year for car owner Ed Loniewski.

Merle added additional wins in 1969 and 1970 for car owner Bob Lockard at Michigan’s Spartan Speedway, Arizona’s Manzanita Speedway and Texas’ Moody & Clary Speedway. He won for Howard Lehmann at Granite City, Illinois in 1971 and at Indiana’s Whitewater Valley Speedway in 1972. Merle also wheeled brother Gary’s ride to victory in 1972 at Manzanita.

Exactly seven weeks following his most recent USAC National Midget win, Merle got the call to drive in the 200-mile Indy Car race in July 1972 at Michigan International Speedway. Just four laps into the event, Merle’s life changed forever.

After tangling with fellow driver Mike Hiss in turn two, Merle’s car slammed the outside wall. The incident resulted in the loss of his right arm above the elbow as well as extensive burns to his face. Merle spent two months at the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor, but soon vowed to race again, somehow, someway.

With the aid on an artificial limb, complete with an accompanying hook to grip the steering wheel, Merle was back in the cockpit of a USAC National Midget in June 1973 at Lost Creek, Kentucky, 11 months to the day following his accident. Despite an 18th place finish in the feature, he qualified an impressive fourth and won his heat race. Merle was officially back.

Nothing signified Merle’s return to racing more than the August 31, 1973, USAC National Midget feature at Johnson City,Tennessee’s Sportsman Speedway. There, in his 14th race back after injury, Merle swung to the outside of Billy Engelhart on the final turn to win by inches in a miraculous photo finish. Making the feat even more remarkable was the fact that Merle drove the final 37 laps of the 40-lapper without the aid of the power steering.