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 Tuesday, February 15
Bettenhausen's death leaves a void
 
ESPN.com news services

 LEESBURG, Ky. -- Tony Bettenhausen Jr. wasn't a regular in the winner's circle, but he led the racing world in other ways, and his colleagues said his untimely death will leave a void.

"He's a strong player in CART. We all listened to him," said Barry Green, owner of Team Kool Green in Indianapolis. "He fought his way into the owner's position."

Bettenhausen, who was returning to his Indianapolis home from race testing in Florida, died along with his wife, Shirley, and two business associates when their small plane crashed in a muddy farm field north of Lexington Monday morning.

Bettenhausen was at the controls of the plane, said Brad Stevens, an executive with Bettenhausen Racing in Indianapolis.

The couple leave two daughters: Bryn, 18, and Taryn, 13.

National Transportation Safety Board investigator David Muzio said Tuesday the pilot told air traffic control that he had ice on his wings and windshield.

The pilot was cleared to climb, but air traffic control soon lost contact, Muzio said.

As little as three minutes before the accident, the plane was flying at a stable altitude, Muzio said. But in the last minute, the plane fell at a rate of between 6,000 and 9,000 feet per minute.

Witnesses said the plane seemed to spiral before it crashed into the field late Monday morning.

Muzio said the 1975 model Beech Baron had deicing equipment on its wings and propellers. The engines were taken to a Cynthiana airport where Muzio said he will examine them on Wednesday.

Muzio declined to speculate on any cause for the accident.

Shirley Bettenhausen was the daughter of longtime Indy-car driver Jim McElreath. Also killed were Russ Roberts, a partner in Bettenhausen's racing team, and Larry Rangel, an Indiana businessman. Tony Bettenhausen was 48.

Emily Craig, the state's forensic anthropologist, said the remains of the victims were brought to the state medical examiner's laboratory in Frankfort on Tuesday. Dental records also arrived from Bettenhausen's company Tuesday afternoon, and the job of identifying the victims would begin Wednesday, Craig said.

Green said many in the Indy racing world were happy late last year when Bettenhausen was able to pull together a sponsorship deal and keep his team running.

"He was so proud. ... We were all thrilled for him, too," Green said.

Derrick Walker, another Indianapolis-based CART owner, said Bettenhausen's enthusiasm for the series was evident when team owners got together.

"He didn't have any (hidden) agenda," Walker said. "He was passionate about the future of CART."

Even officials in the rival Indy Racing League, which split from CART, respected Bettenhausen.

Bettenhausen raced in the Indianapolis 500 11 times, but since 1996, Bettenhausen's team hasn't competed because of the divide. Bettenhausen criticized the Speedway as a result.

Tony George, the Speedway president, issued a brief statement saying, "All of us share in the grief of the families."

Funeral arrangements were incomplete Tuesday evening.
 


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