Lew Russell "Sneaky Pete" Robinson began racing in 1950. In 1961 he won Top Eliminator at the U.S. Nationals in a gas dragster. In 1964 he began racing in top fuel. He won the 1966 World Finals and the 1970 Summernationals. After much success as a driver, in 1970 he decided to focus his time on engineering and manufacturing racing equipment. He turned over the driving duties in his top fuel dragster to Bud Dabler. When Dabler said he felt uncomfortable in the new ground-effects equipped race car, Robinson went to Pomona to step in as driver. On his first run, he recorded a 6.77 ET. On a later run, his chassis twisted and caused the tires to peel off the front wheels. The dragster also lost an air scoop, causing him to lose control of the car at a speed of 199.55 MPH and veer into the right guard rail and disintegrate. The scoop was an innovation of Robinson's and was designed to create a vacuum under the rear wheels fo additional traction. He was transported to Pomona hospital where he died that night.