So sorry to hear. Kirk was one of my friends from So Cal from the 70's. We competed many times, and spent time practicing together as well.
Alas, Tom Warden, Tom Lay, Lucky Pyatt, Mike Belitz, and Jim Armor are gone that I know of. And now Kirk. Sad day for all who knew him. Rest in peace my friend.
Following Bob and Keith's posts on Kirk, my story follows.
Back in '81, Kirk and I were both trying to move up the pecking order in stunt. We both flew in the '81 Nat's
Of course he finished 5th. Me not so high...
Several years later, 84 ish, I was working in LA on B-2, and out of the blue he called me and wanted to go flying. Great, and I fit it I to my schedule. At a local College, we were flying happily, when out of the blue he wanted to "trash can" his plane. It was his '81 plane from the Nat's. I was stunned!!
Then he asked me if I would do the "honors". This was late '84 or even '85. He still remembered that Nat's and how he had placed ahead of me and he was sort of making restitution for beating me. I picked up his handle, but just couldn't do it.
It was an emotional event for me, and really cemented our relationship. I can't even remember if he flew it into the trash can or not.
It is kind of sad being on the "younger" side of a lot of my stunt buddies, and see many of them pass. They may have passed, but are not forgotten.