| | 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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