Gil Andersen
Gilbert Andersen (sometimes misspelled Anderson) (November 27, 1879[1] – September 20, 1930) was an American racecar driver active during the formative years of auto racing.
Gilbert "Gil" Andersen | |
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![]() Andersen at the 1915 Indianapolis 500 | |
Born | |
Died | September 20, 1930 51) Logansport, Indiana, United States | (aged
Nationality | American |
Biography
Gilbert "Gil" Andersen was born on November 27, 1879, in Horten, Vestfold county, Norway.[2] He later became a citizen of the United States. He married Elsie Olsen on March 3, 1909, in Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota[3] He competed in the first six Indianapolis 500 races, appearing in annual races from 1911 through 1916.[2] For the 1911 Indianapolis 500, all of the drivers except for Gil Andersen were American citizens.[4] One of his major victories was in the 1913 Elgin Road Race, which he won at an average speed of 71 mph.[5] On October 9, 1915, Andersen set a new auto speed record of 102.6 mph, winning the first Astor Cup race at Sheepshead Bay. N.Y.[6] In 1928 Andersen established a new American stock car speed record, when he clocked 106.52 mph in a Stutz Blackhawk on the measured mile at Daytona Beach, Florida.[7]
He worked as an engineer for the Stutz Motor Company. Stutz was in operation from 1911 and continued through 1935. Gil Andersen also was an engineer for the ReVere Motor Company.[8] ReVere Motor Company was located in Logansport, Cass County, Indiana is a defunct luxury car manufacturing company which was in operation from 1918 until 1926.[9]
Gil Andersen died of pulmonary tuberculosis on September 20, 1930, in Logansport, Indiana at age 51.[2]
Indy 500 results
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Images
- Gil Andersen's crashed Stutz at T3 in the 1912 Indianapolis 500
- Gil Andersen at the 1915 Indianapolis 500
- Andersen's #28 car (second from left), preparing for the 1916 Indianapolis 500
References
- "Info Taken From WWI Draft Registration". familysearch.org. Retrieved June 3, 2017.
- "Gil Andersen Dies: Was Famous Auto Racer Years Ago". The Indianapolis Star. Indianapolis, IN. September 21, 1930. pp. 1, 7. Retrieved December 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Minnesota Marriages 1849 - 1950". FamilySearch.
- 1911 Indianapolis 500(Autoblog)
- "STUTZ WINS ELGIN RACE.; Anderson Drives Winning Car at 71 1/2 Miles an Hour". New York Times. August 31, 1913. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
- The Encyclopedia of American Facts & Dates, Gordon Carruth, Eighth Edition, Harper & Row
- "Andersen to Pilot Stutz in Dual Stock Car Race". Milwaukee Sentinel. March 18, 1928. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
- "History of the ReVere Automobile Company from Hemming's Auto Magazine". www.hemmings.com. Retrieved June 3, 2017.
- Gil Andersen (The Indy 500 drivers — Where are they now?)
- Gil Andersen, Extended driver stats (ChampCarStats.com)
External links
- Gil Andersen driver statistics at Racing-Reference
- The ReVere Motor Company
- Stutz Club