Born in Blue Island on November 18, 1941
Gary Bettenhausen was born in Blue Island, Illinois, on November 18, 1941, and grew up in Tinley Park. He was the son of racer Tony Bettenhausen and the brother of Tony Jr. and Merle. He graduated from Bremen High School in 1962. Bettenhausen became a midget car driver and earned 27 career USAC wins, including the 1967 and 1970 Turkey Night Grand Prix, the 1972 Astro Grand Prix, and the 1976 Hut Hundred. He won the USAC Sprint Car championships in 1969 and 1971 and USAC Dirt Track titles in 1980 and 1983. Despite a 1974 crash that left his left arm paralyzed, he continued to race. He competed in 21 Indianapolis 500 events between 1968 and 1993, with his best finish being third in 1980. He also raced in NASCAR, earning four top-ten finishes. Bettenhausen died on March 16, 2014, but remained connected to his Blue Island beginnings.
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