V8SA leaders pay tribute to Brock

V8 Supercars Australia are the governing body of what was the Australian Touring Car Championship, a title which Brock won three times in his long and successful career. Brock is currently tied with Mark Skaife for most round victories in the series' history with 37 apiece.

In a statement, V8 Supercars Australia chairman Tony Cochrane expressed his condolences, as well as paying tribute to Brock and his work outside the sport of motor racing: "Our immediate thoughts are with his family, his children and everybody associated with Peter. It's a huge loss for V8 Supercars, it's a huge loss for Australian motor sport and it's a massive loss for sport in this country.

"Peter gave up so much of his time for children, for charities - to helping others. He was a great role model for so many young athletes not just in motor sport but in sport generally. I hope everybody remembers Peter for all those great things he contributed.

"Peter has always been there. Being at Mount Panorama in four weeks time without Peter Brock ducking and weaving around the pit buildings just won't be the same.

"He was a great Australian, the sort of bloke that has made this country the fantastic place it is. We can ill-afford to lose the likes of a person of that breed.

"You just can't simply replace a person like that."

Chief executive officer Wayne Cattach also gave his feelings, including that without Brock and his contemporaries, V8 Supercar wouldn't be where and what it is today.

"He was thought of as nearly indestructible and we've lost two people this week that we have perceived as indestructible, doing what they love doing. It's a sense of loss, a sense of shock and a sense of grief for his family," said Cattach.

"V8 Supercars was built on the foundation of people of the likes of Peter Brock, Dick Johnson and Allan Moffat - they were household names before V8 Supercars Australia was even invented.

"They set the template for the future. They contributed as competitors and later as role models. I know Peter in particular played a mentoring role for drivers such as Mark Skaife and Craig Lowndes and his unique quality was that he was at one with the fans.

"You would see him many hours after the other drivers had departed signing autographs patiently with a special message for every fan. There will be a great sense of grieving rising out of this news."

Cattach gave hint that a tribute to Brock will involve Mount Panorama, Bathurst, the venue of the next round of the V8 Supercar Championship, and home of the "King of the Mountain's" ten endurance victories.

"The most befitting place for a tribute is Bathurst. He forged his name in motor sport on that mountain, I think the fans will come to expect something special and we will provide that. We will obviously give special thought to how we are going to do that and we will take into account the families' wishes."