By Rachel Morton
Family and friends gathered at Melbourne's St Michael's uniting church to say their final goodbyes to Jason Richards today.
While the funeral was private with cameras turned away, a less formal but equally heart-felt gathering was held in Auckland where faces of New Zealand’s motorsport community also remembered and bid farewell to an old mate.
The Nelson born V8 driver was a three-time runner up at Bathurst, once just 0.7 seconds away from winning the race.
Even after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, he kept racing and his memory will live on in racing circles.
While today's funeral was private, a public memorial will be held so the wider racing community and fans can also say their goodbyes at Melbourne's Sandown Raceway in the new year.
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