Saturday 18th February 1928
Born on this day, Jim McElreath, USAC/CART driver. 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 in the top ten 101 times, with five victories. In 1962, he was named Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, a result of his 6th place finish. McElreath was a 2002 inductee to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame. Jim’s son, James Jr., was killed in a sprint car crash in 1977. Jim’s daughter, Shirley, married Tony Bettenhausen, Jr., with whom she died when their private plane crashed in Kentucky in February, 2000.
