Dick Rathmann

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Dick Rathmann
Rathmann, circa 1957
Born	James Merwin Rathmann (1926-01-06)January 6, 1926 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died	February 1, 2000(2000-02-01) (aged 74) Melbourne, Florida, U.S.
Champ Car career
41 races run over 11 years
Years active	1949–1950, 1956–1964
Best finish	10th – 1961
First race	1949 Golden State 100 (Sacramento)
Last race	1964 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
Wins Podiums Poles 0 3 3
NASCAR driver
NASCAR Cup Series career
129 races run over 5 years
Best finish	3rd (1953)
First race	1951 Race 4 (Carrell)
Last race	1955 Race 37 (Langhorne)
First win	1952 Race 5 (Martinsville)
Last win	1954 Race 24 (Santa Fe)
Wins Top tens Poles 13 79 13
Formula One World Championship career
Active years	1950, 1956–1960
Teams	Watson, Kurtis Kraft, Lesovsky
Entries	6 (5 starts)
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	0
Career points	2
Pole positions	1
Fastest laps	0
First entry	1950 Indianapolis 500
Last entry	1960 Indianapolis 500

James Merwin "Dick" Rathmann (January 6, 1926^[1] – February 1, 2000) was an American racing driver.

Rathmann and his younger brother swapped names while teenagers. He was an 18-year-old going by the name of Jim Rathmann, when his brother wanted to start racing. To help him enter races, he traded I.D.s with him, and assumed the identity of "Dick Rathmann."^[2] The name change stuck for life in public circles.

He drove in the AAA Championship Car series in the 1949 and 1950 seasons with 4 starts, including the 1950 Indianapolis 500. He finished in the top ten once, in 6th position at Milwaukee in 1950.

In 1951, he moved to NASCAR, where he was a very successful Grand National driver through 1955.

In 1956, he returned to the USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1956–1964 seasons with an additional 41 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races in 1956 and 1958–1964. He finished in the top ten 21 more times, with his best finish in 2nd position in 1959 at Daytona.

Rathmann sat on the pole for the 1958 Indianapolis 500. On the first lap, he and fellow front-row starter Ed Elisian raced into turn 3 and started a chain-reaction accident which involved 15 cars and claimed the life of Pat O'Connor. With that accident, Rathmann became the first Indy pole-sitter to complete no laps. This feat has been repeated only twice in Indy history, first by Roberto Guerrero and then by Scott Sharp.

Rathmann was the elder brother of 1960 Indianapolis 500 winner Jim Rathmann. The two switched names in 1946 so his younger brother could enter a race while underage. For what was supposed to be a short time, he adopted the name "Dick" and his brother adopted the name "Jim". The change stuck for life.

In 2009, Rathmann was inducted into the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame.^[3]

The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. Dick Rathmann participated in 5 World Championship races. He started on the pole once and accumulated a total of 2 World Championship points.

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

• Rathmann qualified for the 1957 race, but was mugged the night before the event. He was replaced in the car by Johnnie Parsons.^[4]

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. ** – All laps led.)

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

• Dick Rathmann driver statistics at Racing-Reference