American race car driver. McElreath was the son of Jim McElreath Sr., a veteran of 15 Indianapolis 500 classics with a personal best 3rd place finish in 1966 and winner of the inaugural California 500 race. At the time of his death, he had been racing for 7 years and had been named Rookie-of-the-Year for the United States Auto Club's midget division in 1976. He was also active in the USAC sprint car and championship divisions. James and his father had made history in June of 1977 by becoming the first father-son combo to earn a starting position in a USAC championship race at the Pocono 500. They also competed against each other in championship division events at Michigan, Milwaukee, Ontario and the Texas World Speedway. It was expected that he and his father would become the first father-son combo to compete against each other in the Indianapolis 500 in 1978. He was tragically killed on a first lap accident in the feature sprint car race at the Winchester (IN) Speedway when several cars piled up in front of him. McElreath's car ran over another car's tire and was propeled over the retaining wall of the high-banked oval and into a tree. He died of severe head and neck injuries about an hour after his accident at Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, IN.
American race car driver. McElreath was the son of Jim McElreath Sr., a veteran of 15 Indianapolis 500 classics with a personal best 3rd place finish in 1966 and winner of the inaugural California 500 race. At the time of his death, he had been racing for 7 years and had been named Rookie-of-the-Year for the United States Auto Club's midget division in 1976. He was also active in the USAC sprint car and championship divisions. James and his father had made history in June of 1977 by becoming the first father-son combo to earn a starting position in a USAC championship race at the Pocono 500. They also competed against each other in championship division events at Michigan, Milwaukee, Ontario and the Texas World Speedway. It was expected that he and his father would become the first father-son combo to compete against each other in the Indianapolis 500 in 1978. He was tragically killed on a first lap accident in the feature sprint car race at the Winchester (IN) Speedway when several cars piled up in front of him. McElreath's car ran over another car's tire and was propeled over the retaining wall of the high-banked oval and into a tree. He died of severe head and neck injuries about an hour after his accident at Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, IN.
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