Gilbert J. Andersen (born Gulbrand, November 27, 1879[1] – September 20, 1930) was an American racing driver active during the formative years of auto racing.

Gil Andersen
Andersen at the 1915 Indianapolis 500
BornGulbrand J. Andersen
(1879-11-27)November 27, 1879
Horten, Vestfold, Norway
DiedSeptember 20, 1930(1930-09-20) (aged 50)
Logansport, Indiana, U.S.
Champ Car career
31 races run over 8 years
First race1910 Remy Brassard #1 (Indianapolis)
Last race1917 Uniontown Race #3 (Uniontown)
First win1913 Elgin National Trophy (Elgin)
Last win1915 Astor Cup (Sheepshead Bay)
Wins Podiums Poles
3 10 0

Biography

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Andersen was born on November 27, 1879, in Horten, Vestfold county, Norway.[2] Andersen and his family emigrated to Chicago, Illinois, in 1895, whereupon Andersen took the name Gilbert. He later became a citizen of the United States. He married Elsie Olsen on March 3, 1909, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[3] He competed in the first six Indianapolis 500 races, appearing in annual races from 1911 through 1916.[2]

One of Andersen's major victories was in the 1913 Elgin National Road Races, which he won at an average speed of 71 mph.[4] On October 9, 1915, he set a new auto speed record of 102.6 mph, winning the first Astor Cup race at Sheepshead Bay. New York.[5] 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.[6]

Andersen worked as an engineer for the Stutz Motor Company. Stutz was in operation from 1911 and continued through 1935. He also was an engineer for the ReVere Motor Company,[7] located in Logansport, Cass County, Indiana.[8]

Andersen died of pulmonary tuberculosis on September 20, 1930, in Logansport, Indiana, at age 50.[2]

Motorsports career results

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Indianapolis 500 results

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[9]

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References

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  1. ^ "Info Taken From WWI Draft Registration". familysearch.org. Retrieved June 3, 2017.[dead link]
  2. ^ a b c "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.  
  3. ^ "Minnesota Marriages 1849 - 1950". FamilySearch.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ The Encyclopedia of American Facts & Dates, Gordon Carruth, Eighth Edition, Harper & Row
  6. ^ "Andersen to Pilot Stutz in Dual Stock Car Race". Milwaukee Sentinel. March 18, 1928. Retrieved January 28, 2013.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ "History of the ReVere Automobile Company from Hemming's Auto Magazine". www.hemmings.com. Retrieved June 3, 2017.
  8. ^ Gil Andersen (The Indy 500 drivers — Where are they now?[1])
  9. ^ Gil Andersen, Extended driver stats (ChampCarStats.com)
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