Gary Bettenhausen; the definition of old skool

[Juarez Jed]

so sad to hear of the passing of Gary, a hero from my childhood.
When I struggle to get enthusiastic about modern racing at times it is easier to understand when I try to compare the merits of some teenage sensation from a junior formulae in modern racing trying to win Indy with the heroes of my youth who came through the hard way.
They "don't make em like they used to" is very apt in this instance.
For the youngun's who aren't familiar with the Bettenhausens, this is a story as equally as worthy of a movie as Hunt v Lauda.
Gary lost his father to the Speedway, and his young brother lost an arm and was horribly burned in his big time USAC debut at Michigan. Then Gary was himself crippled by an accident at Syracuse and sacked by team owner Roger Penske because he wouldn't dedicate himself to the asphalt.
He raced with his crippled arm velcroed to the steering wheel as he couldn't grip the rim. He was the fastest man at Indy in 1991 when nearly 50.
He then suffered the loss of his other brother and team owner in a plane crash.
Surely no-one was more deserving of an Indy 500 victory but one never came.
He will long be remembered and honoured by many old skoolers like me despite the absence of his name on the Borg - Warner trophy.
RIP Gary.