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July 8, 1950 - February 6, 2016
We are sad to report the passing of Kerry Voll on Saturday February 6, 2016. Kerry was a driver, co-driver, worker/organizer and a writer from the 1970's thru 1990's. I first met Kerry as a fellow competitor in the 1970's NEPRO (insanely fast, I wish it was a stage so we could slow down for the corners) Performance TSD events. This was the series started by Harry Handley in 1976 as entry level performance events. One of the events was even called the NQP (Not quite PRO). If you read the list of competitors and organizers from those early years it is like a who's who of Rally Racing in the early years. After a few years of NEPRO, most of us started to compete in all stage events. In this time frame, Kerry and husband Bob formed the ""White Knuckle Rally Team (WKRT)". In their familiar yellow and black Hi Cube van, they competed around the US and Canada. Bob would drive at some events, Kerry at others and sometimes they would compete in the same car. In 1981 Kerry drove the WKRT Toyota Rotorolla (Mazda engine) with Diane Houseal as co-driver at the Press On Regardless Pro Rally. This was back in the days when POR ran in November and was legendary for its roughness, length and weather conditions. Kerry and Diane finished and in doing so became (per Harry Handley) the first all women team to finish the event. In 1985 Kerry got her very own car, a Mazda RX-4 painted yellow and nicknamed "Chick'n Coupe". Kerry, with Beth Vorndran in the right seat, drove her new ride for a finish at its debut event - the 1985 STPR. Kerry would team up with Diane again in 1986 along with Claudia Kelly to compete in the "One Lap of America". They drove the "Girl Yugo" of the two car factory sponsored Team Yugo to a fine 10th overall, first all-female finish out of 116 starting cars. To quote Kerry: "In a way there was no pressure, since no one expected us to do anything. I was part of a team no one thought would make it past Detroit". In June 1985, Kerry used her writing talent to publish the first "The Bogey Times" newsletter out of her home in Connecticut. This came about as a result of frustration over the lack of press coverage of anyone but the top rally teams. If you had a story or an event report, she would include it in the newsletter. There were some good stories printed that you would never have had a chance to read anywhere else. Bogey Times lasted until June 1988 when it was incorporated into The Stage Times newsletter when Kerry took over as editor. I still have all the issues and they bring back a lot of memories. In March 1988 Kerry expanded her grip on rally publications by taking over as editor and publisher of The Stage Times newsletter. The Stage Times had been written by Tim Cline since he took over from founder Tom Grimshaw. At the time it was one of the best sources of rally news in North America. Kerry continued that tradition and also expanded to include a wider range of rally coverage. In 1989 Kerry wrote: "I was getting frustrated by my limitations with space and graphics, so when Andy Wos suggested that Tom Barker and I combine forces and that he and his company Techni-Graphics do the layout and publishing I jumped at it". Since the new format was going to include TSD events, The Stage Times no longer fit as a name. This prompted the rebirth of another Grimshaw creation Rally Magazine. The premier issue was published in December 1989 with a full color cover photo of Tim O'Neil's VW Golf, with all 4 wheels off the ground at POR. It was a great start and in a perfect world it would have been a huge success. But in our world of US Rallying money from advertisers is hard to find and subscriptions only pay part of the expense. Kerry published the final issue in August 1994. We were all sorry to see it go but it was great while it lasted. In the early 1990's Kerry ran the PRO Rally License seminar at the Blue Mountain Region, Rally Right School at Ski Sawmill resort in Morris, PA. This annual event became so successful that half of the entries had to be returned due to lack of space. The final Rally Right School was in 2001, that same year a fire destroyed the bar, restaurant and most of the motel rooms. A suitable replacement location was never found and in 2004 the SCCA ended its 30 year association with stage rallying. In the late 1990's Kerry moved to North Carolina and pursued a new career in Veterinary medicine. For the past several years she fought a valiant fight with cancer. It all ended Saturday night, she finally went very peacefully, surrounded by close friends and family at 10:10pm. We will truly miss never being able see or talk to Kerry again but we do have many great memories of times when our traveling rally road show would meet at places most people never heard of: Steakhouse at STPR, Library Bar at POR, Ski Sawmill at Rally Right, and so many more the names fade away but the memories will last forever. We wish to extend our sincere condolences to Kerry's family and friends. It was a privilege to have had her as a friend.
Dear Friends of Kerry, If you are unable to make the gathering, cards can be sent to her sister (Neal and Carl Doucette) in care of Ross and Joanna Stocks. Donations in Kerry's name can be made to her requested charities. We will be collecting donations at the gathering or they can be sent directly to the charity. Conservator's Center PO Box 882, Mebane, NC 27302 or Transitions Life Care, 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607 Kerry's family and friends wish to offer our heartfelt thanks to Transitions Life Care for their invaluable assistance and kindness during Kerry's last weeks. |
