Richard Buttrose after being arrested twice in two days, the nephew of media personality Ita Buttrose was behind bars as his wife Pollyanna, gave birth to their second child, a sister for two-year-old son William.Described by friends as a revhead with a need for speed, the aspiring TV producer and race-car driver was refused bail after police who raided his Darling Point apartment allegedly found $1.3 million in cash and 7.7kg of cocaine.Mark O'Connor, who drove with Buttrose and Simon Hogg in a Lotus Exige at Bathurst in the 12-hour enduro race, was stunned by news of his co-driver's arrest."Like everyone else I have been quite shocked," O'Connor said yesterday.Commentator Lachlan Mansell said the 36-year-old Buttrose had been living his racing dream, finishing 31st of the 47-strong field.
"He's really passionate about his racing, he loved it," said Mansell, who has been reporting on Buttrose's motorsport rise since he first competed in the Daewoo series in 2001."Some of the drivers are very focused but when I'd bump into Richard in the pits he'd always have a chat. He was a pretty nice guy and not a bad steerer either."
Coupling his passion of motorsport with TV, Buttrose, who is believed to be struggling with the death of father Will, 62, in 2006, spent the past three years pioneering a reality TV program under the working title Race Star.In September, 2006, Buttrose pitched the concept to Channel 7. The network says they declined. However, a friend of Buttrose's said Seven had maintained interest in the The Biggest Loser or Australian Idol-style program, which would pit aspiring drivers against each other in a series of challenges. "It is a show for young racers. The concept had legs and Seven were definitely interested, we spoke about it six months ago. What's happened is such as shock because he was a lovely guy, a real family man," the source said
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