AXEL ANDERSON
And His '55 Mercury
In 1955 Axel Anderson of Patchogue, LI, had been racing for seven years, In January he left All State Stock Car Club and joined NASCAR. He kicked off his new racing affiliation in a big way when he purchased a '55 Mercury at Young & Young Lincoln Mercury in Patchogue, It was a forest green Monterey or Custom model, most likely with the optional 198 HP 292 cubic inch engine and dual exhaust. The base sticker was $2,465.00
According to his wife Ruth (who I interviewed in 1995 ) it's main purpose was supposed to be for a shop car for Axel Anderson Trucking . Axel obviously had some other things too in mind for the Merc. Here it is in Reid's Patchogue Service Station in February '55 getting lettered up for a long drive to Florida down Highway 1-A ( no interstates) and entry into the NASCAR Grand National Daytona Beach & Road Course Race. ( Axel drove it there along with a few pals, including Long Island All State drivers Eddie Brunnhoelzl, George Peters and George Cousin)
AND THEY ARE OFF FEB 27, 1955
Axel was one of the 11 rookies in this race. He started 41st ( somewhere near that red arrow )
That is Fireball Roberts on the pole. Fireball. driving a Buick won, but got disqualified upon post race teardown and ended up dead last.
AND WHEN IT WAS OVER 39 LAPS & 160 MILES LATER AXEL WAS
15th !
He wasn't in it for the money as Axel got $75.00 for his finish. It had to of cost him a whole lot more than that to race that day.
Even if he won, the 2 grand first place purse would not of paid for the price of the car, that no longer looked new when it was over.
Eddie Brunnhoelzl told me the windshield was completely sand blasted.
HOWEVER !
The number 15 would be associated with both Axel and his son Wayne's racing cars from that day forward
especially back on Long Island
PARTIAL DAYTONA RESULTS FEB 27, 1955
In September of '55, Axel entered his '55 Merc in another NASCAR Grand National. This one was a 250 mile race held at Langhorne. PA. Though he made 150.00 for the laps he completed in this one, it nearly cost him everything as he had a serious crash on lap One Hundred & "15" that put him in the hospital in critical condition. His recooperation took about 6 months. It was the end of the Anderson Mercury, that Ruth said still had to be paid for.
LANGHORNE RESULTS SEPT 18, 1955
BY THE SUMMER OF 1956 AXEL WAS BACK IN HIS MODIFIED AND
TOOK THE CHAMPIONSHIP THAT YEAR AT RIVERHEAD RACEWAY.
AXEL''S ENTIRE 5 DECADE LONG & COLORFUL RACING STORY. IS TOLD IN THE BOOK
"LONG RIDE ON A SHORT TRACK"
ALONG WITH THOSE OF 18 MORE LEGENDARY DRIVERS
FOR FULL INFORMATION ON IT