Jim Rathmann

Who was Jim Rathmann?

Jim Rathmann, born Royal Richard Rathmann, was an American race car driver who won the Indianapolis 500 in 1960.

He drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series in the 1949–1950 and 1952–1963 seasons with 42 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 in each of those seasons. Rathmann also participated in the two runnings of the Race of Two Worlds at Monza, Italy, winning the 1958 event. He had 6 victories in addition to his Indy 500 win. He also drove in 3 races in the NASCAR series from 1949 to 1951.

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

On August 15, 2007, Rathmann was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. The ceremony took place in Detroit. He died in 2011 after a seizure.