Pete Lovely

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.

Pete Lovely
Born(1926-04-11)April 11, 1926
Livingston, Montana
DiedMay 15, 2011(2011-05-15) (aged 85)
Tacoma, Washington
Formula One World Championship career
NationalityUnited States American
Active years1959–1960, 1969–1971
TeamsLotus (mostly as privateer), non-works Cooper
Entries11 (7 starts)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points0
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1959 Monaco Grand Prix
Last entry1971 United States Grand Prix

Racing career

On November 9, 1957, Lovely won the first ever race held at Laguna Seca, driving a Ferrari.[1][2] Lovely participated in 11 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on May 10, 1959. He scored no championship points. 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.[3][4]

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.

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 WDC Pts
1959 Team Lotus Lotus 16 Climax FPF 2.5 L4 MON
DNQ		 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
11		 NC 0
1969 Pete Lovely Volkswagen Inc. Lotus 49B Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 RSA ESP MON NED FRA GBR GER ITA CAN
7		 USA
Ret		 MEX
9		 NC 0
1970 Pete Lovely Volkswagen Inc. Lotus 49B Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 RSA ESP MON BEL NED
DNQ		 FRA
DNQ		 GBR
NC		 GER AUT ITA CAN USA
DNQ		 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
NC		 USA
NC		 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
15		 OUL SIL
1969 Pete Lovely Volkswagen Inc. Lotus 49B Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ROC
6		 INT
Ret		 MAD OUL
1970 Pete Lovely Volkswagen Inc. Lotus 49B Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ROC
Ret		 INT
13		 OUL
1971 Pete Lovely Volkswagen Inc. Lotus 49B Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ARG ROC QUE
DNQ		 SPR INT RIN OUL VIC

References
  1. "Laguna Seca Raceway Fund- 50 years". Archived from the original on 17 May 2009. Retrieved 7 October 2009.
  2. Nicole Brodeur, The Seattle Times, article: https://www.seattletimes.com/news/a-lovely-tribute-to-race-car-legend/
  3. http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/05/19/1671022/pete-lovelys-life-centered-around.html%5B%5D
  4. Tacoma News Tribune deadlink story copy/pasted on GGLotus website --- https://www.gglotus.org/gghotnews/pete-lovely/body-plovely.htm

Sources
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