Robbie Buhl

Infobox racing driver
name = Robbie Buhl


pixels =
caption =
nationality = USA
date of birth = Birth date and age|1963|9|2
place of birth = Detroit, Michigan
date of death =
retired = 2004
related to =
last series = Indy Racing League IndyCar Series
years active = 1996-2004
teams = Beck Motorsports
Team Menard
Sinden Racing
Tri-Star Racing
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
starts = 78
wins = 2
poles = 0
fastest laps =
best finish = 3rd
year = 1996
prev series = CART World Series
Indy Lights
Barber Saab Pro Series
prev series years = 1993-1994
1990-1996
1989
titles = Indy Lights
Barber Saab Pro Series
title years = 1992
1989
awards =
award years =

Robbie Buhl (born September 2, 1963 in Detroit) is a former Indy Racing League competitor and current team-owner, with the Dreyer & Reinbold Racing team in the IRL's IndyCar Series.

He won the 1992 Indy Lights championship and caught the eye of John Menard's Team Menard in 1996, running as team mate to Tony Stewart for two seasons succeeding the late Scott Brayton. He scored his first win in what was once the closest finish in series history when he beat ex-MasterCard Lola F1 driver Vincenzo Sospiri by 0.064 seconds at the New Hampshire International Speedway.

He started his own team, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, in 2000 and stunned the establishment with a win from 22nd in the grid the season opener at Walt Disney World Speedway. Mild to moderate success followed the next few seasons and he retired as a driver prior to the 2004 Indianapolis 500. He has continued as a team owner, with moderate success, failing to win any races, but his driver Buddy Rice finished 9th in points in 2007, the team's best points result since Buhl's 8th place finish in 2000.

In 2007, Robbie made a small return to racing trying to compete in the SCCA Runoffs in Topeka, at the wheel of a Formula Mazda, but he withdrew after the qualifying.

Personal

Buhl's wife is the widow of former racer Scott Brayton.

Buhl hails from Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, one of the wealthiest enclaves in the US. His family is one of the oldest of "old money" -"social register" Detroit society families. Their wealth stems from 19th/early 20th century manufacturing and real estate development and the industrialization of Detroit in the period 1850-1950. Family holdings included Buhl Stamping, Buhl Aircraft manufacturing, development of vast real estate holdings (including the landmark Buhl Building in downtown Detroit), Parke Davis (now part of drug giant Pfizer) , Copper and Brass Sales, Inc, (by marriage) and many other holdings. His parents reside in Grosse Pointe Farms, Harbor Springs, Michigan, and Hobe Sound, Florida.

Robbie is a Founder and key Supporter of "Racing for Kids", a charitable foundation established to assist chronically ill children. Robbie makes a point of visiting sick children at hospitals on each stop of the circuit, bringing a bit of cheer to their lives in the process.

In 2007 he began a broadcasting career, joining the broadcast booth for the Indy Pro Series, now the Firestone Indy Lights Series, alongside veteran broadcaster Bob Jenkins.

Indy 500 results