Later became a car salesman for Buick in Anderson, Indiana, where he lived for many years. Died in 2009, after a long battle with ill-health. McWithey began his career in 1949, racing only in Indiana, before taking up sprint cars three years later, where he competed across the Mid-West, but also in Tennessee. McWithey then moved up to the USAC sprint division and became a specialist in dirt track racing, winning many races at Langhorne, Pennsylvania. Jim came third in the USAC Sprint Car Championship in 1958 and 1959, before then also focusing on his Indianapolis 500 efforts. McWithey was forced to retire in 1961 by a thyroid condition that had bothered him for a while, which led to him having the thyroid removed. He moved to Florida in 1981 and spent four years there, before moving back to Anderson, where he suffered a stroke in 1987, which combined with no thyroid, continued to cause him problems for years afterwards.

Biography last updated 28 Jul 2016