Dick Rathmann

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

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 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

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]

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. Dick Rathmann participated in 5 World Championship races. He started on the pole once and accumulated a total of 2 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	MIL 6	LAN 13	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	SPR 12	MIL 16	DUQ	SYR	ISF DNQ	TRE 16	SAC	PHX DNQ		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	MIL 7	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

Year Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired 1950 45 18 130.928 17 32 25 0 Stalled 1956 18 4 144.471 6 5 200 0 Running 1957 73   140.780 Withdrew 1958 97 1 145.974 1st 27 0 0 Crash T3 1959 73 4 144.248 5 20 150 0 Fire in the pit 1960 97 4 145.543 6 31 42 0 Brake Line 1961 97 6 146.033 8 13 164 0 Fuel Pump 1962 9 13 147.161 13 24 51 0 Magneto 1963 22 17 149.130 14 10 200 0 Running 1964 23 12 151.860 17 7 197 0 Flagged Totals 1029 0

Starts 9 Poles 1 Front Row 1 Wins 0 Top 5 1 Top 10 3 Retired 6

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

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	NGNC	Pts	Ref
1951	Warren Fraser	12	Ford	DAB	CLT	NMO	GAR 7	HBO																																									8th	1040	^[5]
	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	^[6]
			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	^[7]
			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	^[8]
	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	^[9]
		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	NPCC	Pts	Ref
1954	Ray Erickson	3	Hudson	OAK 1	CAS	HMS	BST	OAK	VSP																											11th	660	^[10]
	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																			–	–	^[11]
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	–	–	^[12]

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	WDC	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

References

1. "Dick Rathman". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
2. "The Talk of Gasoline Alley - May 11, 2011
3. "West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame". West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame. Retrieved 16 March 2012.
4. "Wheeling, dealing for final spot in Indy 500 is under way". St. Joseph Gazette. 1984-05-24. Retrieved 2012-04-02.
5. "Dick Rathmann – 1951 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
6. "Dick Rathmann – 1952 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
7. "Dick Rathmann – 1953 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
8. "Dick Rathmann – 1954 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
9. "Dick Rathmann – 1955 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
10. "Dick Rathmann – 1954 Pacific Coast Late Model Division Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
11. "Dick Rathmann – 1955 Pacific Coast Late Model Division Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
12. "Dick Rathmann – 1956 Pacific Coast Late Model Division Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 5, 2022.

External links

• Dick Rathmann driver statistics at Racing-Reference