Lew Russell Robinson (June 2, 1933 – February 6, 1971[1]), nicknamed "Sneaky Pete", was an American drag racer.[2]
Biography
Robinson was born in Atlanta, Georgia.[3]
Robinson was born Lew Russell Robinson but is best known as Pete or "Sneaky Pete". Pete is the son of Olaf Robinson brother to Lowell Galen Robinson or "LG". Olaf had two sons Torch and Pete Robinson. Pete married wife Sandra Robinson on October, 27 1962, at the family home in Fitzgerald. They lived in Atlanta where Pete owned Pete's Engineering Company and raced NHRA top fuel dragsters. Pete's wife traveled with him to the races, and helped her husband run his business until his death.
Career
Gassers
He started drag racing in 1950, at the wheel of a Buick-engined B/Gas 1940 Ford, which he continued to campaign until 1961.[4]
Dragsters
Robinson purchased his first slingshotrail from a wealthy friend, who was unable to persuade his father it was merely a go kart. Robinson, obsessive about lightening his cars (once quipping, "Anything that falls to the ground when you let it go from your hand is way too heavy to be on my race car."[5] ) immediately began trimming weight off the car, reducing it from 1,256 to 1,120 lb (570 to 508 kg) over the course of three months.[6] He improved its performance from a previous quickest pass of 9.50 seconds to a 9.13.[7]
It was the focus on weight reduction that prompted him to switch to a 289 cu in (4,740 cc) Cobra engine, which was 50 lb (23 kg) lighter than the Chevrolet.[8]
Robinson started the 1967 season with a victory over Jerry "King" Ruth, but a loss in the semi-final to Kalitta, at Pomona.[27]
He suffered a broken arm in tire testing early in the year, but still made it to the TF/D final of the 1967 Springnationals at Bristol, eliminating Tom Hoover in round one and Leroy Goldstein ("the Israeli Rocket") in the semi-final,[28] before being beaten in the final by Don "The Snake" Prudhomme.[29] During the 1967 season, he also tied McEwen's record 6.92 second pass.[30]
Opening the 1969 season, Robinson returned to Beeline, qualifying #30 for the AHRA Winter Nationals, in a field that included Goldstein (the eventual winner), Hoover, Karamesines, Prudhomme, Kalitta, and Dixon.[34] The AHRA Spring Nationals featured a field of sixteen, again hosting Goldstein (once more the eventual winner), Karamesines, and Prudhomme; Robinson qualified #15.[35] At the NHRA Nationals, he was eliminated in round one by eventual winner Prudhomme.[36] The event was marred by John "The Zookeeper" Mulligan's wreck; Mulligan died of his burns sixteen days later.[37]
Following his successful 1970 season, now being the only driver left running a 427 Cammer, and having lost factory support, Robinson decided to retire and concentrate on building lightweight casings for superchargers, differentials, and similar components.[46] He hired Bud Dabler to drive his new ground effect-equipped dragster, instead.[47] Dabler disliked the car.[48]
1971
Entering at Lions for a 1971 AHRA TF/D event, Robinson was eliminated in round one by Rick Ramsey, which paid just US$200.[49] At the first ANRA Grand American Series event of the 1971 season, Robinson clocked the quickest pass of his career, a 6.50, in the new car, and decided to enter at the 1971 Winternats, only three weeks away.[50] At Pomona on 6 February, he qualified with a 6.77, low e.t. of the day.[51] On a subsequent pass, the chassis twisted, causing the front tires to separate from the rims; Robinson, in the right lane, hit the guardrail, and the car broke in pieces.[52]
Death and legacy
He was taken to hospital in Pomona and died later that day.[53] He was thirty-seven.[54]
At his death, Robinson was "one of the sport's best-liked gentlemen". Don Garlits, himself an innovator, respected Robinson's engineering: "Pete was always on the edge of the envelope..."[55]
He would be listed #22 on NHRA.'s list of its Top 50 Greatest Drivers.[56]
Pete Robinson's wife died April 18, 2020 at her home. Pete Robinson and his wife are survived by his daughter, Kelly Robinson Vann (Glen), two nieces, Carol Bishop (Joe) and Leah Masters (Chuck), there great nephew and great nieces, Matthew Bishop (Mary), Philip Bishop (Anna) Sarah Keadle(Karl), Katherine McMahon (Kieran), Margaret Harris(Ryan), Andrea Sandbach(Taylor), their children. Other surviving relatives would be cousins Jon Robinson, Sean Lowell Robinson, Lowell Gordan Robinson, Clarence Robinson, Charles "Manny" Robinson, Elizabeth "Liz" Robinson Miller, Mary Ellen Robinson Smith, Dorothy Robinson Davis, and Robert L Robinson great grandchildren of Lowell Galen Robinson (Pete Robinsons uncle).