Royal Richard "Jim" Rathmann (July 16, 1928 – November 23, 2011), was an Americanracing driver who competed primarily inChampionship Cars. Rathmann is best known for winning theIndianapolis 500 in1960, emerging victorious after a race-long duel withRodger Ward – as recently as 2023, a panel of fans and historians voted Rathmann's victory as the greatest '500' of all time. In Europe he is well-known for winning the 1958Race of Two Worlds.

Rathmann and his older brother swapped names while teenagers. As a 16-year-old going by the name ofDick Rathmann, he wanted to start racing. To enter races, he borrowed his older brother's I.D. and assumed the identity of"Jim Rathmann."^[1] The name change stuck for life in public circles.

Rathmann drove in theAAA andUSACChampionship Car series in the 1949–1950 and 1952–1963 seasons with 38 starts, including theIndianapolis 500 during each of those seasons. He had 2 victories in addition to his Indianapolis 500 win, including theUSAC Daytona 100.

Rathmann also participated in the two runnings of theRace of Two Worlds atMonza,Italy, winning the 1958 race, a non-championship event.

Starting in the middle of the first row, Rathmann ran in the front the entire race. From the midway point on, Rathmann and fellow driverRodger Ward were locked in a neck and neck duel for first. Tire wear became an issue as the race wore on and Rathmann was able to keep his wheels fresh long enough to outrace Ward to the finish. The race featured the most recorded lead changes in Indianapolis 500 history, and has often been considered the greatest Indianapolis 500 ever run.^[2][3][4]

Rathmann competed in threeNASCAR races from 1949 to 1951, competing in one race during each of those years. He debuted in 1949 atLanghorne, dropping out with mechanical issues. In 1950, Rathmann raced at the prestigiousDaytona Beach Road Course. Starting 17th in this event, Rathmann finished 12th. In his final race in 1951, Rathmann started 9th atDetroit, but dropped out with mechanical issues.

TheAAA/USAC-sanctioned Indianapolis 500 was included in theFIAWorld Drivers' Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indianapolis during those years were credited with World Drivers' Championship points and participation in addition to those which they received towards theAAA/USACNational Championship.

Rathmann participated in ten World Drivers' Championship races at Indianapolis. He won once, finished in thetop three four times, recorded two fastest laps, and accumulated 29 World Drivers' Championship points. Rathmann's points total is the largest number of World Drivers' Championship points earned by a driver competing solely in the Indianapolis 500.

Rathmann later owned aChevrolet-Cadillac dealership inMelbourne, Florida, where he befriended astronautsAlan Shepard,Gus Grissom, andGordon Cooper. Rathmann convinced GM PresidentEd Cole to set up a program which supplied each astronaut with a pair of new cars each year. Most chose a family car for their wives and a Corvette for themselves.^[5]Alan Bean recalls Corvettes lined up in the parking lot outside the astronaut offices at theJohnson Space Center in Houston, and friendly races between Shepard and Grissom along the Florida beach roads.^[6]

After retiring from the car business, Rathmann lived with his wife, Mary Kay, inIndialantic, Florida.^[7]

During the decades after his victory, Rathmann was a regular visitor to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during May each year. He drove the pace car several times. However, he missed the 100th-anniversary celebration in2011 due to failing health. Rathmann died on November 23, 2011. He had reportedly suffered a seizure at his home days earlier and died at a hospice center in Melbourne, Florida.^[4]

Rathmann has been inducted into the following halls of fame:

• Florida Sports Hall of Fame (1978)^[8]
• Auto Racing Hall of Fame (1993)^[9]
• Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2007)^[10]

(key) (Races initalics indicate fastest lap)

• Jim Rathmann - ChampCarStats.com
• Jim Rathmann - Motorsport Memorial
• Jim Rathmann driver statistics at Racing-Reference

• 1928 births
• 2011 deaths
• Indianapolis 500 drivers
• Indianapolis 500 winners
• NASCAR drivers
• People from Indialantic, Florida
• Racing drivers from Brevard County, Florida
• Racing drivers from Alhambra, California
• World Sportscar Championship drivers
• Formula One race winners
• USAC Stock Car drivers
• Carrera Panamericana drivers

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