DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. Charlie Peter, winner of both the 2024 Touring 2 and GT-2 SCCA National Championships, was named the recipient of the Road Racing Drivers Clubs Mark Donohue Award.

Peter was honored at the annual RRDC members dinner on January 22, prior to the running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the season-opening round of the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Selected by members of the RRDC each year since 1971, the award recognizes the driver exhibiting the most outstanding performance at the annual Sports Car Club of America National Championship Runoffs in terms of personal spirit and skill behind the wheel. Originally called the Outstanding Performance Award, the honor was later named after Mark Donohue, a former SCCA Champion, an inductee in the SCCA Hall of Fame and past president of the RRDC, following his death in 1975.

Having finished runner-up in Touring 2 (T2) in his first three Runoffs appearances from 2020-2022, Peter entered two classesT2 and GT-2for the 60th Anniversary event October 4-6, 2024. He earned his first-career Tire Rack Pole award, turning a GT-2 class record 2:11.860 (110.490 mph) in his Phenix Label/Yokohama Porsche 991.2 GT3 Cup, and narrowly missed out on a second pole in T2, qualifying second.

The T2 race was up first, with Peter getting the jump in his Phenix Label/Hoosier Tire BMW M2CS Cup on three-time defending class champion Kurt Rezzetano to take the early lead. The two would trade the top spot multiple times, running side-by-side through the middle section of the historic four-mile circuit until the driver from Olathe, Kansas, put his BMW up front for good, taking a 10.504-second win.

It was an incredible battle, Peter said. Learning from previous Runoffs starts with Kurt, I knew I had to stay on his bumper or get by him by Turn One. Luckily for me, Kurt had a slow gear shift after the green, which gave me the edge I needed into the first turn. I knew hed get me back eventually, since he had the straightaway speed, but I figured Id have a chance if I could keep pressure on him without wearing my tires.

Peters pair of wins achieved the rare Runoffs double, something his father Hans Peter accomplished in 2007, winning C Sports Racing and Formula Atlantic. Charlie credits his father for his development as a driver.

I did a little karting when I was younger, but I really started racing in the WRL when I was 20, the 28-year-old said. Being that we were co-drivers, he taught me everything and I really owe all of my successes to him.

The unique award has a glass top and sits on a race wheel with a historic provenance. RRDC member David Donohue, son of Mark Donohue, presented Peter with the award, which included a wheel donated by Meyer Shank Racing that was used on its No. 60 Acura GTP car in victories at the Rolex 24 At Daytona, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and the Mobil 1 Petit Le Mans with drivers Tom Blomqvist and Colin Braun.

Peter found out that he had been selected for the Mark Donohue Award after a phone call from RRDC President Bobby Rahal.

I was at work when I saw an incoming call from an unrecognized Ohio phone number. I figured if it was important, they could leave a message. he said. Thankfully, he left a message because after listening to the voicemail, I realized I had ignored a phone call from Bobby Rahal! Before calling him back, I prepared my Indy car driver contract acceptance speech.

This is a considerable honor, an award I never through that I would achieve. Mark has been an idol of mine since I was young, and because of him, I take pride in working on the car that I race.