Will Hoy


William Ewing "Will" Hoy was an English former racing driver and the 1991 British Touring Car Champion, the highlight of a 20-year career in motor racing.

Biography

Born in Melbourn, Cambridgeshire, Hoy did not begin racing until his late 20s and first raced at international level in 1985, taking on the full World Sportscar Championship including Le Mans. Over the next few years, he raced in an assortment of championships and one-off races, the highlight undoubtedly being second overall in the 1988 All Japan Touring Car Championship. Hoy supplemented his racing career as a fully qualified chartered surveyor, employed first by Bernard Thorpe and latterly by DTZ.

Racing career

For 1991 he concentrated on the BTCC, in the first season of Super Touring regulations. Although manufacturers including Vauxhall and Toyota had factory entries, the established BMWs were the car to have initially. Hoy made full use of his opportunity in a car entered by Vic Lee, building a championship lead nobody was able to overhaul. He also won the Willhire 24 Hour at Snetterton in a BMW M3, partnering Ray Bellm and Kurt Luby. For 1992 he was signed by the Toyota team, went into the final round in a three way tussle for the championship but was beaten by Tim Harvey's BMW. However, the car was not competitive in subsequent seasons, Toyota won once in 1993 with Julian Bailey at Knockhill. The closest Hoy came was at Silverstone in 1993, when he was punted off onto his roof by team-mate Julian Bailey, an incident remembered for Murray Walker's commentary line "the car upside down is a Toyota", a play on the company's advertising slogan of the time. In 1994, Hoy drove a factory prepared Toyota Celica in the RAC Rally, of the World Rally Championship, but famously crashed into a tree on stage 4 of the rally. He and his co-driver were unhurt in the accident.
in the 1996 British Touring Car Championship.
Despite 2 largely result-free seasons, Hoy was still an established star, and Renault hired him alongside Alain Menu for 1995. The early part of the season was a disaster, with many mechanical failures and crashes, although in the latter part of the season Hoy moved up to 4th with 3 race wins, in what was now the fastest car. Hopes of a title push for 1996 was erased by the entry of the 4-wheel drive Audi of Frank Biela. Although Menu was again championship runner-up, Hoy slipped back to 9th.
.
The BTCC of this era was dominated by high-investment manufacturer teams, largely made up of overseas former single-seater drivers. Like Tim Harvey and Robb Gravett, Hoy was struggling to remain in a competitive car or make use of it. He went to a fading Ford team for 1997 and 1998. 1997 was somewhat disappointing but 1998 was a much better performance, with Hoy finishing in the top 10 in the championship in one of the least competitive works cars and even picked up a race win at Round 4 at Silverstone. Hoy raced independently for part of 1999, outperforming the rest of the independents in a half-season campaign in the Arena Motorsport Renault Laguna before entering semi-retirement. His last appearance came at Silverstone in 2000 in a Class B Vic Lee Racing Peugeot 306, securing pole position in class for both races, but retired from both races with mechanical failures. Hoy was a commentator for the 2002 BTCC season alongside Ben Edwards in addition to being part of the works Honda BTCC team in a managerial role alongside driver, Andy Priaulx. In late 2002, Hoy suffered a brain tumour and died shortly afterwards. He is survived by his wife and three children.

Racing record

Complete British Touring Car Championship results

Races in bold indicate pole position Races in italics indicate fastest lap
YearTeamCarClass1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526Overall
Pos		Overall
Pts		Class
Pos
1987Chris Hodgetts Motor SportToyota Corolla GTSILOULTHRTHRSILSIL
14		BRHSNEDONOULDONSILNC†0†NC†
1988BMW Finance RacingBMW M3SILOULTHRDON
Ret‡		THRSILSILBRH
9		SNE
10		BRHBIRDONSIL
8		19th165th
1989BMW Team FinanceBMW M3OULSILTHRDON
6‡		THRSILSILBRH43rd98th
1989Trakstar MotorsportFord Sierra RS500SNE
4		BRHBIRDONSIL49th319th
1991BMW Team ListerineBMW M3SIL
1		SNE
1		DON
Ret		THR
3		SIL
3		BRH
2		SIL
2		DON
1
Ret		DON
2
DNS		OUL
2		BRH
1
2		BRH
2
1		DON
3		THR
Ret		SIL
5		1st155
1992Team Securicor ICS ToyotaToyota CarinaSIL
4		THR
4		OUL
2		SNE
1		BRH
Ret		DON
1
1		DON
2
2		SIL
2		KNO
1
5		KNO
2
Ret		PEM
5		BRH
1
2		BRH
2
2		DON
4		SIL
5		2nd149
1993Team Securicor ToyotaToyota Carina ESIL
4		DON
Ret		SNE
4		DON
6		OUL
Ret		BRH
1
3		BRH
2
14		PEM
2		SIL
Ret		KNO
1
10		KNO
2
3		OUL
Ret		BRH
4		THR
10		DON
1
16		DON
2
16		SIL
3		7th79
1994Toyota Castrol TeamToyota Carina ETHR
5		BRH
1
9		BRH
2
9		SNE
12		SIL
1
6		SIL
2
6		OUL
Ret		DON
1
10		DON
2
7		BRH
1
Ret		BRH
2
17		SIL
9		KNO
1
9		KNO
2
8		OUL
11		BRH
1
12		BRH
2
DNS		SIL
1
7		SIL
2
7		DON
1
18		DON
2
7		13th48
1995Williams Renault Dealer RacingRenault LagunaDON
1
6		DON
2
5		BRH
1
9		BRH
2
7		THR
1
Ret		THR
2
Ret		SIL
1
5		SIL
2
15		OUL
1
Ret		OUL
2
18		BRH
1
4		BRH
2
4		DON
1
12		DON
2
8		SIL
2		KNO
1
Ret		KNO
2
Ret		BRH
1
1		BRH
2
2		SNE
1
12		SNE
2
1		OUL
1
2		OUL
2
Ret		SIL
1
2		SIL
2
1		4th195
1996Williams Renault Dealer RacingRenault LagunaDON
1
2		DON
2
2		BRH
1
17		BRH
2
DSQ		THR
1
5		THR
2
15		SIL
1
8		SIL
2
Ret		OUL
1
Ret		OUL
2
6		SNE
1
7		SNE
2
9		BRH
1
4		BRH
2
3		SIL
1
9		SIL
2
6		KNO
1
10		KNO
2
11		OUL
1
4		OUL
2
Ret		THR
1
Ret		THR
2
19		DON
1
5		DON
2
4		BRH
1
8		BRH
2
Ret		9th92
1997Team MondeoFord MondeoDON
1
Ret		DON
2
DNS		SIL
1
12		SIL
2
7		THR
1
11		THR
2
12		BRH
1
DSQ		BRH
2
17		OUL
1
DNS		OUL
2
DNS		DON
1
13		DON
2
9		CRO
1
8		CRO
2
Ret		KNO
1
12		KNO
2
14		SNE
1
10		SNE
2
7		THR
1
5		THR
2
9		BRH
1
7		BRH
2
Ret		SIL
1
Ret		SIL
2
10		15th27
1998Ford Mondeo RacingFord MondeoTHR
1
Ret		THR
2
15		SIL
1
9		SIL
2
1*		DON
1
8		DON
2
16		BRH
1
7		BRH
2
Ret		OUL
1
8		OUL
2
7		DON
1
3		DON
2
Ret		CRO
1
13		CRO
2
9*		SNE
1
8		SNE
2
8		THR
1
10		THR
2
12		KNO
1
6		KNO
2
Ret		BRH
1
Ret		BRH
2
Ret		OUL
1
8		OUL
2
6		SIL
1
10		SIL
2
8		10th69
1999Arena InternationalRenault LagunaDON
1		DON
2		SIL
1		SIL
2		THR
1		THR
2		BRH
1		BRH
2		OUL
1		OUL
2		DON
1		DON
2		CRO
1		CRO
2		SNE
1
10		SNE
2
13		THR
1
10		THR
2
8		KNO
1
13		KNO
2
11		BRH
1
13		BRH
2
11		OUL
1
10		OUL
2
11		SIL
1
6		SIL
2
7		15th15
2000VIP Touring Car ClubPeugeot 306 GTiBRH
1		BRH
2		DON
1		DON
2		THR
1		THR
2		KNO
1		KNO
2		OUL
1		OUL
2		SIL
1
Ret		SIL
2
Ret		CRO
1		CRO
2		SNE
1		SNE
2		DON
1		DON
2		BRH
1		BRH
2		OUL
1		OUL
2		SIL
1		SIL
2		15th2

  1. – Race was stopped due to heavy rain. No points were awarded.
† Not eligible for points. ‡ Endurance driver.

Partial Japanese Touring Car Championship results

YearTeamCarClass123456DCPts
1990Team TaisanBMW M3JTC-2NIS
7		SUG
Ret		SUZ
9		TSU
9		19th62
1990Team TaisanBMW M3 Sport EvolutionJTC-2SEN
8		FUJ
Ret		19th62