Jim McElreath

Jimmie Earl McElreath (February 18, 1928 – May 18, 2017) was an American open-wheel racing driver, known for competing in the USAC Championship car series. He won the inaugural California 500 in 1970, driving a spare car owned by A. J. Foyt.

Racing career McElreath began his racing career in 1945 at the age of 17. He raced stock cars in Dallas, Texas. McElreath would race in the local Texas bullrings for the next fifteen years while working as a bricklayer. It was in 1960 when he and fellow Texan racer Johnny Rutherford decided to race in the Midwest. Both would eventually find super modified rides in the International Motor Contest Association (IMCA). McElreath did well enough that by late-summer 1961 that he was offered a ride by fame car owner Lindsey Hopkins in the Hoosier Hundred, a race at the Indiana State Fairgrounds on the United States Auto Club (USAC) National Championship Trail. He finished third in this race, an impressive start to his Indy Car career.

McElreath raced in the 1961–1983 seasons, with 178 combined career starts, including 15 in the Indianapolis 500 in 1962–1970, 1973–1974, and 1977–1980. He finished 48 times in the top-five, with five victories. He was runner-up in the 1966 championship and third in 1963, 1965, and 1970. In 1962, he was named Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, a result of his sixth-place finish.

McElreath won the inaugural California 500 at Ontario, California on September 6, 1970, driving A.J. Foyt's team car. He battled with Art Pollard for the last 10 laps after Al Unser and Cale Yarborough retired with mechanical issues.

Award McElreath was a 2002 inductee to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame.

Personal life McElreath's son, James Jr., was killed in a sprint car crash at Winchester in October 1977. James Jr. had attempted to qualify for the 1977 Indy 500 earlier that year. Alongside his father, they were attempting to become the first father and son combination to qualify for the same race. However, James Jr. was too slow to make the field.

McElreath's daughter, Shirley, married racing driver Tony Bettenhausen Jr. The couple died when their private plane crashed in Kentucky in February 2000.

Complete USAC Championship Car results Year 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 Pos Points 1961 TRE INDY MIL LAN MIL SPR DUQ SYR ISF3 TRE21 SAC10 PHX4 18th 290 1962 TRE16 INDY6 MIL14 LAN7 TRE6 SPR5 MIL5 LAN7 SYR10 ISF3 TRE8 SAC14 PHXDNQ 8th 1,210 1963 TRE4 INDY6 MIL5 LAN2 TRE8 SPR6 MIL11 DUQ7 ISF5 TRE4 SAC3 PHX3 3rd 1,655 1964 PHX11 TRE INDY21 MIL9 LAN TRE SPR MIL DUQ ISF TRE SAC PHX 18th 320 1965 PHX TRE INDY20 MIL LAN PPR TRE IRP ATL LAN MIL ISF MIL DSF INF TRE SAC PHX 3rd 2,035 1966 PHX1 TRE3 INDY3 MIL LAN ATL PIP IRP LAN SPR MIL DUQ ISF TRE SAC PHX 2nd 2,430 1967 PHX15 TRE4 INDY5 MIL4 LAN11 PIP MOSWth MOS IRP4 LAN5 MTR12 MTR16 SPR12 MIL6 DUQ15 ISF5 TRE4 SACDNS HAN12 PHX20 RIVDNS 7th 1,750 1968 HAN LVG PHX TRE INDY14 MIL MOS MOS LAN PIP CDR NAZ IRP IRP LAN LAN MTR MTR SPR MIL DUQ ISF TRE SAC MCH HAN PHX RIV 21st 771 1969 PHXDNP HAN INDY28 MIL LAN PIP CDR NAZ TRE7 IRP13 IRP20 MIL8 SPRDNQ DOV18 DUQ9 ISF13 BRNDNQ BRN TRE11 SAC16 KEN KEN PHX9 RIV 23rd 400 1970 PHX6 SON TRE7 INDY5 MILDNS LAN CDR MCH IRP SPR3 MIL ONT1 DUQWth ISF10 SED13 TREDNP SAC16 PHX5 3rd 2,060 1971 RAF RAF PHX TRE INDYDNQ MIL POC27 MCH MIL ONT8 TRE27 PHX6 21st 370 1972 PHX TREDNQ INDYDNQ MIL10 MCH POCDNQ MIL ONTDNS TRE PHX 39th 45 1973 TWS TRE TRE INDY23 MIL11 POC11 MCH MIL4 ONT6 ONT ONT20 MCH MCH TRE5 TWS PHX16 19th 650 1974 ONT4 ONT ONT15 PHX10 TRE18 INDY6 MIL7 POC23 MCH MIL MCH TRE TRE PHX10 13th 700 1975 ONT ONT ONT18 PHX TREDNS INDY MIL POC MCH MIL MCH TRE PHX7 30th 90 1976 PHX10 TRE INDYDNQ MIL POC MCH TWS TRE MIL ONTDNQ MCH TWS PHX 36th 45 1977 ONT PHX TWS TRE INDY23 MILPOC24 MOS MCH12 TWS6 MIL ONT9 MCH5 PHX 21st 530 1978 PHX ONT TWS6 TRE7 INDY20 MOS MIL POC25 MCH7 ATL13 TWS12 MIL12 ONT20 MCH9 TREDNQ SIL BRH PHX12 19th 573 1979 ONT9 TWS14 INDY35 MIL POC2 TWS9 MILDNQ 6th 975 1980 ONT INDY24 MIL POC27 MOH 45th 25 1981-82 INDYDNQ POC7 ILL3 DUQ17 ISF24 INDYDNQ 12th 594 1983-84 DUQ29 INDY-0

Complete PPG Indy Car World Series results

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Pts Ref 1979 McElreath Racing PHX ATL ATL INDY35 TRE TRE MCH MCH WGL TRE ONT MCH ATL PHX-0 1980 McElreath Racing ONT INDY MIL WGL MIL ONT MCH MEX PHX 28th 240 Grant King Racing POC MOH MCH 1981 McElreath Racing PHX MIL ATL ATL MCH RIV MIL MCH WGL MEX PHX 36th 4 1982 PHX ATL MIL CLE MCH MIL POC RIV ROA MCH PHX 39th 3 1983 ATL11 INDY MIL CLE MCH13 ROA POC23 RIV MOHDNP MCH CPL LAG PHX 30th 2 1984 Dale Coyne Racing LBH PHXDNQ INDY MIL POR MEA CLE MCH ROA POC MOH SAN MCH PHX LAG CPL-0

Indianapolis 500 results Year Chassis Engine Start Finish 1962 Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser 7th 6th 1963 Watson Offenhauser 6th 6th 1964 Kurtis Kraft Novi 26th 21st 1965 Brabham Offenhauser 16th 20th 1966 Brabham Ford 7th 3rd 1967 Moore Ford 11th 5th 1968 Coyote Ford 13th 14th 1969 Brawner Hawk Offenhauser 7th 28th 1970 Coyote Ford 33rd 5th 1971 Coyote Ford Did not qualify 1972 Coyote Foyt Did not qualify 1973 Eagle Offenhauser 33rd 23rd 1974 Eagle Offenhauser 30th 6th 1976 Eagle Offenhauser Did not qualify 1977 Eagle AMC 20th 23rd 1978 Eagle Offenhauser 26th 20th 1979 Penske Racing Cosworth 19th 35th 1980 Penske Racing Cosworth 11th 24th 1981 Penske Racing Cosworth Sold Car 1982 King Chevrolet Did not qualify