Jim McElreath

 ( 1928 Births ) 

Jimmie Earl McElreath (February 18, 1928 – May 18, 2017) was an American open-wheel racing driver, known for competing in the USAC Championship car series. He won the inaugural California 500 in 1970, driving a spare car owned by A. J. Foyt.

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Racing career Jim began his racing career in 1945 at the age of 17. He raced stock cars in Dallas, Texas. Jim would race in the local Texas bullrings for the next fifteen years while working as a bricklayer. It was in 1960 when he and fellow Texan racer Johnny Rutherford decided to race in the Midwest. Both would eventually find super modified rides in the International Motor Contest Association (IMCA). Jim did well enough that by late-summer 1961 that he was offered a ride by fame car owner Lindsey Hopkins in the Hoosier Hundred, a race at the Indiana State Fairgrounds on the United States Auto Club (USAC) National Championship Trail. He finished third in this race, an impressive start to his Indy Car career.

He raced in the 1961–1983 seasons, with 178 combined career starts, including 15 in the Indianapolis 500 in 1962–1970, 1973–1974, and 1977–1980. He finished 48 times in the top 5, with five victories. He was runner-up in the 1966 championship and third in 1963, 1965, and 1970. In 1962 he was named Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, a result of his 6th-place finish.

Jim won the inaugural California 500 at Ontario, California on September 6, 1970, driving A.J. Foyt's team car. He battled with Art Pollard for the last 10 laps after Al Unser and Cale Yarborough retired with mechanical issues.

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Award McElreath was a 2002 inductee to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame.

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Personal life Jim's son, James Jr., was killed in a sprint car crash at Winchester in October 1977. James Jr. had attempted to qualify for the 1977 Indy 500 earlier that year. Alongside his father, they were attempting to become the first father and son combination to qualify for the same race. However, James Jr. was too slow to make the field. The Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 2, 2007

Jim's daughter, Shirley, married racing driver Tony Bettenhausen Jr. The couple died when their private plane crashed in Kentucky in February 2000.

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Complete USAC Championship Car results

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Complete PPG Indy Car World Series results

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Indianapolis 500 results

1962	Kurtis Kraft	Offenhauser	7th	6th
1963	Watson	Offenhauser	6th	6th
1964	Kurtis Kraft	Novi	26th	21st
1965	Brabham	Offenhauser	16th	20th
1966	Brabham	Ford	7th	3rd
1967	Moore	Ford	11th	5th
1968	Coyote	Ford	13th	14th
1969	Brawner Hawk	Offenhauser	7th	28th
1970	Coyote	Ford	33rd	5th
1971	Coyote	Ford	Did not qualify
1972	Coyote	Foyt	Did not qualify
1973	Eagle	Offenhauser	33rd	23rd
1974	Eagle	Offenhauser	30th	6th
1976	Eagle	Offenhauser	Did not qualify
1977	Eagle	American Motors	20th	23rd
1978	Eagle	Offenhauser	26th	20th
1979	Team Penske	Cosworth	19th	35th
1980	Penske Racing	Cosworth	11th	24th
1981	Penske Racing	Cosworth	Sold Car
1982	King	Chevrolet	Did not qualify

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Notes

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External links

• Jim McElreath Wins Big In Ontario Motor Speedway Debut
• Flashback Friday: October 16, 1977. James McElreath Jr's Last Lap
• Race car drivers reunite to celebrate Jim McElreath's 85th birthday

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