By Stan Kalwasinski
Since 1962, Illiana Motor Speedway has hosted the annual Tony Bettenhausen Memorial 100 late model stock car race, honoring one of the area’s greatest race drivers, the late Tony Bettenhausen.
A resident of Tinley Park, Ill., Bettenhausen saw his racing career span more than 20 years, covering all types of automobile racing in the United States, including stock cars, midgets, sprint cars and Indianapolis cars.
Raising soybeans on his farm in Tinley Park when not racing, Bettenhausen would race in the Indianapolis 500 14 times, finishing among the top ten on five occasions. A two-time National Indy Car Champion, Bettenhausen died in a practice crash at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May of 1961 while testing a car for a fellow driver, ending his chances of winning the one he wanted the most—the Indianapolis 500. His sons, Gary, Merle and the late Tony Jr. would follow their dad's footsteps to the famed speedway.
In addition to this "National" reputation, Bettenhausen was area racing's "favorite son" during the 1940's, 50's and into the 60's. Whether he be racing a midget on the dirt at Illiana, at Raceway Park or at Soldier Field or driving a stock car at the "Milwaukee Mile," Bettenhausen was always a crowd pleaser with his "charge to the front" style of driving.
1962 Troy Ruttman, the 1952 Indianapolis 500 winner, drove his 1962 Mercury to victory in the inaugural 100 lap USAC-sanctioned race, defeating Don White, Norm Nelson, Paul Goldsmith and Herb Shannon.
1963 Former Illiana motorcycle champion, Paul Goldsmith, captured the second running of the Bettenhausen 100, another USAC contest, driving a 1963 Plymouth to victory over Norm Nelson, John Rostek, Elmer Musgrave and Sal Tovella. Racing legends A.J. Foyt and Curtis Turner both dropped out of the race with mechanical problems.
1964 In the final USAC 100 lapper, Norm Nelson and his 1964 Plymouth bested Don White, Lloyd Ruby, Joe Leonard and Herb Shannon.
1965 Fort Wayne, Indiana’s Conan “Moose” Myers invaded Illiana for the first time and drove his 1957 Chevy convertible in the first open competition Bettenhausen event, defeating Joe Shear, Roy Martinelli, Bill Lutz and Herb Hill in the 50 lap feature race.
1966 Moose Myers and his ’57 Chevy convertible returned again to capture the race, which was increased back to 100 laps. Bill Lutz, Elmer Musgrave, Cliff Setser and Dave Sorg finished behind Myers in the event which saw 47 cars start.
1967 Michigan’s Joy Fair made his first visit to Illiana a profitable one, scoring the 100 lap race victory ahead of fellow Michigan drivers, Homer Newland, Rich Senneker, Bob Senneker and Tom Marks.
1968 Buck Hinkle, who won the Illiana track championship in 1967, became the first local driver to win the Bettenhausen race as he wheeled his Chevelle convertible to victory ahead of Ray Freeman, Bob Carnes, Elmer Musgrave and Leroy Skiles.
1969 Missing from the lineup the year before, Joy Fair drove his Cutlass to his second Bettenhausen win, taking the checkered flag in front of Rich Senneker, Dave Sorg, Bob Senneker and Elmer Musgrave.
1970 Michigan speedster Gene Eding drove a Chevelle to score the win in the 100-lap battle ahead of Bob Pronger, Dick Dunshee, Roy Forbes and Jay Woolworth.
1971 The 10th annual Bettenhausen event saw Moose Myers score the win in his 1969 Chevelle. Myers defeated Ed Hoffman, Whitey Gerken, Larry Berwanger and Joe Shear.
1972 Joe Ruttman, younger brother of Troy, drove a 1971 Chevelle to victory in the century contest, besting Rich Davis, Randy Sweet, Ray Freeman and Jerry Kemperman.
1973 Tom Jones became the second local driver to score a win in the annual end-of-the-year event, wheeling his 1969 Camaro to the win ahead of Ed Hoffman, Dave Evans, Moose Myers and Tom Musgrave.
1974 The weatherman almost won this year as the event was rained out three straight Sunday afternoons. Making the trek four weeks in a row from his Wisconsin home, Tom Reffner and his 1970 Mustang finally grabbed top honors over Larry Schuler, Dick Trickle, Rick Knotts and Don Axtmann.
1975 Perennial Illiana champion Ed Hoffman drove his 1975 Camaro to capture the 100 lap contest ahead of Larry Schuler, Jerry Kemperman, Bob Carnes and Bob Roper.
1976 Veteran Chicagoland campaigner Ray Young added his name to the record books as he and his 1976 Camaro made off with the 15th annual Bettenhausen race. Young, whose Bettenhausen race record dated back to 1965, drove to the checker in front of Jerry Kemperman, Dave Roahrig, Bob Schippers and Larry Knowlton.
1977 Ray Young made it two in a row, guiding his 1977 Camaro to the 100-lap win ahead of Joe Shear, Ed Hoffman and the Musgrave brothers, Tom and Ted.
1978 Chicago area dirt track star Tony Izzo surprised the pavement racers by taking home top money in the 100 lapper. Izzo’s Camaro crossed the finish line ahead of Ray Young, Ed Hoffman, Jerry Kemperman and Dave Weltmeyer.
1979 Joe Shear wheeled his Dave Evans-owned 1979 Camaro to the win in the 100-lap chase to become the 14th different winner of the annual end-of-the-season event. Billy Kuhn, Jerry Kemperman, Larry Knowlton and Tony Izzo followed Shear.
1980 Wisconsin’s Jim Sauter gave car owner and former driver, Dave Evans, two Bettenhausen victories in a row as he guided Evans’ Camaro to victory in the century affair, besting Ed Hoffman, Larry Schuler, Frank Gawlinski and Tom Jones.
1981 Under the sanction of ARTGO, the 20th annual running of the “Windy City” area classic saw Frank Gawlinski wheel his 1981 Camaro to the win. The 1980 Illiana champion defeated Tom Jones, Ed Hoffman, Tom Reffner and Bill Venturini.
1982 Frank Gawlinski wheeled his 1982 Firebird to victory in the 100 lapper, giving him the honor of being the first driver to win the Illiana late model track championship and the Bettenhausen race in the same year. Gawlinski took the checkered flag ahead of Gene Eding, Larry Middleton, Dave Weltmeyer and Tom Cellini.
1983 Ed Hoffman recorded his second Bettenhausen win. Hoffman piloted his 1983 Firebird to the win in front of Duane Pierson, Dave Weltmeyer, Tom Cellini and Burt Weitemeyer.
1984 Ed Hoffman became the first driver since Moose Myers to win three Bettenhausen events. Hoffman’s 1984 Firebird bested Frank Gawlinski, Larry Schuler, Dave Weltmeyer and Larry Middleton.
1985 Frank Gawlinski became the third different three-time winner, driving his Firebird to victory in the 100 lapper in front of Steve Seligman, Dave Weltmeyer, Ted Musgrave and Rick Kleich.
1986 Larry Schuler captured the 25th annual Bettenhausen Classic behind the wheel of a 1986 Camaro. Schuler defeated Bobby Dotter, Bob Weltmeyer, Larry Middleton and Frank Gawlinski.
1987 Becoming the first four-time winner of the Bettenhausen Classic, Frank Gawlinski drove his 1987 Camaro to victory ahead of Steve Seligman, Larry Schuler, Tony Hertko and Mike Varner.
1988 Wisconsin speedster Ted Musgrave drove his 1988 Camaro to victory in the 27th running of the Bettenhausen event. The second generation driver, who watched his dad, Elmer, compete at Illiana, bested Tom Jones, Larry Schuler, Bobby Dotter and 1988 track champion Tony Hertko.
1989 Green Bay Wisconsin’s Scott Hansen gave the “Dairyland State” drivers two wins in a row as he made off with the 100-lap chase. Hansen piloted his 1989 Camaro to victory over Tony Hertko, Tracy Schuler, Steve Holzhausen and Larry Middleton, Jr.
1990 Frank Gawlinski made it Bettenhausen victory number five, defeating Larry Schuler, Len Nowosel, Dale Hirschfield and Steve Holzhausen in the 100 lapper. Gawlinski, the 1990 Illiana season champion, wheeled a 1990 Thunderbird to the checkered flag.
1991 Frank Gawlinski again showed his dominance of the Illiana half-mile oval by winning his sixth Bettenhausen Classic. Gawlinski and his Thunderbird finished ahead of 1991 Illiana track champion Len Nowosel, Larry Schuler, Larry Middleton, Jr. and Canadian driver Bill Zardo.
1992 Becoming the first driver ever to win three straight Bettenhausen 100’s, Frank Gawlinski captured the event for his seventh career win. Gawlinski and his 1992 Thunderbird bested Tracy Schuler, Mike Martin, Tom Carlson and Mike Varner.
1993 Larry Schuler wheeled his 1992 Lumina to victory in the annual 100-lap contest, scoring his second Bettenhausen race win of his career. Schuler took the checkered flag in front of his younger brother, Tracy, who was followed by Mike White, Dave Duckworth and John Sherbit.
1994 Frank Gawlinski made it career victory number eight, guiding his 1994 Thunderbird to the first prize money. Gawlinski notched another Bettenhausen 100 ahead of Steve Seligman, Dave Duckworth, John Nutley and Brian Muick.
1995 Dave Weltmeyer became the 20th different driver to win Illiana’s Bettenhausen 100 lapper as he wheeled his 1995 Monte Carlo to victory, defeating J.R. Roahrig, John Nutley, John Sherbit and Bobby Gash.
1996 Winning his second straight Bettenhausen 100-lap contest, Dave Weltmeyer and his 1996 Monte Carlo bested Tom Carlson, Larry Schuler, Joe Walsh and Joe Shear.
1997 Ringing the Bettenhausen victory bell a ninth time, Frank Gawlinski copped the 36th annual classic, driving his 1997 Monte Carlo to the checkered flag in front of Dave Weltmeyer, J.R. Roahrig, Mike White and Bobby Blount.
1998 Second generation speedster Eddie Hoffman made off with top honors in the 100 lap chase. Hoffman drove Fred Huckstorf’s Thunderbird to victory over Dave Weltmeyer, Brian Muick, Larry Schuler and Danny Darnell.
1999 Larry Schuler wheeled Biff George’s Taurus to his third Bettenhausen 100 victory of his career. Schuler finished ahead of Dave Weltmeyer, John Brolick, Larry Middleton, Jr. and John Sherbit.
2000 Eddie Hoffman became the event’s eighth multi-time winner as he piloted his 1999 Monte Carlo to victory in the 50-mile chase. Dave Weltmeyer came home second, followed by Scott Hantz, Rod Wheeler and Ron Breese, Jr.
2001 The 40th annual Bettenhausen 100 lapper saw Dave Weltmeyer guide his Monte Carlo to the checkered flag. Scoring his third Bettenhausen race win, Weltmeyer and his Monte Carlo raced to victory ahead of Mike White, Larry Middleton, Jr., John Nutley and Brett Sontag.
2002 Battling with Eddie Hoffman most of the way, Pat Kelly wheeled Phil Hines’ 2002 Monte Carlo to the victory. Hoffman came home second, followed by Mike White, Steve Carlson and Erik Darnell.
2003 Grabbing his third Bettenhausen Classic checkered flag, Eddie Hoffman pushed his Tom and Lisa Kmak-owned Taurus to the win. Chasing Hoffman after 100 circuits were Boris Jurkovic, Brett Sontag, Dave Weltmeyer and Mike Monroe.
2004 Dave Weltmeyer drove his Monte Carlo to victory in the 43rd annual Tony Bettenhausen Memorial 100 Classic late model stock car race. Weltmeyer scored his fourth career Tony B. 100 victory over Eddie Hoffman, Pat Kelly, Mike Monroe and John Nutley.
2005 Pat Kelly guided his Wayne Govert-owned Monte Carlo to his second career Tony Bettenhausen 100 lap victory. Kelly, the season’s Illiana late model track champion, bested Boris Jurkovic, Nathan Haseleu, Eddie Hoffman and Mike White.
2006 For the second consecutive year, Pat Kelly captured the Tony Bettenhausen Memorial 100 lapper, giving Kelly three career Bettenhausen race victories. Kelly again teamed up with car owner Phil Hines and “car chief” John Brolick and won the 100-lap chase ahead of Eddie Hoffman, Boris Jurkovic, Mike Monroe and Mike White.
2007 Eddie Hoffman became only the second driver to win the Bettenhausen 100 four times as he wheeled Tom and Lisa Kmak’s Ford Fusion to victory in the 46th annual event. Four-time Illiana track champion Mike White came home second followed by Boris Jurkovic, Josh Nelms and ’07 Illiana champ Jeff Cannon.
2008 Coming back from a serious accident in the 2007 race, Brett Sontag wheeled his “crate” motor-powered Ford Fusion to an impressive victory over Tom Smith, five-time Illiana track champion Mike White, Eddie Hoffman and Mike Monroe. Sontag became the race’s 23rd different winner with the win being his first-ever feature win at Illiana.
2009 Becoming the seventh driver to score back-to-back Bettenhausen race victories, Brett Sontag guided his Ford Fusion to the win in the 100-lap chase over Boris Jurkovic, 2009 Illiana champion Jeff Cannon, Dave Gentile, Jr. and Wisconsin visitor Matt Kocourek.
2010 Boris Jurkovic became the 24th different winner of Illiana’s annual Tony Bettenhausen Memorial 100 as he drove his Chevrolet Impala SS to the victory over Brett Sontag. Fastest qualifier Eddie Hoffman finished third followed by Blake Brown and Ross Kenseth.
2011 For the third time in four years, Brett Sontag was the winner of Illiana’s Bettenhausen 100 lapper. The event marked the 50th anniversary of the race. Sontag and his Ford Fusion defeated fastest qualifier and 2010 race winner Boris Jurkovic, Anthony Danta, Jeff Cannon and Scott Tomasik.
2012 Boris Jurkovic made it two wins in three years as he won his second Tony Bettenhausen Memorial 100. Jurkovic and his Impala SS finished ahead of Erik Darnell, Scott Tomasik, D.J. Weltmeyer and John Nutley with only seven cars from the 26-car starting field still running at the end of the 50-mile event.
ILLIANA
Tony Bettenhausen Memorial 100 Race Winners
(51 races/24 different winners)
Frank Gawlinski 9 wins
Eddie Hoffman 4
Dave Weltmeyer 4
Brett Sontag 3
Pat Kelly 3
Larry Schuler 3
Ed Hoffman 3
Conan “Moose” Myers 3
Boris Jurkovic 2
Ray Young 2
Joy Fair 2
Scott Hansen 1
Ted Musgrave 1
Jim Sauter 1
Joe Shear 1
Tony Izzo 1
Tom Reffner 1
Tom Jones 1
Joe Ruttman 1
Gene Eding 1
Buck Hinkle 1
Norm Nelson 1
Paul Goldsmith 1
Troy Ruttman 1