Hellyer was Peter’s second home and he loved our community. He will always be remembered as a great friend, an amazing motor-pacer, referee, supervisor, holder, volunteer, board member, and sometimes rider over the many years he graced the ‘drome. He spent countless hours at Hellyer, volunteering in every possible capacity and serving on the NCVA board of directors longer than anyone in our history. His fellow supervisors could always count on Peter to open the gate and start the session, if we were running late. He was always there to support sessions or race nights, put a clock on a rider, or hold a racer at the start line. If you didn’t see Peter on the moto or with a stopwatch in hand, you’d find him with a bike, a broom, a rake, a paintbrush or a wrench doing whatever he could to make Hellyer an amazing place for all of us.

Peter loved bicycle racing and did his share before the Hellyer days, at the San Jose Speedway and the old “San Jose Velodrome (Burbank)” – He even participated in the 1952 Olympic trials that were held there! He was a father, veteran, and great friend who mentored everyone who happened to make their way to the front straight. He always had a positive attitude, a smile, and a hug ready for anyone who needed it.

Bess Hernandez-Jones