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	1967NASCAR Sportsman Division Champion 1970 Daytona 500 Winner 1974, 1975World Series of Asphalt Super Late Model Champion 1974Snowball Derby Winner 1975 Rattler 250 Winner
Awards	1968NASCAR Grand National SeriesRookie of the Year New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame (1998)
NASCARCup 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 (July 20, 1942 – March 21, 2017) was an American professionalstock car racing driver. He competed inNASCAR for six years, where he won four times in his career (including the 1970Daytona 500), three times driving forPetty Enterprises.

Hamilton began racing in the street division in 1962 atNorwood Arena Speedway inMassachusetts, where he quickly earned the nickname "The Dedham Flash".^[1] In 1965, he was the Thompson World Series Twin 50s champion. He won the 1967 NASCAR national Sportsman division championship.^[1]

After that season he moved south to race in NASCAR. He started racing in the NASCAR Grand National division in 1968, and was the seriesRookie of the Year.^[1] In 1969, he competed in NASCAR'sGrand American division, a division of smallerpony cars.^[1] He won 12 of 26 races that year.^[1]

He had 3 wins in 1970 forPetty Enterprises in the No. 40Plymouth Superbird withMaurice Petty as his crew-chief. He won the1970 Daytona 500 andboth races atTalladega Superspeedway.^[1] Hamilton won his Twin 125 mile qualifying race for the1971 Daytona 500 drivingCotton Owens' No. 6 Plymouth,^[1] finishing the season with one pole and 11 top five finishes. He retired from full-time NASCAR racing after 1973 because of complications from a neck injury in a 1969 Grand American race.^[1]

Hamilton continued to compete in short track races, and won the 1974Snowball Derby in hislate model racecar.

Pete helped Chrysler's Larry Rathgeb^[2] develop their "Kit-Car", a weld-it-yourself Volare or Aspen late model stock car that any racer could order from Plymouth and Dodge dealers.^[3] He moved to Norcross, Georgia, and worked as a car builder and mentor to many drivers on the 1980s southern dirt tracks, launching successful racing careers for Marvin Oliver and James Shepherd.

He was inducted into theNew England Auto Racers Hall of Fame in 1998 in its inaugural class.^[1]Pete was named to the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in 2012.^[4]

Hamilton was born outsideBoston inDedham, and raised in nearbyNewton, Massachusetts. He was the son of Roger S. Hamilton, once the Dean ofNortheastern University. He graduated from Newton High School in 1960. He married his wife, Susan Huckstorf in 1970. After racing, he owned a warehouse in Atlanta. He spent his time betweenDuluth, Georgia andActon, Maine.

Hamilton died on March 21, 2017, at the age of 74 due to complications of a stroke.^[5] He was buried at Peachtree Memorial Park in Norcross, Georgia. He was survived by his wife of forty-seven years and a daughter.

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

• Pete Hamilton driver statistics at Racing-Reference
• "2 Minutes With..." Interview video

• 1942 births
• 2017 deaths
• Sportspeople from Dedham, Massachusetts
• Racing drivers from Boston
• NASCAR drivers
• American Speed Association drivers
• Newton North High School alumni
• Daytona 500 winners

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