1973 – Fatals Mar Jones’ Win at Bettenhausen

 

Tom Jones won the 12th annual Tony Bettenhausen Memorial race at Illiana Motor Speedway. The race was marred by the deaths of Whitey Gerken and Dennis Shelton. – Stan Kalwasinski Photo

By Stan Kalwasinski

Schererville, Ind. (October 7, 1973) – Tom Jones of Northbrook, Ill., captured the 12th running of the Tony Bettenhausen Memorial race Sunday afternoon at Illiana Motor Speedway. It was Jones’ first feature win of the season at Illiana and perhaps the biggest win of his career.

But the 30-year-old driver’s victory was marred by the deaths of driver Whitey Gerken and pitman Dennis Shelton.

During qualifications, the throttle on Gerken’s 1972 Camaro stuck, sending the car crashing into the third turn guardrail at more than 100 miles per hour and flipping into an auxiliary pit area. In the process, the flipping car struck Shelton and ended up on its wheels.

Both Gerken and Shelton were rushed to Our Lady of Mercy Hospital in Dyer. Shelton was pronounced dead of massive head injuries while Gerken passed away the next day from extensive spinal, back, and neck injuries.

Jones, an airplane mechanic by trade, grabbed the lead in his 1969 Camaro on the 22nd of the 100 laps, after Rich Sundling, Bud Koehler, and Bill Davis had led in the early going. Jones led the rest of the way, although he was seriously challenged during part of the race by Don Axtmann, who eventually dropped out of the contest while running second.

Jones collected $1,200 of the $8,500 purse for his afternoon’s work. Finishing behind him were Ed Hoffman of Niles, Ill., Dave Evans of Crystal Lake, Ill., Moose Myers of Fort Wayne, Tom Musgrave of Mundelein, Ill., and Bob Dotter of Chicago.

Hoffman drove Ray Young’s 1971 Torino in the main event after blowing the engine in his Camaro during time trials.

Three-time Bettenhausen winner Myers paced aa large field of 60 entries in time trials, as he and his Camaro toured the half-mile paved oval in 22.10 seconds.

Bobby Wawak of Villa Park, Ill., captured the trophy dash with consolation heat races going to Ted Janecyk of Calumet Park, Ill., Dick Potts of Morocco, and Ed Kilpatrick of Blue Island, Ill.