Vale Bob Muir: The Blayney boy who became a globe-trotting race car driver

Robert 'Bob' Muir died on Sunday, February 12 at the age of 83.

His daughter, Danielle Vine, described her dad as a man who "did life on his terms."

"He was a father who was always there, but his first real love was always motor racing," she said.

"He took us around the world with his motor racing and always provided for us. I don't want to say he was a doting father who was there for every minute of the day or went to every ballet concert, because he wasn't, but we had a very colourful childhood, great experiences and he loved us very much."

It was in the early 1920's that the Muir family moved to Bathurst, and Robert Muir (Bob's grandfather) took a job in a bicycle shop. But not long after that, the Muir's moved to Blayney to open a garage, which would become known as Muir and Wheal, before the late Mr Muir's grandfather took sole ownership of the business following a fire in 1925.

Ms Vine's father was born in Blayney in 1939 and attended Blayney Public School until 1953, before the family moved to Young.

"His father Ron was a pilot and also drove in many rallies. It seems the need for the adrenalin rush, ran in the family," Mrs Vine added.

She also noted that her dad got the chance to watch Sir Jack Brabham race in Orange, which spurred on his love of motorsport even more.

In his late teens Mr Muir built his first racing car with his father Ron, and that sparked a long racing career in Australia, USA, South East Asia and Europe. He raced Formula Vee, Formula 2, Formula 5000 in the 1970's and then Touring Cars in Australia in the 1980's.

Mrs Vine said she had been "blown away" having seen all the tributes and well-wishes offered in wake of her dad's death.

"When they're 83, you forget there was a whole other life they had. You forget very quickly the impact he had on a community. It's made me smile, it's made me cry," she said.

"It's amazing how all these tributes are coming out for him. He wasn't a (Peter) Brock and he was one of those ones who went unnoticed, but since I've seen all these tributes, I realise he very much was noticed."

A man with a "great sense of humour" who loved watching his grandchildren grow up, Mr Muir eventually put away the racing helmet at the age of 68.

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