AutoSportRadio.com 2024 Show for January 31st

AutoSportRadio.com 2024 Show for January 31st - Host Don Kay interviews Guests: Merle Bettenhausen and Dennis Reinbold'

The Autosportradio.com 2024 Show for January 31st is having it’s broadcast release today. You can tune into the commercial free version on SCTV Speedway Community Television, or you can catch it on several AutoSportRadio.com platforms including YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Rumble, Tumblr, or by clicking on the link on the AutoSportRadio.com page. The show was recorded in front of a live audience Wednesday January 31st at Green Street Pub and Eatery, 911 N. Green Street (SR 267) in Brownsburg, Indiana. Our next live show is scheduled for February 20th. We’re skipping a week to spend some special sweetheart time with our loved ones on Valentines Day. I hope you all can do the same.
Scheduled guests....
Merle Bettenhausen

Merle is one of the three racing sons of the late Melvin E. "Tony" Bettenhausen.

In May of 1961, when Merle was 17, his father would pay the ultimate price at Indy while testing an ill handling car for friend Paul Russo. Merle and his brothers would take up the mission of putting the Bettenhausen name on the Indianapolis "500" Borg-Warner Trophy.

Merle began driving Midgets, Sprint Cars and Champ Cars to get more experience before tackling Indy. During the winter of 1969 as he toured Australia and New Zealand under the wing of USAC National Midget Champion Bob Tattersall.

By 1972, Merle believed he was prepared for the challenge of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He passed the mandatory rookie driver's test but did not attempt to qualify. Later that year Merle was involved in a serious racing incident that forever would alter his life. He was competing in a Champ Car at the Michigan International Speedway on July 16th. While finishing lap 3, he apparently lost control and hit the outside guard rail. The car caught fire and as he attempted to exit while it was still in motion and his right arm was severed. In the process he was badly burned as well but remained conscious through it all.

During his recovery Merle gave recognition to many by name for saving his life. These included rescue personnel, firemen and others who retrieved him from the burning car, and to the doctors, nurses and other hospital staff members.

In June of 1973, Merle was ready to return to racing in Lehmann's Midget at Charleston, Illinois, on the 16th.

More tragedy would come to the Bettenhausen family. Brother Gary would crash at Syracuse, New York in 1974, leaving his left arm permanently paralyzed. Moreover he would continue racing full-tilt, including 15 more "500" starts; driving one-handed he would also score his best finish of third in 1980.

Nearly a quarter century later, Tony Lee and wife, Shirley, would perish in an airplane crash in early 2000. He had 11 Indy starts before retiring as an active driver and then became an owner of a successful CART racing stable. Merle then became guardian for Tony and Shirley's two daughters, trustee of their estate and manager of Tony's racing team.

Although Merle's racing career was a short one, he demonstrated he was a winner as he had registered 8 USAC event wins.
Dennis Reinbold

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing was founded in 1999 by Indianapolis car dealer Dennis Reinbold. The legacy of the Dreyer and Reinbold family dates back to the 1920s with Reinbold’s grandfather, the legendary Floyd “Pop” Dreyer, a former factory motorcycle racer. Dreyer served as a crewman and mechanic on the famed Duesenberg driven by Benny Shoaff and Babe Stapp in the 1927 Indy 500. Dreyer went on to build Indy 500 cars in the 1930s which many started on the front row. In addition, Dreyer constructed championship-winning sprint cars and midgets as well as quarter midgets called Dreyerettes. Dreyer & Reinbold Racing captured its first win in 2000 with driver Robbie Buhl at Walt Disney World Speedway in Orlando, Fla., and has fielded a variety of drivers including Buhl, Buddy Lazier, Sarah Fisher, Buddy Rice, Ryan Briscoe, Al Unser Jr., Townsend Bell and Sage Karam. Dreyer & Reinbold Racing has successfully qualified all 40 drivers for the Indy 500 in its history. DRR, who campaigned in the Rallycross for the first time in 2015, captured the 2016 Lites championship in 2016. In 2019, DRR campaigned Karam, Hildebrand, Conner Martell, Cole Keatts, Gray Leadbetter and Lane Vacala in the Lites division.