Lew Russell Robinson (June 2, 1933 – February 6, 1971Motorsportmemorial.org (retrieved October 4, 2018)), nicknamed "Sneaky Pete", was an American drag racer.Jim Robinson (deceased cousin) Jon Robinson (surviving cousin) Sean Robinson (surviving cousin) Sandra Robinson Obituary from Legacy.com
Biography Robinson was born in Atlanta, Georgia.Motorsportmemorial.org (retrieved October 4, 2018) 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 Robinson started drag racing in 1950, at the wheel of a Buick-engined B/Gas 1940 Ford, which he continued to campaign until 1961. Motorsportmemorial.org (retrieved October 4, 2018)
Dragsters Robinson purchased his first slingshot rail 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."Motorsport.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) ) immediately began trimming weight off the car, reducing it from over the course of three months.Motorsport.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) He improved its performance from a previous quickest pass of 9.50 seconds to a 9.13.Motorsport.com (retrieved October 4, 2018)
A focus on weight reduction prompted Robinson switch to a Cobra engine, which was lighter than the Chevrolet.Motorsport.com (retrieved October 4, 2018)
He gained national attention at NHRA's 1961 Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park in his small-block Dragmaster-chassiedUltimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) gas dragster, eliminating Tom McEwen (not yet known as "Mongoo$e") to win AA/GD before beating Dode Martin to take the Top Eliminator title. Motorsportmemorial.org (retrieved October 4, 2018) Along the way, he set low e.t. of the meet with an 8.68 second pass, which contributed to his "Sneaky Pete" appellation.Motorsport.com (retrieved October 4, 2018)
At the 1962 NHRA Winternationals, Robinson reached the semi-final in Top Eliminator before being defeated by eventual event winner Nelson.Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018)
Robinson also attended the 1963 NHRA U.S. Nationals at IRP.Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018)
Top Fuel
1964 Robinson moved up to Top Fuel in 1964. He did compete in Top Gas at the U.S. Nationals, losing in the final to Gordon Collett.Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018)
1965 Relying on a new Ford "Cammer", he reached TF/D final the 1965 Springnationals at Bristol Motor Speedway, being eliminated by Maynard Rupp.Motorsport.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) In Top Gas at that event, he lost to Collett again.Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018)
1966 Robinson started his 1966 Top Fuel season at the AHRA Winter Nationals at Irwindale Dragway in Irwindale, California.Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) At Pomona, he was eliminated in the second round by Mike Snively (driving for Roland Leong).Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) Robinson was eliminated in round one at Bristol.Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) At the NASCAR Summer Nationals, held at Dragway 42 in West Salem, Ohio, he qualified #2, and defeated #10 qualifier Joe Jacono in round 1, Chris "The Greek" Karamesines (#14 qualifier) in round two, and #16 qualifier Connie Kalitta in the semi-final, before losing in the final to #1 qualifier Nick Marshall.Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) At the Nationals, he lost in round one to Nick Marshall.Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018)
Robinson took his first Top Fuel win just over a month later, the World Finals, at Tulsa Raceway Park in Tulsa, Oklahoma.Motorsport.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) He eliminated Kalitta in round one and Wayne Burt in the semi-final,Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) before defeating Dave Beebe in the final Motorsportmemorial.org (retrieved October 4, 2018) with a 7.17 second pass.Motorsport.com (retrieved October 4, 2018)
1967 Robinson started the 1967 season with a victory over Jerry "King" Ruth, but a loss in the semi-final to Kalitta, at Pomona.Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018)
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,Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) before being beaten in the final by Don "The Snake" Prudhomme.Motorsport.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) During the 1967 season, he also tied McEwen's record 6.92 second pass.Motorsport.com (retrieved October 4, 2018)
1968 Beeline Dragway in Scottsdale, Arizona hosted the AHRA Winter Nationals to start the 1968 season. With the field including Tom Hoover, Frank Pedgregon, Leroy Goldstein, Danny Ongais, Tom "Mongoo$e" McEwen, and Chris "The Greek" Karamesines, Robinson again lost to Prudhomme in the final.Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) At a match race at OCIR in March, Robinson joined Larry Dixon, Prudhomme, Kalitta, McEwen, and Don "Big Daddy" Garlits; Garlits would ultimately be beaten in the final by Vic Brown.Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) At the Springnats at Englishtown, again facing the likes of Karamesines, Prudhomme, Kalitta, and Garlits, Robinson failed to qualify.Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018)
1969 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.Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) The AHRA Spring Nationals featured a field of sixteen, again hosting Goldstein (once more the eventual winner), Karamesines, and Prudhomme; Robinson qualified #15.Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) At the NHRA Nationals, he was eliminated in round one by eventual winner Prudhomme.Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) The event was marred by John "The Zookeeper" Mulligan's wreck; Mulligan died of his burns sixteen days later.Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018)
1970 The 1970 AHRA Winter Nationals saw Robinson qualify #14 in a field of 16, only to lose in round one to #3 qualifier John Wiebe; the early loss earned Robinson just US$200.Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) Robinson won TF/D at the Summernationals, at York U.S. 30 Dragway in Thomasville, Pennsylvania,Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) by beating Jim Nicoll in the final Motorsportmemorial.org (retrieved October 4, 2018) It earned him US$7250.Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) Later that year, he won the 1970 AHRA World Championship at Bristol, beating Jimmy King in the final. Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) Before the year ended, he went back to IRP for the NHRA U.S. Nationals, eliminating Chip Woodall in round 1 and Bob Murray in round two before losing in round three to Prudhomme.Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) Robinson attended the 1970 NHRA World Finals at DIMS, in Lewisville, Texas; it was won by Ronnie Martin.Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) Robinson went back to Beeline for the 1970 AHRA Winter Nationals, but failed to make the field.Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018)
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.Motorsport.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) He hired Bud Dabler to drive his new ground effect-equipped dragster, instead.Motorsport.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) Dabler disliked the car.Motorsport.com (retrieved October 4, 2018)
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.Ultimateracinghistory.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) At the first ANRA Grand American Series event of the 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.Motorsport.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) At Pomona on 6 February, he qualified with a 6.77, low e.t. of the day.Motorsport.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) 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.Motorsport.com (retrieved October 4, 2018)
Death and legacy Robinson was taken to hospital in Pomona and died later that day.Motorsport.com (retrieved October 4, 2018) He was 37. Motorsportmemorial.org (retrieved October 4, 2018)
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..."Motorsport.com (retrieved October 4, 2018)
He would be listed #22 on NHRA.'s list of its Top 50 Greatest Drivers.Motorsport.com (retrieved October 4, 2018)
Robinson was survived by his daughter, Kelly Robinson Vann (Glen).
Notes
Sources Brown, Allan E. The History of America's Speedways - Past & Present, 2nd edition. Comstock Park, MI, United States, 1994. . Steve Klemetti's Drag Racing Statistics Page
External links
NHRA.com (bio page) Atlas F1 forum Hotrod.com NHRA.net (bio page) Hot Rod magazine (bio page)