Canberra motor racing driver and businessman Dale Brede has died, aged 48.
Dale Brede was the son of Campbell Brede, dealer principal at National Capital Motors and one of the ACT's highest profile car dealers.
Long-time friend and V8 Supercar driver Will Davison described on social media how he was "shocked and heartbroken" at the news.
"Kind, gentle, intelligent, witty, hilarious and always the life of the party," Davison said.
"Always smiling in the eyes of so many! Talented on four wheels and also two, Supercar driver, Superbike team owner and competitor, people person and businessman.
"Life won't be the same without you here and we will miss you more than words."
Bitten by the motor racing bug early in life, Dale Brede raced karts in the ACT and then progressed into a wide variety of race cars over his career from open-wheeled Formula Holdens, and then V8 Supercars.
An accomplished race car driver, he competed seven times at Bathurst, with a best placing of seventh in 2005 as the co-driver to British touring car champion John Cleland.
His last race at Mt Panorama was in 2012, when he raced in honour of a close friend and teammate Mark Porter, who died after a race crash at the same track.
While he could have taken on a long-term career in partnership with his father and brother Duncan at National Capital Motors, Dale Brede had sought his own business path and ran the successful Canberra Motorcycle Centre at Fyshwick.
He lived on a small acreage at Sutton as he built up the business and at one stage was one of Australia's largest independently owned motorcycle dealers.
More recently he had been stunt driving at Movie World on the Gold Coast alongside another old friend in motor racing, Warren Luff.
"This week my world lost some of its light and laughter with the loss of my good mate Dale Brede," Luff said in his social media post.
"Breedy and I started out as competitors 20 years ago, but soon became great mates. For the last nearly two years we worked together at Movieworld as part of the stunt team.
"It still doesn't seem real that he's gone, but his memory and impact on so many will never be forgotten. Love ya buddy. RIP Breedy."
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