Keith Andrews was an American racecar driver whose passion for speed carried him to the top levels of motorsport, and tragically, to his untimely end, as a part of the daring generation that helped shape the golden era of American open-wheel racing.
| Nationality | American |
|---|---|
| Born | Keith Phillip Andrews 15 June 1920 Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| Died | 15 May 1957 (aged 36) Speedway, Indiana, U.S. |
Death
The 1957 Indianapolis 500 was scheduled to feature one notable European entry, former Formula One World Champion Giuseppe Farina. However, Farina’s car proved difficult to tame; it struggled for pace and suffered persistent handling issues. On 15 May, during a practice session, Keith Andrews climbed into Farina’s car to see if he could diagnose or correct the problem.
What followed was a devastating accident. As Andrews accelerated down the front stretch, the car began to fishtail. When he tried to regain control, it snapped around and slammed backwards into the inside wall that separated the track from the pit lane. The impact crushed Andrews between the cowl and the fuel tank; mercifully, the wreck didn’t burst into flames. Sadly, he was killed instantly.
In the aftermath, a shaken Farina withdrew his entry from the race, lacking both a replacement car and the heart to continue. Andrews’s death was a sombre reminder of the unforgiving risks of motorsport in an era when courage often outpaced technology.
Formula One History Recommends
Keith Andrews Formula One World Championship career
| F1 Career | 1955–1957 |
|---|---|
| Teams | Schroeder, Kurtis Kraft |
| Entries | 3 (2 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1955 Indianapolis 500 |
| Last entry | 1957 Indianapolis 500 |
Keith Andrews Complete Formula One Results
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | John McDaniel | Schroeder | Offenhauser L4 | ARG | MON | 500 20 | BEL | NED | GBR | ITA | NC | 0 | |
| 1956 | Dunn Engineering | Kurtis Kraft 500B | Offenhauser L4 | ARG | MON | 500 26 | BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | ITA | NC | 0 |
| 1957 | Giuseppe Farina Racing | Kurtis Kraft 500G | Offenhauser L4 | ARG | MON | 500 DNQ | FRA | GBR | GER | PES | ITA | NC | 0 |
