Pete Hamilton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pete Hamilton
Hamilton and his 1970 Plymouth race car
Born	Peter Goodwill Hamilton (1942-07-20)July 20, 1942 Dedham, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	March 21, 2017(2017-03-21) (aged 74) Johns Creek, Georgia, U.S.
Achievements	1967 NASCAR Sportsman Division Champion 1970 Daytona 500 Winner 1974 Snowball Derby Winner
Awards	1968 NASCAR Grand National Series Rookie of the Year New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame (1998)
NASCAR Cup Series career
64 races run over 6 years
Best finish	21st (1970)
First race	1968 Fireball 300 (Weaverville)
Last race	1973 Atlanta 500 (Atlanta)
First win	1970 Daytona 500 (Daytona)
Last win	1971 Daytona 500 Qualifier #1 (Daytona)
Wins Top tens Poles 4 33 3
Statistics current as of October 29, 2013.

Peter Goodwill Hamilton (born July 20, 1942 – died March 21, 2017) was an American professional stock car racing driver. He raced in NASCAR for six years. During his career, he won four races, including the famous 1970 Daytona 500. Three of his wins were while driving for the legendary Petty Enterprises team.

Racing Career Highlights

A street replica of Pete Hamilton's Plymouth Superbird, like the one he won the 1970 Daytona 500 with.

Pete Hamilton started his racing journey in 1962. He raced in the street division at Norwood Arena Speedway in Massachusetts. He quickly earned the nickname "The Dedham Flash." In 1965, he became the Thompson World Series Twin 50s champion. He then won the 1967 NASCAR national Sportsman division championship.

After this success, he moved south to race in NASCAR. He began racing in the NASCAR Grand National division in 1968. That year, he was named the series' NASCAR Rookie of the Year. In 1969, he competed in NASCAR's Grand American division. This division featured smaller, sporty cars called "pony cars." He won 12 out of 26 races that year.

In 1970, Hamilton had three big wins for Petty Enterprises. He drove the No. 40 Plymouth Superbird with Maurice Petty as his crew chief. He won the 1970 Daytona 500, one of NASCAR's biggest races. He also won both races at Talladega Superspeedway that year. In 1971, he won his qualifying race for the 1971 Daytona 500. He was driving Cotton Owens' No. 6 Plymouth. He finished that season with one pole position and 11 top-five finishes. He stopped racing full-time in NASCAR after 1973. This was due to problems from a neck injury he got in a 1969 Grand American race.

Even after leaving full-time NASCAR, Hamilton kept racing in shorter track events. He won the 1974 Snowball Derby in his late model racecar.

Helping Other Racers

Pete Hamilton also helped develop a special "Kit-Car" for Chrysler. This was a racecar that any racer could order from Plymouth and Dodge dealers. It was designed to be welded together by the racers themselves.

Later, he moved to Norcross, Georgia. There, he worked as a car builder. He also became a mentor to many drivers on the southern dirt tracks in the 1980s. He helped launch the successful racing careers of Marvin Oliver and James Shepherd.

Awards and Recognition

Pete Hamilton was honored for his racing achievements. In 1998, he was inducted into the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame. He was part of its very first group of inductees. In 2012, he was also named to the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame.

About His Life

Hamilton was born in Dedham, Massachusetts, near Boston. He grew up in nearby Newton, Massachusetts. His father, Roger S. Hamilton, was once the Dean of Northeastern University. Pete graduated from Newton High School in 1960. He married Susan Huckstorf in 1970. After his racing career, he owned a warehouse in Atlanta. He split his time between Duluth, Georgia and Acton, Maine.

His Passing

Pete Hamilton passed away on March 21, 2017. He was 74 years old. His death was due to problems from a stroke. He was buried at Peachtree Memorial Park in Norcross, Georgia. He was survived by his wife of 47 years and his daughter.