Pete Hamilton

Peter "Pete" Hamilton (born July 20, 1942 in Newton, Massachusetts) is an American retired NASCAR racer. He won four times in his career (including the 1970 Daytona 500), three times driving for Petty Enterprises.

Racing career

Hamilton began racing in the street division in 1962 at Norwood Arena Speedway. In 1965, he was the Thompson World Series Twin 50s champion. He won the 1967 NASCAR National Sportsman division in 1967.

After that season he moved south to race in NASCAR. He started racing in the NASCAR Grand National (now Sprint Cup) division in 1968, and was the series Rookie of the Year. In 1969, he competed in NASCAR's Grand American division, a division of smaller pony cars. He won 12 of 26 races that year.

He had 3 wins in 1970 for Petty Enterprises in the #40 Plymouth Superbird with Maurice Petty as his crew-chief. He won the 1970 Daytona 500 and both races at Talladega Superspeedway. He won his fourth race of the season at the July Daytona race in Cotton Owens' car. Hamilton won his Twin 125 mile qualifying race for the 1971 Daytona 500. He retired from full-time racing in 1971 because of a neck injury suffered in a Grand American race in 1969.