Pete Hamilton was born on July 20, 1942 in
Dedham, Massachusetts. In 1967, Hamilton won the NASCAR Late
Model Sportsman Championship title. He made his NASCAR Grand
National Division debut in 1968 driving Rocky Hinton’s #5 Ford
in 10 of the year’s 49 events. In his third Grand National
event, the Tidewater 250 at Langley Field Speedway, Hampton,
Virginia, Hamilton finished 5th. Hamilton then recorded a second
place finish behind race winner Richard Petty at the Smoky
Mountain Raceway at Maryville, Tennessee. Hamilton then made 6
more starts driving A. J. King’s #1 Dodge. In 16, starts,
Hamilton logged 3 top-5s and 6 top-10s. His strong showing
earned him the 1968 NASCAR Grand National Division Rookie of the
Year title.Hamilton returned to NASCAR’s premier division in
1969 driving King’s #1 Dodge at Daytona. He qualified 2nd for
his Twin 125 qualifier race for the Daytona 500 and finished
8th. Unfortunately, a crash on lap 44 took Hamilton out of the
event. He then drove Banjo Matthew’s #27 Ford in the Atlanta 500
qualifying 21st and finishing 5th.
In 1970, Richard Petty put Hamilton behind the wheel of the
#40 Petty Enterprises Plymouth and Hamilton rose to the
occasion. He won the Daytona 500 after starting 9th. He finished
3rd in the Atlanta 500 and then won again in the Alabama 500 at
Talladega. He qualified on the pole for the Motor State 400 at
Michigan and finished second to Cale Yarborough. He qualified
4th for the Talladega 500 and recorded his third win of the
season. He finished 3rd in the Southern 500. Dick Brooks put
Hamilton in his #32 Plymouth for the Tidewater 300 at Hampton,
Virginia and Hamilton brought it home in 3rd place. For the
season, Hamilton made 16 starts and recorded 1 pole, 3 wins, 10
top-5s, and 12 top-10s driving Plymouth Superbirds.
Chrysler/Dodge pulled is financial support from the NASCAR teams
in the later part of the 1970 season and Petty Enterprises was
forced to reduce the number of cars it fielded. Hamilton’s #40
was not in the budget without Chrysler’s backing.
In 1971, Cotton Owens chose Hamilton to drive his #6
Plymouth. Hamilton won his Twin 125 qualifier at Daytona, but an
engine failure dropped him from the running in the Daytona 500.
He qualified on the pole for the Yankee 400 at Michigan, but
once again suffered an engine failure during the running of the
event. Hamilton qualified on the pole for the Texas 500 at
College Station, Texas and finished 4th. Despite 6 engine
failures during the season and a handful of other mechanical
failures, Hamilton recorded 2 poles, 11 top-5s and 12 top-10s in
22 starts.
In 1972, Hamilton drove the Housby Racing #5 Plymouth in 5
events suffering engine failures in 3 events, and crashing out
of the fourth event. In the American 500 at Rockingham, North
Carolina, Hamilton qualified 4th and finished 5th to record his
only top-5 of the year. In 1973, Hamilton started 2 events and
lost an engine in both failing to score a top-10 finish.
Hamilton retired from racing in 1973. He would later be quoted
to say, "Years ago my wife Suzy and I made a decision to go
forward instead of looking back. We wanted to continue living
life."
Career
Accomplishments:
1967 NASCAR Late
Model Sportsman Championship
1968 NASCAR Grand
National Division Rookie of the Year
1970 Daytona 500
winner
