Godspeed Pete. All of us in Team DAYAM had a blast racing with you on that Duc in the Fastrax days! I just realized it's Pete in front of me in my avatar. That's one of my all time favorite racing pics.
Empty Pockets. One of the most accurate race team names ever. Even though my heart is heavy, thanks for the smile you put on my face Pete.
I’m still having a tough time with this. Met Pete my first yeae racing with WERA at Summit Point. It actually was only my second race weekend. We were all SV racers then, and Pete strolled over to our paddock spot after Saturday’s solo race with a beer in his hand. We chatted, laughed, and pretty much became great racer friends. Vacationed together at the OBX (with other racers Jon Cowles and Aaron Barry). I was always amazed at Pete’s storied life….. buying and flying planes from dangerous countries, his hand built house on little abaco island in the Bahamas, selling his house in Maryland to buy a sailboat for a “little trip” to South America, deciding to hike the Appalachian trail…. the list goes on. Honestly, we all talked about how easy it would be to make a movie about his life and most wouldn’t believe half of it!!! I’ll never forget him sneaking in to my curtained area at Winchester hospital after we had both crashed at Summit Point years later. No shirt, flip flops, shorts, holding an ice pack on his broken collarbone while sipping a beer….. they tried to kick him out,,,, but Pete just looked at the staff and they walked away. LOL. GODSPEED Pete.
Thinking back, every single interaction with Pete left me smiling...he was simply a really good guy. Horrible news.
Some people have a disproportionate impact on your life. Pete was one of those people. I thought about him, told stories about him, and retold his stories to others way more than one would expect based on the actual amount of time I spent with him. Truly a unique individual. The world was a better place with him in it.
Currently no services are scheduled, but there will certainly be a gathering in the future. https://www.staufferfuneralhome.com/obituary/peter-eshleman