Gerard Carlton "Pete" Lovely (April 11, 1926 – May 15, 2011) was a racecar driver and businessman from the United States. He was born in Livingston, Montana.
Racing career On November 9, 1957, Lovely won the first ever race held at Laguna Seca, driving a Ferrari. Lovely participated in 11 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on May 10, 1959. He scored no championship points. He won the S3.0 class and achieved a podium overall at the 1960 12 Hours of Sebring with a Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa. He was best known in his Formula One career for racing various private Lotus cars in World Championship events (usually entered under the banner of 'Pete Lovely Volkswagen') including a hybrid made from a Lotus 69 Formula Two car fitted with a Formula One-specification, 3.0L Cosworth DFV V8 engine. After his retirement from Formula One he was an entrant in various kinds of racing in the USA until the 1980s. Lovely's racing career spanned more than 50 years, and he continued to participate in Vintage and Historic events into the 2000s.
Business career Lovely opened "Pete Lovely Volkswagen", a Volkswagen dealership in Fife, Washington, in 1954 and ran it for 34 years. He also owned "Pete Lovely Racing" which restored vintage race cars.
Pete's only son, Chris, began working on Pete's cars at a young age and went on to become a highly respected mechanic in Can-Am, CART, Champ Car and IndyCar, working for championship-winning teams.
Death
Lovely died on May 15, 2011 at his home in Tacoma, aged 85 from Alzheimer's disease.
Racing record
Complete Formula One World Championship results (key) Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pts 1959 Team Lotus Lotus 16 Climax FPF 2.5 L4 MON 500 NED FRA GBR GER POR ITA USA NC 0 1960 Fred Armbruster Cooper T51 Ferrari 107 2.5 L4 ARG MON 500 NED BEL FRA GBR POR ITA USA NC 0 1969 Pete Lovely Volkswagen Inc. Lotus 49B Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 RSA ESP MON NED FRA GBR GER ITA CAN USA MEX NC 0 1970 Pete Lovely Volkswagen Inc. Lotus 49B Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 RSA ESP MON BEL NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA MEX NC 0 1971 Pete Lovely Volkswagen Inc. Lotus 69 Special Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 RSA ESP MON NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA NC 0
Complete Formula One Non-Championship results (key) Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1959 Team Lotus Lotus 16 Climax FPF 2.5 L4 GLV AIN INT OUL SIL 1969 Pete Lovely Volkswagen Inc. Lotus 49B Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ROC INT MAD OUL 1970 Pete Lovely Volkswagen Inc. Lotus 49B Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ROC INT OUL 1971 Pete Lovely Volkswagen Inc. Lotus 49B Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ARG ROC QUE SPR INT RIN OUL VIC
Complete World Sportscar Championship results
12 Hours of Sebring YearEntrantNoCarDriversClassLaps1960 Jack Nethercutt8Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa 59 Ferrari V12 2996 Jack Nethercutt Pete LovelyS3.01863rd1st19619Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa 59 Ferrari V12 2996 Jack Nethercutt Pete LovelyS3.01DNF Oil Pump
References
Sources Profile at www.grandprix.com