James William Rigsby, born on 6 June 1923 in Spadra, Arkansas, was part of the fearless generation of American racers who built their reputations on dirt ovals, raw speed and sheer bravery during motorsport’s most dangerous era. Tough, determined and deeply committed to racing, Rigsby became known on the American sprint car circuit at a time when drivers regularly risked everything every time they climbed into the cockpit.
Driver Bio
| Nationality | American |
| Birthplace | Spadry, Arkansas, USA |
| Born | 6 June 1923 |
| Died | 31 August 1952 |
| First Grand Prix | 1950 Indianapolis 500 |
| Last Grand Prix | 1952 Indianapolis 500 |
| Years Active | 1950, 1952 |
| Current/Last Team | Watson |
Like many competitors of the post-war years, Rigsby earned his reputation the hard way — racing powerful open-wheel machines on unforgiving tracks across the United States, where mechanical failures, minimal safety equipment and close-quarters competition made every event a test of nerve as much as talent.
Although his career was tragically short, Rigsby was respected as one of the hard-charging drivers of the American racing scene in the early 1950s, competing in the gritty, spectacular world of sprint car racing that helped lay the foundations of modern American motorsport.
His life was cut short on 31 August 1952 when he was fatally injured in a crash during a sprint car event in Dayton, Ohio. He was just 29 years old.
Grand Prix Stats
| Race Entries | 2 |
| Race Starts | 1 |
| Did Not Start | 0 |
| Best Race Start | 26th |
| Best Race Finish | 12th |
| Retirements | 0 |
| First-Lap Retirements | 0 |
| Not Classified | 0 |
| Disqualified | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 1 |
Qualifying
| Qualifying Sessions | 2 |
| Reached Q3 | 0 |
| Q2 Eliminations | 0 |
| Q1 Eliminations | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 1 |
Stats by Season
| Year | Constructor | Entries | Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | Fastest Laps | Front Rows | DNF | Best Start | Best Result | Pts Finishes | Points | Championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Watson | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26th | 12th | 0 | 0 | NC |
