Francis "Frank" André (April 24, 1927 – March 8, 1999) was a Canadian dirt modified racing driver whose career spanned two countries and four decades. In an era when trophies were only awarded for championships and special events, André collected over 70.[2]
| Frank André | |
|---|---|
| Born | Francis J. André April 24, 1927 Windsor, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | March 8, 1999 (aged 71)[1] |
| Modified racing career | |
| Debut season | 1949 |
| Car number | The X Car |
| Championships | 2 |
| Finished last season | 1972 |
Racing career
editFrank André won his first race at the Shannoville Speedway in 1949.[2] He was routinely victorious at race venues on either side of the St. Lawrence River, including the Beamish Hill Speedway ON, Edgewood Speedway NY, Evans Mills Speedway NY, and Kingston Speedway ON.[3][4] He claimed the Watertown Speedway NY track championship in 1963 and 1965.[2][5]
André's final win, came in 1972 at the Brewerton Speedway NY, where he came from the back of the starting grid to take the checkered flag. In April 1992, he was the only Canadian among the charter members of the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame, where his famous X car is on permanent display.[2][6]
References
edit- ^ "Francis James André". Kingston & District Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Kennedy, Patrick (April 11, 1992). "Twenty years later…Andre drives home another winner". The Kingston Whig-Standard. p. 17. Retrieved November 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Drivers jolt jalopies into junk". Ottawa Citizen. September 29, 1952. p. 10. Retrieved November 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Kennedy, Murray (September 29, 1952). "Frank Andre wins features at Kingston, Alexandria Bay". The Kingston Whig-Standard. p. 17. Retrieved November 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Andre wins feature after three restarts". The Post-Standard. July 11, 1966. p. 65. Retrieved November 10, 2023 – via NewspaperArchive.
- ^ "Dirt Legends Wimble, Andre among first 12 enshrined in new hall of fame". Watertown Daily Times. April 12, 1992. Retrieved November 9, 2023 – via NNY 360Archives.