Hundreds of family, friends and well-wishers lined the streets of Invermay on Saturday for a grateful goodbye to the mayor of Holbrook Street.
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An icon of the Tasmanian motorsport scene, Ian Robert Beechey was farewelled with a drive-through ceremony after the 73-year-old passed away last Sunday following an extended battle with pancreatic cancer.
The procession took several minutes as chequered flags waved a series of Holdens down the street synonymous with Beechey's name, but his legacy will stretch long into the future.
Born on May 3, 1947, Beechey grew up around the Myrtle Park area and attended Myrtle Park Primary and Queechy High schools.
A love for motorsport and an entrepreneurial spirit saw him establish a series of automotive businesses and become one of the most prominent names in Tasmanian racing.
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Beechey won the prestigious Gary Devlin Memorial Super Sedan Classic at Latrobe in 1988, a feat son Adam matched in 2016, and was inducted into the Tasmanian Motorsport Hall of Fame in February this year for his role in pioneering the HQ Holden Racing category.
"The Hall of Fame was a really special night for him to be recognised in that regard," Beechey's eldest son Paul said.
"To start something that didn't look like it was ever going to get off the ground to end up being in every state and still be going 33 years strong ... it's the legacy he'll leave behind.
"I had a bit of a go at [racing], but mainly Dad for me when I started football he became my number one supporter and followed me everywhere.
"I played in Hobart, played anywhere - he was there with me all the time, like he has been with all of us kids.
"He's just given his whole life to whatever we chose to do, he was an amazing supporter and a follower of us, that's how I remember Dad."
Beechey is survived by five children - Paul, Sarah, Adam, Michael and Claire - and has three great grandchildren, six grandchildren and another on the way.
Adam and Michael have continued on the Beechey name in automotive services, while Sarah, who lives on the mainland, enjoyed annual visits from her Dad.
Youngest daughter Claire was Beechey's "rock" during his health battles of the past five years and together, his children were his best friends and his pride and joy.
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"He was just a selfless individual that just gave and gave and gave to others and didn't expect anything in return - to me that's a measure of a man that he's able to do that," Paul said.
"Up until when he passed he was still wanting to make sure we were alright and everyone else was alright - it was never about Dad at all.
"To sum him up, he's the most selfless individual I've ever met in my life - all he wanted was for others to do well, he just did so much for everybody, he couldn't do enough.
"I know people say that about other people but it was definitely him - he never asked for anything, didn't want any limelight."
Beechey's contribution to Tasmanian and national motorsport will continue to be honoured in the coming months.
A segment on the show HQ XTRA during the week paid tribute to the man known as 'Pop', with plans in place to leave the first row vacant for the first race back of each state meeting.
The family also hopes to hold a memorial service in the next few months should social distancing restrictions be relaxed.
"He's been good to all his kids and all his mates - he doesn't hold a grudge and he's looked after his family immensely, his brothers and sister and he's a real caring person," Adam said.
"For me he's everything, he's put me through my apprenticeship and we've raced a lot and he's helped me build stuff and taught me everything I know.
"Dad really never ever wanted to be thanked for it, but we always thanked him a lot.
"I'm so lucky to have the memories I've got with Dad - I was looking at all my photos and there weren't many I've raced without Dad by my side and I've raced for 20 years or more.
"There's not many that I can say Dad wasn't there with me to put my helmet on for me.
"I've got over 160 calls and messages over the last few days and they all say the same thing - that he just couldn't help enough and that he was a good dude."