Merle Bettenhausen[1] (born June 9, 1943) is a former American race car driver.

Three laps into his first Champ Car race on a paved track, Michigan International Speedway on July 16, 1972, he tangled with Mike Hiss and crashed into the outside wall.

[2] He currently resides in Indianapolis and works in the retail automobile business.

He has a son, Ryan Bettenhausen, and daughter, Tracy Jennings.

This biographical article related to United States auto racing is a stub.