Dick Rathmann

James Merwin "Dick" Rathmann (January 6, 1926 – 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." The name change stuck for life in public circles.

Rathmann drove in the AAA Championship Car series in the 1949 and 1950 seasons with four starts, including the 1950 Indianapolis 500. He finished in the top-ten once, in sixth position at Milwaukee in 1950.

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

In 1956, Rathmann 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 second 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.

World Championship career summary 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. Rathmann participated in five World Championship races. He started on the pole once and accumulated a total of two World Championship points.

Racing record

American open-wheel racing (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

USAC Championship Car Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pos Points 1949 ARL INDY MIL TRE SPR MIL DUQ PIK SYR DET SPR LAN SAC 17 DMR DNQ – 0 1950 INDY 32 MIL6 LAN13 SPR MIL PIK SYR DET SPR SAC PHX BAY DAR 35th 80 1956 INDY 5 MIL 21 LAN 15 DAR 15 ATL SPR DNQ MIL 25 DUQ SYR DNQ ISF DNQ SAC 9 PHX DNQ 16th 540 1957 INDY Rpl LAN MIL DET ATL SPR12 MIL16 DUQ SYR ISFDNQ TRE16 SAC PHXDNQ 39th 10 1958 TRE INDY 27 MIL 14 LAN ATL SPR MIL 24 DUQ SYR ISF TRE SAC PHX – 0 1959 DAY 5 TRE INDY 20 MIL DNQ LAN 7 SPR 6 MIL7 DUQ 12 SYR ISF DNQ TRE SAC PHX 16th 370 1960 TRE INDY 31 MIL 10 LAN 10 SPR MIL 3 DUQ DNQ SYR ISF DNQ TRE 10 SAC PHX 17th 370 1961 TRE 4 INDY 13 MIL 3 LAN 6 MIL 4 SPR 3 DUQ DNQ SYR ISF 10 TRE 20 SAC PHX 10th 750 1962 TRE 20 INDY 24 MIL DNQ LAN TRE 18 SPR MIL 16 LAN SYR ISF TRE SAC PHX – 0 1963 TRE INDY 10 MIL DNQ LAN TRE SPR MIL DUQ ISF TRE SAC PHX 23rd 150 1964 PHX TRE INDY 7 MIL LAN TRE SPR MIL DUQ ISF TRE SAC PHX 20th 300

Indianapolis 500

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

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

Grand National Series NASCAR Grand National Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 Pts Ref 1951 Warren Fraser 12 Ford DAB CLT NMO GAR 7 HBO 8th 1040 Walt Chapman 120 Ford ASF 28 NWS MAR Hudson CAN 9 CLS CLB 31 DSP 2 GAR GRS 2 BAI 2 HEI 31 AWS MCF ALS MOR 33 ABS 9 DAR CLB CCS OAK 20 NWS HMS JSP ATL GAR NMO 21 MSF 55 LAN 3 CLT 121 FMS 25 DSP 25 WIL HBO TPN PGS MAR 1952 120 PBS DAB 60 JSP NWS 23 MAR 1 CLB 3 ATL 16 CCS 24 LAN 1** DAR 1 DSP 1* FMS 2 HBO 3 CLT 5 MSF 38 NIF 12 OSW 3 MON 14 MOR PPS MCF 3 AWS 15 LAN 5 DSP 1 WIL 5 MAR 16* NWS 5 5th 3952.5 Ford CAN 11 HAY Walt Chapman 20 Hudson DAR 35 CCS Bruce Atchley 107 Hudson HBO 25 George Hutchens 2 Olds ATL 14 PBS 1953 Walt Chapman 120 Hudson PBS 22 DAB 12 HAR 2 NWS 2 CLT 13 RCH 2 CCS 1 CLB 16 HCY 5 MAR 3 PMS 2 RSP 6 LOU 2 FIF 2 LAN 1** TCS 2 WIL 2 MCF 2 PIF 10 MOR 1* ATL 2 RVS 2 LCF 1 DAV 4 HBO 19 AWS 14 PAS 4 DAR 42 CCS 16 LAN 1 BLF 2 WIL 6 NWS 24 MAR ATL 3rd 7362 Plymouth LAN 16 Olds HCY 12 1954 John Ditz 3 Hudson PBS 23 DAB 4 JSP 23 ATL 3 OSP NWS 1 HBO 4 CCS 2 LAN 3 WIL 13 MAR 11 SHA 3 RSP 2 CLB 3 LND 8 HCY 4 MCF 3 WGS 2 PIF 7 AWS 3 SFS 1* GRS 3 MOR 4* OAK CLT 2 DAR DNQ CCS CLT 4 LAN 7 MAS 2 MAR 4 NWS 5* 4th 6760 Ray Erickson OAK 1 Gene Comstock 108 Hudson CLT 13 GAR Don Oliver 12 Olds SAN 3 Frank Christian 8 Hudson COR 13 1955 John Ditz 13 Hudson TCS 13 18th 2298 3 PBS 4 JSP 2 OSP 3 CLB 3 NWS 2 MGY 9 LAN 4 CLT 18 HCY 17 ASF TUS MAR Ernest Woods 88 Olds DAB 13 Dave Terrell 98 Olds HBO 14 John Ditz 3 Chrysler RCH 24 NCF 23 FOR 4 LIN MCF FON AIR CLT PIF 14 CLB AWS MOR 27 ALS NYF DAR 62 MGY LAN 30 RSP GPS MAS CLB MAR LVP NWS HBO Don Oliver 5 Olds SAN 24 CLT FOR MAS RSP

Pacific Coast Late Model Division NASCAR Pacific Coast Late Model Division results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 Pts Ref 1954 Ray Erickson 3 Hudson OAK 1 CAS HMS BST OAK VSP 11th 660 Don Oliver 12 Olds SAN 3 BST CAP 1955 5 ASF TUS LAS COS HMS BST LAS SAN 24 COS BST LAS LVP LAS WSS – – 1956 Hoyt Platt 66 Mercury LAS ASF LAS LAS SMS LAS BMT POR LAS EUR MER BST HBS POR LAS BST CSF BMT COS BKS LAS SAN POR BST LAS HUG POR LAS SCF LAS WSS LAS DNQ – –

Complete Formula One World Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Pts 1950 A. J. Watson Watson Offenhauser L4 GBR MON 500 Ret SUI BEL FRA ITA NC 0 1956 Lee Elkins Kurtis Kraft 500C Offenhauser L4 ARG MON 500 5 BEL FRA GBR GER ITA 19th 2 1957 Chapman Root Kurtis Kraft 500G Offenhauser L4 ARG MON 500 Rpl FRA GBR GER PES ITA – – 1958 Lee Elkins Watson Offenhauser L4 ARG MON NED 500 Ret BEL FRA GBR GER POR ITA MOR NC 0 1959 Lee Elkins Watson Offenhauser L4 MON 500 Ret NED FRA GBR GER POR ITA USA NC 0 1960 Jim Robbins Watson Offenhauser L4 ARG MON 500 Ret NED BEL FRA GBR POR ITA USA NC 0