Like many others, Les Diack had seen the midgets race at Con Jones Park before World War Two began. After the war, he had family and friends who talked about Digney Speedway and Les went to see what was going on. He began racing at Digney in 1953.

The first two seasons Les mostly had what would be considered a “B” car but by the end of the 1954 season, he was part of the “A” group, finishing tenth in points at the speedway. This qualified him for the 100-lap cham-pionship race. He won the race after coming in contact with Larry McBride’s tire, which knocked off the tire stem and put McBride to the rear. Diack in his Chev-powered stock car won the big race.

That success continued into 1955 with Les again winning the 100-lap championship race as well as the points title. He missed winning the 100-lapper a third time in a row in 1956 but did get it, and the points title, again in 1957.

One highlight of the 1958 season was winning a team race for the BC Centennial championship at Digney Speedway. Les also travelled to Edmonton for the Gold Cup race for a

LES DIACK - Inducted 2004

Pioneer - Oval Racing

Les Diack, car number 36, Digney Speedway, 1956  (Brian Pratt collection)

By Brian Pratt, 2004

Les Diack, 2004

second time that year but suffered bad luck again there. Digney Speedway shut down at the end of the 1958 season where Les had left his mark, sweeping the racing card (dash, heat and main) on many occasions. It was once written

that he won 72 trophy dashes at the Digney track. One cham-pionship season he had even commuted from an Esquimalt job on the Island to make the mid-week Wednesday night races.

Racing moved to False Creek and Haney Speedways in 1959 and Les made headlines late in the 1960 season when he held off a field of American cars, including some of the better Seattle drivers of the time. He also set the track record in Prince George that year.

While he had success at the two speedways with a new modified it was not the same domination that he had enjoyed with his early Chevs, and as the years moved on, Les with a family, stepped away from racing. However, he should not be forgotten because when he was at the track he was a threat to win.