Dick Rathmann
BornJames Merwin Rathmann
(1926-01-06)January 6, 1926
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
DiedFebruary 1, 2000(2000-02-01) (aged 74)
Melbourne, Florida, U.S.
Champ Car career
41 races run over 11 years
Years active1949–1950, 1956–1964
Best finish10th – 1961
First race1949 Golden State 100 (Sacramento)
Last race1964 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
Wins Podiums Poles
0 3 3
NASCAR Cup Series career
129 races run over 5 years
Best finish3rd (1953)
First race1951 Race 4 (Carrell)
Last race1955 Race 37 (Langhorne)
First win1952 Race 5 (Martinsville)
Last win1954 Race 24 (Santa Fe)
Wins Top tens Poles
13 79 13
Formula One World Championship career
Active years1950, 1956–1960
TeamsWatson, Kurtis Kraft, Lesovsky
Entries6 (5 starts)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points2
Pole positions1
Fastest laps0
First entry1950 Indianapolis 500
Last entry1960 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]

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
  • 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.
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