Peter Kuhn

{{Short description|American racing driver (1955–2009)}} {{more references needed|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox person | image =Peter_Kuhn_-_race_car_driver.jpg | caption = Peter Kuhn }} '''Peter Kuhn''' (April 14, 1955, in Summit, New Jersey – June 25, 2009, in Stafford Township, New Jersey ) was an American race car driver. In 1980, he won both the USAC and SCCA Formula Super Vee championships. Late in the 1984 season, he competed in the CART World Series for McCray Racing, making his debut at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, but was knocked out after 20 laps by a broken gearbox. A week later, he failed to qualify at Sanair Super Speedway. In his next race at Michigan International Speedway, he registered his best finish of 16th. His final start came at Laguna Seca Raceway, but he was sidelined after 14 laps by engine overheating. He later became the executive vice president and general manager for ROBCO Racing Team and an American Le Mans Series team owner.<ref>Brown, Allen.[http://www.oldracingcars.com/driver/Peter_Kuhn Where are they now? - Peter Kuhn], ''OldRacingCars.com''</ref>

Born in Summit, New Jersey, Kohn had been a resident of Chatham Township and the Basking Ridge section of Bernards Township.<ref>Staff. [http://www.nj.com/hunterdon-county-democrat/index.ssf/2009/06/peter_h_kuhn_accomplished_race.html "Peter H. Kuhn, accomplished race car driver"], ''Hunterdon County Democrat'', June 29, 2009. Accessed August 15, 2016. "Born in Summit, April 14, 1955, he was a son of Jean Henry and Elizabeth 'Lib' Dowd Kuhn. Mr. Kuhn had resided in Franklin Township since 1995, having formerly lived in Basking Ridge and Chatham Township."</ref>

After leaving the world of motor sports to focus on his family, Kuhn became a self-employed contractor. On June 25, 2009, he died of a heart attack while body surfing in Long Beach Island, New Jersey.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Democrat |first=Hunterdon County |date=2009-06-29 |title=Peter H. Kuhn, accomplished race car driver |url=https://www.nj.com/hunterdon-county-democrat/2009/06/peter_h_kuhn_accomplished_race.html |access-date=2024-09-27 |website=nj |language=en}}</ref>

==Honours==

===SCCA Super Vee (USA)=== * 1980

===USAC Mini-Indy (USA)=== * 1980

==Racing record==

===SCCA National Championship Runoffs===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" |- ! Year !! Track !! Car !! Engine !! Class !! Finish !! Start !! Status |- | 1978 || Road Atlanta || Van Diemen || Ford || Formula Ford ||style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3 || 2 || Running |}

===Formula Super Vee=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" |- ! Year ! Team ! Chassis ! Engine ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! 10 ! 11 ! 12 ! 13 ! 14 ! Rank ! Points |- | 1980 ! Bill Scott Racing, Driftwood-BSR ! Ralt RT1/78, RT5/80 ! VW Brabham |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| '''CLT''' Ret |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL Ret |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| POC 6 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| WG1 Ret |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| MOH 7 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''ROA 1''' |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| BRN 1 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| MN1 1 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| MN2 1 |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| ONT 3 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| MCH 1 |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| '''WG2''' 2 |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| RIV 3 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| '''PHX''' 4 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''1st''' |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''123''' |- !colspan="20"|{{center|{{small|Source:<ref>{{cite web |title=Formula Super Vee USA Robert Bosch/Valvoline Championship 1980 standings |url=https://www.driverdb.com/championships/standings/formula-super-vee-usa-robert-bosch-valvoline-championship/1980/ |website=driverdb.com |publisher=Driver Data Base |access-date=22 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200116074737/https://www.driverdb.com/championships/standings/formula-super-vee-usa-robert-bosch-valvoline-championship/1980/ |archive-date=16 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=US Formula Super Vee 1980 |url=https://www.oldracingcars.com/fsv/us/1980/ |website=oldracingcars.com |publisher=Old Racing Cars |access-date=22 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191111001653/https://www.oldracingcars.com/fsv/us/1980/ |archive-date=11 November 2019}}</ref>}}}} |}

===Complete USAC Mini-Indy Series results=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" ! Year ! Entrant ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! Pos ! Points |- | 1980 ! Driftwood Racing |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL {{small|20}} |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| POC {{small|6}} |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| MOH {{small|7}} |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| MIN1 {{small|1}} |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| MIN2 {{small|1}} |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| ONT {{small|3}} |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''''1st''''' |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''''684''''' |}

===Complete CART Indy Car Series results=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" ! Year ! Entrant ! Chassis ! Engine ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! 10 ! 11 ! 12 ! 13 ! 14 ! 15 ! 16 ! Pos ! Points ! Ref |- ! rowspan=1| 1984 ! McCray Racing ! Penske ! Cosworth | LBH | PHX | INDY | MIL | POR | MEA | CLE | MIC | ROA | POC |style="background:#efcfff;"| MOH 20 |style="background:#ffcfcf;"| SAN DNQ |style="background:#cfcfff;"| MIC 16 | PHX |style="background:#efcfff;"| LAG 25 | CPL !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 40th !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 0 !<ref>{{cite web|url=https://racing-reference.info/drivdet/kuhnpe01/1984/R|title=Peter Kuhn – 1984 CART Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=August 17, 2023}}</ref> |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.champcarstats.com/drivers/KuhnPeter.htm Peter Kuhn] at ChampCarStats.com *[http://www.holcombefisher.com/obituaries/Peter-H-Kuhn?obId=453862#/obituaryInfo Obituary] at Holcombe-Fischer.com

{{S-start}} {{S-sports}} {{Succession box|title= US Formula Super Vee Champion |before=Geoff Brabham|after=Al Unser Jr.|years=1980}} {{Succession box|title= USAC Mini-Indy Series Champion |before=Dennis Firestone|after= none|years=1980}} {{S-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kuhn, Peter}} Category:1955 births Category:Champ Car drivers Category:People from Bernards Township, New Jersey Category:Sportspeople from Somerset County, New Jersey Category:People from Chatham Township, New Jersey Category:Sportspeople from Summit, New Jersey Category:Racing drivers from Morris County, New Jersey Category:SCCA Formula Super Vee drivers Category:Formula Super Vee Champions Category:2009 deaths Category:SCCA National Championship Runoffs participants