Royal Richard “Jim” Rathmann occupies a special place in American racing and F1 history: a tough, instinctive driver whose career bridged dirt tracks, speedways, stock cars, and even the global stage. Best remembered for his unforgettable triumph at the Indianapolis 500 in 1960, Rathmann was also the winner of the 1958 Race of Two Worlds, giving him a rare international résumé for an American Championship Car driver of his era. Decades later, in 2023, fans and historians voted his 1960 Indianapolis victory the greatest “500” ever run—a testament to both the man and the moment.
| Nationality | American |
|---|---|
| Born | Royal Richard Rathmann 16 July 1928 Alhambra, California, U.S. |
| Died | 23 November 2011 (aged 83) Melbourne, Florida, U.S. |
Rathmann’s racing story begins with a youthful sleight of hand that became legend. As a teenager desperate to race, he and his older brother swapped identities. At just 16, racing under his brother’s name, he entered events as “Jim Rathmann.” The ruse worked—and the name stuck. From that point on, the borrowed identity became inseparable from one of the most respected careers in American open-wheel racing.
Championship Cars
Rathmann competed in the AAA and later USAC Championship Car series during the 1949–1950 and 1952–1963 seasons. Across 38 starts, he appeared in the Indianapolis 500 every eligible year, a mark of remarkable durability and competitiveness in an unforgiving era. Along the way, he recorded three career victories: two on the championship trail, including the USAC Daytona 100, and his crowning Indianapolis success.
Rathmann was a driver who could run at the front, conserve his equipment, and strike decisively when it mattered—skills that would define his finest hour.
The Race of Two Worlds
American drivers rarely crossed the Atlantic in the 1950s, but Rathmann did—and conquered. At Monza, on the high-speed oval, he captured the 1958 Race of Two Worlds, a dramatic non-championship showdown between American and European machinery. The victory cemented his international standing and showcased American Championship Car racing on a global stage.
1960 Indianapolis 500
The 1960 Indianapolis 500 is racing folklore—and Rathmann was at its centre. Starting from the middle of the front row, he ran among the leaders from the opening laps. As the race unfolded, it evolved into a prolonged, tactical duel with Rodger Ward.
From halfway onward, the two traded the lead repeatedly, pushing each other to the limit while managing the day’s critical variable: tyre wear. Rathmann’s judgment proved decisive. By preserving his tyres just long enough, he outpaced Ward in the closing stages and claimed victory. The race set a record for lead changes and has been widely hailed—officially by fans and historians alike—as the greatest Indianapolis 500 ever contested.
Stock cars
Rathmann’s versatility extended beyond open-wheel racing. Between 1949 and 1951, he made three starts in NASCAR competition. His debut came at Langhorne in 1949, ending early with mechanical trouble. In 1950, he tackled the iconic Daytona Beach Road Course, starting 17th and finishing a respectable 12th. His final stock car appearance came in 1951 at Detroit, where he started ninth before mechanical issues again intervened.
F1 World Championship
From 1950 through 1960, the Indianapolis 500 counted toward the FIA World Drivers’ Championship, placing American specialists into the global record books.
Rathmann competed in ten such championship events, all at Indianapolis. His record was exceptional: one win, four podium finishes, two fastest laps, and a total of 29 World Drivers’ Championship points. To this day, that remains the highest points total earned by a driver whose World Championship participation came exclusively at Indianapolis.
Life after racing
After stepping away from competition, Rathmann settled into business life as the owner of a Chevrolet–Cadillac dealership in Melbourne, Florida. There, he formed friendships with astronauts Alan Shepard, Gus Grissom, and Gordon Cooper.
Always an enthusiast, Rathmann persuaded GM president Ed Cole to create a program supplying astronauts with two new cars each year—typically a sensible family car for home and a Corvette for personal enjoyment. The result became legend: rows of Corvettes outside astronaut offices and friendly high-speed contests along Florida’s coastal roads, recalled fondly by fellow astronaut Alan Bean.
Following his retirement from the automotive business, Rathmann lived with his wife, Mary Kay, in Indialantic, Florida.
Final years and passing
Even decades after his victory, Rathmann remained closely tied to Indianapolis. He was a familiar and welcome presence at the Speedway each May and served as pace car driver on several occasions. Declining health prevented him from attending the 100th-anniversary celebration in 2011.
Rathmann passed away on 23 November 2011, after suffering a seizure days earlier. He died at a hospice centre in Melbourne, Florida.
Honours and recognition
Jim Rathmann’s achievements have been formally recognised with induction into three major halls of fame:
- Florida Sports Hall of Fame (1978)
- Auto Racing Hall of Fame (1993)
- Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2007)
Taken together, his story is one of a racer who borrowed a name but earned his place among the immortals of motorsport.
Jim Rathmann Formula One World Championship career
| F1 Career | 1950, 1952 – 1960 |
|---|---|
| Teams | Wetteroth, Kurtis Kraft, Moore, Epperly, Watson |
| Entries | 10 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 1 |
| Podiums | 4 |
| Career points | 29 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 2 |
| First entry | 1950 Indianapolis 500 |
| First win | 1960 Indianapolis 500 |
| Last win | 1960 Indianapolis 500 |
| Last entry | 1960 Indianapolis 500 |
Jim Rathmann Wins
| Win No. | Grand Prix |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1960 Indianapolis 500 |
Jim Rathmann Teammates
| 5 drivers | Involvement | First Year | Last Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Hanks | 1 | 1954 | |
| Art Cross | 1 | 1954 | |
| Bill Holland | 1 | 1954 | |
| Dick Rathmann | 1 | 1956 | |
| Bud Clemons | 1 | 1957 |
Jim Rathmann Complete Formula One Results
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | WDC | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Pioneer Auto Repair | Wetteroth | Offenhauser L4 | GBR | MON | 500 24 | SUI | BEL | FRA | ITA | NC | 0 | ||||
| 1952 | Grancor-Wynn’s Oil | Kurtis Kraft 3000 | Offenhauser L4 | SUI | 500 2 | BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | NED | ITA | 10th | 6 | |||
| 1953 | Travelon Trailer | Kurtis Kraft 500B | Offenhauser L4 | ARG | 500 7 | NED | BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | SUI | ITA | NC | 0 | ||
| 1954 | Bardahl | Kurtis Kraft 500C | Offenhauser L4 | ARG | 500 28 | BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | SUI | ITA | ESP | NC | 0 | ||
| 1955 | Belond Miracle Power | Epperly | Offenhauser L4 | ARG | MON | 500 14 | BEL | NED | GBR | ITA | NC | 0 | ||||
| 1956 | Hopkins | Kurtis Kraft 500C | Offenhauser L4 | ARG | MON | 500 20 | BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | ITA | NC | 0 | |||
| 1957 | Chiropractic | Epperly Indy Roadster | Offenhauser L4 | ARG | MON | 500 2 | FRA | GBR | GER | PES | ITA | 10th | 7 | |||
| 1958 | Leader Card 500 Roadster | Epperly Indy Roadster | Offenhauser L4 | ARG | MON | NED | 500 5 | BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | POR | ITA | MOR | 21st | 2 |
| 1959 | Simoniz | Watson Indy Roadster | Offenhauser L4 | MON | 500 2 | NED | FRA | GBR | GER | POR | ITA | USA | 11th | 6 | ||
| 1960 | Ken-Paul | Watson Indy Roadster | Offenhauser L4 | ARG | MON | 500 1 | NED | BEL | FRA | GBR | POR | ITA | USA | 8th | 8 |
