THE LINE

November 30, 2011

(Image © 2011 - John Thawley Motorsports Photography - http://www.johnthawley.com)

Editor-in-Chief's Note: We're pleased to be able to bring you the best images from the 2011 racing season as shot by our friend and maestro of Sportscarinsider.com, John Thawley. John and I go way back to a time when we were both doing completely different things, and it has not only been fun to see this chapter of John's life develop in living color (or black&white as the case may be), but it has been a thrill to be able to display the scintillating images of someone whom I consider to be one of the outstanding photographers working in the business today. Enjoy the "best of" gallery from "JT" here, and we look forward to seeing his work in the pages of AE again next year. - PMD

(Indianapolis Motor Speedway)
Jim Rathmann, winner of both the 1960 Indianapolis 500 and the international 500-mile "Race of Two Worlds" in 1958 at Monza, Italy, died on November 23rd. Rathmann was already a three-time runner-up in the "500" (1952, 1957 and 1959) when he scored his greatest victory in 1960. In that memorable race Rathmann and Rodger Ward staged an epic two-hour duel for the win with the two drivers spending the entire second half of the race rarely more than a few feet from each other. The lead changed hands six times in the final 30 laps until Ward happen to notice telltale discoloration appearing in the center of his right front tire, indicating that the cords were about to show through. He led as late as Lap 197 before reluctantly slowing down to salvage second as a greatly relieved Rathmann nursed his ailing tires to the finish and won at a record average speed of 138.767 mph.

As an illustration of just how different things were in those days, the winning Ken-Paul Special was a brand-new Offenhauser-powered car Rathmann had commissioned from his old friend A. J. Watson on behalf of Rathmann's partners, Kenny Rich and Paul Lacy. Rathmann and his chief mechanic, Chickie Hirashima, drove a station wagon out to Watson's shop in Glendale, Calif., to pick up the car whereupon they loaded it on to an open trailer and then towed it back to the Midwest themselves. More than rewarded by the eventual first-place prize money checks totaling a record $110,000, Rathmann later estimated the entire investment at only $35,000.

Rathmann went on to run a very successful go-kart business that produced the highly sought-after Rathmann Xterminator and he even held the rights to retrieving centuries-old treasure chests, firearms and cannons from sunken pirate ships off the coast of Florida. In later years Rathmann owned a successful Cadillac and Chevrolet dealership in Melbourne, Fla. Close friends with all of the early astronauts, Rathmann actually pulled off a most unlikely coup by having one of them discreetly affix a Rathmann car dealership decal to the famous golf cart that was driven on the surface of the moon! Yet another venture was the G.C.R. Corporation team that contested the USAC championship series in 1966 and 1967, the "G" being for Gus Grissom, the "C" for Gordon Cooper and "R" for Rathmann.

Rathmann was inducted into the Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2007. He passed away in a hospice in Melbourne, Fla., nine days after suffering a seizure at his home. He was 83. Rathmann is survived by wife Kay, sons Jimmy and Jay, stepsons Zack and Tosh Pence, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

A special thanks to the IMS Media folks for the above details about Jim Rathmann.

 

  Randy Bernard, IndyCar. Randy Bernard has announced organizational changes in the commercial and operations/competition divisions of the sanctioning body of the IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights effective Jan. 1. As first reported by Indy car media guru Robin Miller, the IndyCar CEO announced that Terry Angstadt has resigned as Commercial Division President and will be succeeded by Marc Koretzky, who joined IndyCar in May as Director of Corporate Business Development. Also, "because of increasing demands on the Competition and Operation division," IndyCar will split the responsibilities of President of Operations and Race Director into separate positions. Brian Barnhart will remain President of Operations, overseeing the operational and logistical areas, while IndyCar is reviewing candidates to fill the position of Race Director. Removing Barnhart from IndyCar race control is a move Bernard had to make, as Barnhart had lost all respect with the drivers and the situation had grown intolerable.

Editor-in-Chief's Note: Check out Michelin's racing website - "Michelin Alley" - and get in on all of the behind-the-scenes buzz. Go here. - PMD

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