Racer Profile: Elias Anderson — There Is A Way

Elias is a partner in a construction firm that does heavy civil work (foundations, dams, bridge abutments, retaining walls) on federal, state and local projects. He started that business after 8 years of professional racing. His racing background shows a few things. First of all, if you have no money and want to race, sometimes there is a way. Secondly, there is no one set path; as is often the case, patience and perserverance are critical. 

 

• 1990: Began racing in a Street Stock 1971 Barracuda that he built.

• 1991-1994: Ran IMCA Modifieds, running in about 150 races per year. Approximately 80 wins and 400 top 5 finishes. Even though prize money might top out at $1000 per race, Elias finished high enough in enough races to make a living in racing.

• 1991-1994: Designed and built modifieds. General model was to build a car, race it, win and sell it; repeat.

• 1995: Raced Sprint cars. At the time there was only one Sprint car track in Texas, and it was shut down mid-season.

• 1997: Moved to Indianapolis to work for Aerodine Composites (motorsports and aerospace contract work; Zipp bicycle wheels).

• 1997: raced Sprint cars in the midwest. By this time the 360 c.i. engine was no longer competitive. Sold car.

• 1998-present: founded and manages MAC, Inc.

• 1998 – 2010: ran an average of 20 races per year in USMTS Modifieds. With an abbreviated schedule, this was a hobby not a way to make a living.

• 2011-2012: designed and built an EV Pike’s Peak car with goal of setting new EV record. Ran it in 2012 against Monster Tajima (GoPro), Toyota, Mitsubishi and Sanyo Yokohama factory cars. Finished 3rd in class, with an 11:02 time (previous EV record was 12:45). The race run was Elias’s first time to ever drive the complete course bottom to top.

• 2013-2014: designed and built the Akita, an affordable, mixed-surface, motorcycle drivetrain race car. While not the right product for the market, this work added to Elias’s CAD skills.