Robert Peyton Gerhart Jr. (born July 21, 1958) is an American former professional stock car racing driver and businessman. He last competed in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet SS for Gerhart Racing and the No. 63 Chevy Silverado for his own team in a joint effort with the MB Motorsports team in the Camping World Truck Series. He has won nine times on the ARCA circuit, eight of those victories coming in the season-opening ARCA Daytona 200 at Daytona International Speedway (2012, 2011, 2010, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2002 and 1999).
Racing career
Early racing career
Gerhart began racing at Linda's Speedway, where he won his first feature race. He eventually competed in many dirt modified series throughout his home state of Pennsylvania, often competing at Penn National and Susquehanna Speedway. He eventually moved to asphalt racing and competed at Pocono Raceway.
ARCA Menards Series
In 1988, Gerhart began competing in the ARCA Series and was named Rookie of the Year that season. He has competed in that series on a regular basis since then, returning to NASCAR in 1996 to drive in the Craftsman Truck Series. He and his No. 85 Chevrolet Silverado qualified three times and had a best finish of fifteenth. He returned to Cup in 1998 attempting to qualify the No. 54 and eventually the No. 89 Chevrolet after picking up sponsorship from Kewadin Casinos. He was unable to qualify for those three attempts, but was able to win the season-opening ARCA race at Daytona in 1999, and went on to finish third in points that year.
Since that time, Gerhart has competed in a mostly limited schedule in ARCA. The lone exception was the 2006 season where he ran full-time and finished second in points. From 2005 to 2007 and again in 2010–12, he won the season opening race at Daytona.
NASCAR Gerhart made his NASCAR debut in 1983 at Pocono, finishing thirty-eighth in the Henley Gray-owned Buick. He ran Winston Cup races at Pocono, Dover International Speedway, North Wilkesboro Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, and Daytona International Speedway over the next five years in the No. 71, No. 85, No. 25, and No. 59 Chevrolets with a best finish of nineteenth.
Gerhart made his first starts in the NASCAR Busch Series in 2001, driving four times in his No. 65 and having a best finish of 22nd. In 2009, he returned again to NASCAR in the Nationwide Series to drive the No. 75 for Bob Schacht. At his first race at Talladega Superspeedway, he qualified fifth and ran in the top-twenty for most of the day before wrecking. In 2013, it was announced that Gerhart would attempt to qualify for the DRIVE4COPD 300 in a car owned by him and his brother William Gerhart, numbered 85. However, Gerhart failed to qualify. Gerhart ran a few Nationwide Series races later in the year.
Gerhart qualified for the 2014 DRIVE4COPD 300, finishing 33rd. he failed to qualify his first two attempts at Daytona and Talladega in his own No. 85 car. Gerhart was named as the driver of the JD Motorsports No. 0 Chevrolet Camaro replacing Harrison Rhodes in Chicagoland. Gerhart qualified for the July race in Daytona, finishing 22nd. In October, Gerhart made his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start since 1996 driving the 36 truck for MB Motorsports with sponsorship from long time partner Lucas Oil. Gerhart finished twelfth after spending most of the race towards the front of the field. Gerhart planned to do the Daytona triple in 2016, running the ARCA race, the NASCAR Camping World Truck race, and the Xfinity Series race.
Personal life Gerhart's brother Billy served as his crew chief. Their father is former Eastern Modified champion Bobby Gerhart Sr. Gerhart Sr. began his racing career in Pennsylvania in 1954, and was inducted into the Eastern Motorsport Press Association Hall of Fame in 2002. Other family members in racing include Deacon Gerhart and Dave Gerhart. Gerhart owns Bobby Gerhart's Truck World, a used truck dealership in his hometown.
Prior to the start of the 2020 season, Gerhart suffered a heart attack, forcing him into retirement.
Motorsports career results
NASCAR (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
Nextel Cup Series NASCAR Nextel Cup Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Pts Ref 1983 Gray Racing 19 Buick DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV BRI CLT RSD POC38 MCH DAY NSV POC34 TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD 82nd 110 1984 Gerhart Racing 71 Chevy DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD POC34 MCH DAY NSV POC38 TAL 50th 262 59 MCHDNQ BRI DAR RCHDNQ DOV39 MAR CLT NWS19 CAR ATL RSD 1985 25 DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS27 MAR TAL DOV CLT RSD POC31 MCH DAY POC24 TAL MCH25 BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS24 CLT CAR ATL RSD 44th 422 1986 85 DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWSDNQ MAR TAL DOV CLT RSD POC34 MCH DAY POC28 TAL GLN MCH22 BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLTDNQ CAR ATL35 RSD 57th 295 1987 DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR NWS BRI MAR TAL CLT DOV POC39 RSD MCHDNQ DAY POC28 TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOVDNQ MAR NWSDNQ CLT CAR RSD ATLDNQ 75th 125 1988 DAYDNQ RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV RSD POC22 MCH DAY POC26 TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOVDNQ MAR CLT NWS CAR PHO ATL 55th 182 1989 DAYDNQ CAR ATL RCH DAR BRI NWS MAR TALDNQ CLT DOV SON 72nd 94 Olds POC23 MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR PHO ATL 1990 Chevy DAYDNQ RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TALDNQ CLT DOV33 SON POC MCH DAY POCDNQ TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO ATL 91st 64 1991 DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOVDNQ SON POC MCH DAY POCDNQ TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO ATL NA - 1992 DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON POC32 MCH DAY37 POC TAL34 GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO ATL 57th 180 1998 Gerhart Racing 54 Chevy DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX MAR TAL CAL CLT DOV RCH MCH POC SON NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI NHA DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT TALDNQ DAY PHO CAR ATL NA - 1999 89 DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR TEX BRI MAR TAL CAL RCH CLT DOV MCH POC SON DAY NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH NHA DOV MAR CLT TALDNQ CAR PHO HOM ATL NA - 2000 DAYDNQ CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX MAR TAL CAL RCH CLT DOV MCH POC SON DAY NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH NHA DOV MAR CLT TAL CAR PHO HOM ATL NA - 2002 Gerhart Racing 59 Pontiac DAYDNQ CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX MAR TALDNQ CAL RCH CLT DOV POC MCH SON DAY CHI NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH NHA DOV KAN TAL CLT MAR ATL CAR PHO HOM NA - 2005 Roush Racing 99 Ford DAY CAL LVS ATL BRI MAR TEX PHO TAL DAR RCH CLT DOV POC MCH SON DAY CHI NHA POCQL† IND GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH NHA DOV TAL KAN CLT MAR ATL TEX PHO HOM NA - † - Qualified for Carl Edwards
Daytona 500 Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish 1988 Gerhart Racing Chevy DNQ 1989 DNQ 1990 DNQ 2000 Gerhart Racing Chevy DNQ 2002 Gerhart Racing Pontiac DNQ
Xfinity Series NASCAR Xfinity Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Pts Ref 2001 Gerhart Racing 65 Chevy DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX40 NSH TAL22 CAL RCH NHA26 NZH33 CLT DOV KEN MLW GLN CHI GTY PPR IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM PHO CAR HOM 69th 289 2003 Gerhart Racing 55 Pontiac DAY CAR LVS DAR BRI TEX TALDNQ NSH CAL RCH GTY NZH CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY24 CHI NHA PPR IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM ATL PHO CAR HOM 126th 91 2009 Bob Schacht Motorsports 75 Chevy DAY CAL LVS BRI TEX NSH PHO TAL33 RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY20 CHI GTY IRP IOW GLN MCH BRI CGV ATL RCH DOV KAN CAL CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM 106th 167 2010 5 DAY20 CAL LVS BRI NSH PHO TEX 96th 191 75 TAL25 RCH DAR DOV CLT NSH KEN ROA NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP IOW GLN MCH BRI CGV ATL RCH DOV KAN CAL CLT GTY TEX PHO HOM 2013 Gerhart Racing 85 Chevy DAYDNQ PHO LVS BRI CAL TEX RCH TAL31 DAR CLT DOV IOW MCH ROA KEN DAY29 NHA CHI IND IOW GLN MOH BRI ATL RCH CHI KEN DOV KAN CLT TEX PHO HOM 70th 28 2014 DAY33 PHO LVS BRI CAL TEX DAR RCH TAL36 IOW CLT DOV MCH ROA KEN DAYDNQ NHA CHI IND IOW GLN MOH BRI ATL RCH CHI KEN DOV KAN CLT TEX PHO HOM 68th 19 2015 DAYDNQ ATL LVS PHO CAL TEX BRI RCH TALDNQ IOW CLT DOV MCH DAY22 KEN NHA IND IOW GLN MOH BRI ROA DAR RCH CHI KEN DOV CLT KAN TEX PHO HOM 63rd 30 JD Motorsports 0 Chevy CHI36 2016 Gerhart Racing 85 Chevy DAY39 ATL LVS PHO CAL TEX BRI RCH TAL33 DOV CLT POC MCH IOW DAY24 KEN NHA IND IOW GLN MOH BRI ROA DAR RCH CHI KEN DOV CLT KAN TEX PHO HOM 60th 27
Gander Outdoors Truck Series NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Pts Ref 1996 Gerhart Racing 85 Chevy HOM PHO POR EVG TUS CNS HPT BRI NZH MLW LVL I70 IRP FLM26 GLN27 NSV RCH NHA15 MAR NWS SON MMR PHO LVS 66th 285 2015 Gerhart Racing 36 Chevy DAY ATL MAR KAN CLT DOV TEX GTW IOW KEN ELD POC MCH BRI MSP CHI NHA LVS TAL12 MAR TEX PHO HOM 97th 01 2016 DAY12 ATL MAR KAN DOV CLT TEX IOW GTW KEN ELD POC BRI MCH MSP CHI NHA LVS TAL17 MAR TEX PHO HOM 89th 01 2017 63 DAY21 ATL MAR KAN CLT DOV TEX GTW IOW KEN ELD POC MCH BRI MSP CHI NHA LVS TAL11 MAR TEX PHO HOM 45th 42 2018 DAYDNQ ATL LVS MAR DOV KAN CLT TEX IOW GTW CHI KEN ELD POC MCH BRI MSP LVS TAL23 MAR TEX PHO HOM 74th 14 2019 Copp Motorsports DAY11 ATL LVS MAR TEX DOV KAN CLT TEX IOW GTW CHI KEN POC ELD MCH BRI MSP LVS TAL MAR PHO HOM 64th 26
ARCA Menards Series (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)