JAMIE PEAKMAN 2023 INDUCTEE

Along with Western’s twenty-fourth season in 1977 came a new competition class which was dubbed ”Hit-to-Pass” in which overtaking a fellow competitor was only allowed after the passing driver inflicted a glancing blow with his racer on the car he was planning to pass. One of the participants in this new division was Jamie Peakman who that season gained the nickname of the “Master of Disaster”.

Returning the following year in this same class, Jamie posted his first win at a two day event which fuelled his desire for more wins which soon arrived along with his interest being increased further when he entered his first “Total Destruction” event in 1980. Despite the “disaster” in Jamie’s racing name, a big part of his reputation was based on a passion to build safe, clean and consistent derby cars and trucks. The process took a lot of time and effort, occasionally with cars in various stages of being race-ready. A few were kept insured and street legal, forming part of the the Peakman family’s daily fleet of transportation, much to his wife’s delight, and the support from family, friends and sponsors contributed to many of his vehicles taking “Best Appearing Car” prizes from Victoria to California.

Jamie was a founding member in the formation of the “Vancouver Island Stunt and Demo Derby Drivers Association” which helped to ensure that it’s drivers got a share of the proceeds made by the great shows they put on. The club later transformed into the “Lower Island Track Racing Association” (LITRA).

While Hit-to-Pass was Jamie’s first love, he also had the privilege of being asked to drive for many owners of other classes of racing including Hobby Stocks, Claimers, Stockcars and Old Timers. He even did a couple of seasons in the IMCA Modifieds but always went back to his first passion of Hit-to-Pass and Demolition.

He had a blast during his twenty-three years of racing and got to share many of those great times with so many people, as he says, “so many I would need to write a book!”. Two of them who became friends for life were Randy Wiebe and Keith Cahill. Jamie also acknowledges a ton of gratitude to his sponsors who never got enough credit for how much they made possible along with all the volunteers who put in countless hours to keep everyone safe at the track and ensuring that the fans got great shows.

The many events he participated in gave his wife and two sons many great memories and a few of the ones he is most proud of include:

Representing the local racing community by winning the first-ever pickup truck demolition derby at “BC Place” in front of a crowd of 40,000 fans,

Being the only Canadian competing for ten thousand dollars in a total destruction truck derby in Tulare, California, finishing second, and being invited back the following year at which they also entered a car for his wife to race in the Women’s Derby in which she took first place in the heat race and second in the main event (Jamie figured he was a good teacher!).

Introducing “Enduro” races at Western Speedway and starting the “Figure 8”, “Rollover” and “Stunt” classes.

Jamie was part of the three car champions at the PNE in Vancouver, the “Team Canada” winner in the “Canada vs USA “ total destruction events plus he also won two Demolition Hit-to-Pass championships.

In twenty-three years of racing, Jamie managed to destroy well over two hundred cars and at least ten trucks.