Peter Miles is the son of Ken Miles, the late British sports car racing engineer and driver. He was born on September 28, 1950 and is a product of his father’s marriage to Mollie Miles. Peter is a former mechanical engineer best recognized in sports circles as the only child of Ken Miles.
In case you do not keep up with car racing, Kenneth Henry Miles, professionally known as Ken Miles, was a well-known British sports car racing driver and mechanic who worked closely with Ford Motors. He was tragically killed when test-driving a race car leaving behind his young son, Peter.
Summary of Peter Miles’ Biography
- Full Name: Peter Miles
- Gender: Male
- Date of Birth: September 28, 1950
- Peter Miles’ Age: 73 years old
- Ethnicity: Caucasian
- Nationality: British-American
- Zodiac Sign: Libra
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Religion: Christianity
- Marital Status: Married
- Peter Miles’ Wife: Patti Montgomery
- Peter Miles’ Children: Jamie Miles (daughter)
- Peter Miles’ Parents: Kenneth Miles (father) and Mollie Miles (mother)
- Peter Miles’ Height in Inches: 73 Inches
- Peter Miles’ Height in Centimeters: 185 cm
- Peter Miles’ Weight: 71 kg (157 lbs)
- Peter Miles’ Net Worth: $40,000
- Famous for: Being Ken Miles’ son
How Old is Peter Miles Now and Where was He Born?
Peter Miles is 73 years old. He was born in Southern California in the United States of America on September 28, 1950. Peter is the son of British sports racing professional Kenneth Miles and his wife, Mollie Miles. His ethnicity is Caucasian, but his nationality is British-American, as his parents had both British and American backgrounds. He was born under the Libra sun sign.
Although he has long retired from working with cars, he spent most of his early life hanging out with his famous father, and so, Peter is no stranger to the tracks. His educational history is a bit obscure as most of his childhood details were hidden under the weight of the tragedy that happened in August 1966—his father’s untimely death.
It is almost certain that Peter possesses at least a few college degrees (based on his profession), but we currently do not have any more information concerning this.
Peter’s Father was an Accomplished Car Racer Before His Death
Ken Miles was a legendary British race driver and motorsport legend who was popular both in America and abroad. He is credited as one of the chief people responsible for creating and building some of Ford’s top-of-the-line sports cars in the sixties. He was born in modern-day Birmingham in England, on November 1, 1918.
After a brief stint with motorbike racing, Ken was conscripted into the British army from 1939 to 1945, where he served as a driving instructor and armament artificer before finally rising to the rank of Staff Sergeant prior to his eventual discharge. Upon getting out of the army, Ken began to work closely with top car manufacturers at the time, including Bugatti, Alvise, and Alfa Romeo, before finally settling with Ford, which became his signature car during races.
He migrated to Southern California with his family in the mid-1950s, began his professional racing career, and won many notable awards, including the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Daytona. He also became the chief test driver of the Shelby-American in 1963. Ken Miles drove the popular GT40 MK II, which he also helped design, among many others.
On August 16, 1966, Ken Miles died tragically young during a fatal motor accident that occurred while he was test driving a new Ford model, the Ford J-car. According to several reports, he was driving along the Riverside Raceway in California when the car suddenly tumbled and caught fire. He was immediately ejected from the burning car but died on the spot as the car was moving too fast.
Young Peter Miles Witnessed His Father’s Unfortunate Death
What was sadder about Peter Miles’s father’s tragic death was that he witnessed the crash, albeit from a safe distance. Both he and his father were only a couple of weeks away from their 16th and 47th birthdays, respectively. His father died, leaving him and his mother, Mollie, behind. Ken Miles was, however, inducted posthumously into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.
When his father was confirmed dead, Peter was only 15 years old, still a teenager. He recalled the instant that he realized his father was gone, stating that he saw smoky flames and even watched as his father was flung to his death. In what must have been a grief-driven act, Peter Miles was sent away from family to work in the Troutman and Barnes custom automobile shop. The shop was owned by Dick Troutman, his father’s friend, in Culver, California.
On the other hand, his mother, Mollie, retreated completely from public view and maintained a life of obscurity for the remainder of her life. She remained in California till her death. After spending 14 years working with Dick Troutman, Peter Miles joined Precision Performance Inc. in 1986. He also became the crew chief of Ivan Stewart’s off-road racing team at the 1991 Nissan 400.
Peter Miles Also Works in the Automobile Industry
Contrary to what many people expected, Peter Miles didn’t become a professional car racer like his dad. He never really gave reasons why he completely shunned the race tracks, but he took to working primarily behind the scenes. After he collaborated with Dick Troutman and Barnes, Peter realized that he was more inclined toward the mechanics of the sports cars. He then became a designer before becoming a qualified car mechanic.
Before long, he was appointed as crew chief for the off-road racing star, Ivan “Ironman” Stewart. Peter was also part of the ten that helped Ivan to win the 1991 Nissan 400 in Nevada. He was often seen making appearances at car shows in California. Currently, Peter is the executive administrator of billionaire Chip Connor’s massive vintage car collection. The entire collection has a net worth of $800 million.
Peter had also been recently featured in a photo book based on his father, Kens Miller. He is said to be worth about $40,000 currently.
He Made Massive Contributions to the ‘Ford v. Ferrari’ Biopic
In 2019, a movie titled ‘Ford V Ferrari’ was produced based on the events leading up to Ken Miles’ death. The movie featured actors Christian Bale, Noah Jupe, and Caitriona Balfe. It was named one of the highest-rated movies of 2019 and followed the story of Ken Miles, from how he became a motor racing legend to how he died in 1966.
Peter Miles famously consulted with Bale on the film and gave him valuable information about his father from press clippings, magazine articles, personal photos, and audio recordings. This helped Bale to channel as accurately as possible. Peter also met with Caitriona Balfe and assisted her with photos of his mother as well as descriptions of her.
The movie was released in November 2019, and it received raging reviews from both critics and the public at large. Peter Miles’ was present at the movie premiere and was photographed attending a private screening with Christian Bale.
Miles Has a Daughter with His Wife Patti Montgomery
Peter Miles got married to American personality Patti Montgomery Miles from Somerset, and their union has produced a beautiful daughter named Jamie Miles. Very little is known about Peter’s wife and daughter.
Jamie was recently reported to have gotten married to Jeff Moore, her long-time fiance. They married with neither of their parents in attendance. They now have a son together, meaning that Peter is also a grandfather. His daughter Jamie is a preschool teacher, while her husband, Jeff, is a radio producer.
