Their fifth member, Bob Bailey, the Wahgunyah Speedway president, was killed in a car crash at Lockhart on Saturday.

One of the mates, Brendan Tracey, paid tribute to Mr Bailey, 43, yesterday.

“Our weekly ‘beer and bullshit’ won’t be ‘bullshit’ if Bob isn’t there,” he said.

“He was a character, a gentleman, and he was very sincere.

“He had a heart of gold and loved his kids and loved his mates.”

Mr Bailey was partner to Kath Scanlon and father to Robert, 16, Matilda, 2, and Barry, eight months.

He was son to Ross and Helen and brother to Greg, Simon, Tania and Donald and step-brother to Rebecca.

The car he was driving left the Lockhart-Albury Road on a sharp bend and crashed into a tree.

Mr Bailey was born and raised at Corryong and worked at the Holcim quarry in Wodonga.

Motorsports, notably speedway racing, were his passion.

“That was his life,” Mr Tracey said.

Mr Bailey grew up around cars, his father a mechanic who allowed a make-shift speedway track to be built out the back of the family farm.

“He always had the need for speed,” Mr Tracey said of his mate.

Mr Bailey raced competitively across the country.

He went to Queensland twice last season for a race and towing a car 6000 kilometres in a fortnight to race from Gilgandra to Broken Hill to Gympie.

One of his proudest moments was when Totally Speedway magazine named him Australian Production Sedan Driver of the Year for 2011-12.

After being appointed as the Wahgunyah Speedway president at the start of the year, Mr Bailey was set on great things.

“He wanted to build a speedway club that was renowned for holding big events,” Mr Tracey said.

“He was just really trying to get speedway up and going in this area.”

He said the club, Mr Bailey’s family and his mates would try to see that happen.

A funeral service will be held at the Kinross Woolshed in Thurgoona at 3pm tomorrow.