V8 Supercar racer Jason Richards lost his short battle with cancer in Melbourne on Thursday night.
Just over a year after being diagnosed with a particularly aggressive form of the disease, he died at home with his wife Charlotte beside him.
Richards fought as hard as he could and refused to give up on his racing career until he was too weak to drive.
He managed an amazing third-fastest practice time in his final V8 Supercar drive at Darwin this year.
During his fight with cancer, Richards told News Limited he was enjoying racing more than ever.
"At the moment, cancer is a big part of my life. But when I jump in the racecar I feel cancer-free," Richards told the Herald Sun in May.
"I'm so busy I don't have the capacity to be thinking about cancer. I don't feel sorry for myself. I get so much enjoyment out of it.
"I'm actually enjoying my racing more now than when it was fulltime. I'm doing it purely for fun, for my own emotional reasons," he said.
"I'm sucking the fun out of it. I'm just happy to be feeling like a normal heathy 35-year-old with two lovely kids and a great wife ... For me, my clarity is racing a car. It's so refreshing. If I can inspire people who have what's happening for me, that's a real positive."
V8 SuperCars boss Tony Cochrane paid tribute to Richards' courage.
"Jason Richards was, and will always be remembered, as a highly respected race car driver and champion on and off the race track. Jason will be remembered for his great grin and his love and loyalty to his family. Both of which made him an immensely admired figure in pit lane," Cochrane said in a statement.
"There was not a single person in Australian sport, or indeed Australia and his native New Zealand, who did not admire his enormous courage as he battled the last 14 months and his determination to fight in every way he could. He will be dearly missed by all in the V8 Supercar family, but in particular, everybody associated with Brad Jones Racing."
When Richards went public with his illness - adrenocortical carcinoma - he was flooded with support and encouragement for himself and his young family, with a huge fundraising effort through the Race4Jase charity program. He travelled to the USA in search of a cure but was unsuccessful.
Richards was a racer to his bootstraps, starting in karts in New Zealand when he was just eight years old. He eventually became a three-time national touring car champion and a factory BMW racer before moving to Australia in 2001 to advance his career.
Richards battled at first in the under-funded Team Kiwi operation, but showed immense speed when he switched to a Commodore with Team Dynamik and then Tasman Motorsport.
He was snapped up by Brad Jones Racing and was expected to do even better than his single V8 Supercar race win and two runner-up spots in the Bathurst 1000.
"He was an amazing guy and he will be sorely missed. There is no way I could describe him in just a few words," his team boss, Brad Jones, said.
Richards survived a couple of horrifying crashes, including a multiple rollover at Queensland Raceway in 2005, but he always gave it everything on the track.
A memorial service is planned for Sandown Raceway in Melbourne in a couple of weeks.
Family Statement on Jason Richards:
Champion V8 Supercar driver Jason Richards passed away peacefully at home with his wife, Charlotte by his side at 8.00pm last night (Thursday, 15 December 2011).
He was just 35 years old.
Jason’s family is appreciative of the many thousands of people who have offered their love and support during his battle with illness over the past 14 months.
A memorial service to honour Jason and his career will be held at Sandown in the coming weeks.
The family requests that their privacy be respected during their time of grief.
Team Statement
In the competitive world of V8 Supercars Jason was a rare breed – a driver that could tread the fine line between rivalry and friendship. He was never secretive, selfish or bad-tempered and had endless enthusiasm and energy for his job and team.
The history books will not do him justice. Given the right equipment JR was easily a front-runner but chose team loyalty over personal gain, determined to work with his crew to reach the front of the grid together.
Through the highs and lows of racing, JR’s uplifting presence and casual, self-effacing wit were unwavering and his effect he had on team morale is irreplaceable.
He will forever be a member of the Jones family and this is a tragic day in the team’s history.
Courtesy Herald Sun