I just found out that our friend and true competitor, Russ Hoyle, passed
away last night from a long fight with cancer. He was in his early 50's.
I first met Russ at an autocross at Road Atlanta in 1995. We were fellow
Porsche pilots running in SCCA classes. He had owned his Desert Beige
1970 Porsche 911T since it was new. By the time Russ was competing in the
Atlanta area he was driving his car in ASP and winning on a regular
basis. He also campaigned the same car in PCA autocrosses in I-2 and
garnered several championships.
We had grown quite close in the last several years, pitting and working
corners at PCA events together. Russ had a great sense of humor and loved
to drive his car fast. Last year he and I duked it out at every PCA event
for the best time in Improved. He already had cancer and had to stay out
of the sun because of his medication. His rental business kept him from
running in most of the SCCA events the last two years.
I understand that Russ used to live in Ohio and ran his car in SCCA and
PCA events there.
Russ is survived by his wife, Marianne, and several grown children.
There will be a memorial service at the Pleasant Hill Presbyterian
Church; 3700 Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth, Georgia on Sunday, April 25th
at 2 pm. There will be a graveside service in Florida, later.
Ben Thatcher
Atlanta Region SCCA Solo II co-chair
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