If looks won drag races, Tom Hoover’s cars would have been undefeated.

On October 21, 2022, drag racing lost another one of its iconic drag racers when the 81-year-old Hoover passed away.

Hoover’s Showtime brand was a drag racing institution in the 1970s and 80s, but his star began to shine long before then. He raced Top Fuel in the 1960s as a part of the family drag racing team headed by his father, George, and mother, Ruth, though they were more commonly known as Ma and Pa Hoover. The team won the 1965 AHRA Winternationals as their first significant victory.

When the Funny Cars came along, Hoover was a natural for the division. Hoover made a name for himself first in match racing before moving over to the NHRA scene, where he won five national events. Hoover once led the NHRA points in 1979 with a solid early-season run. He also captured three series titles in the AHRA.

Hoover is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, Betten Hoover, and his children, Trent Hoover (deceased in 2018), Troy Hoover, Leighe “Paige” Steers, and Landon Hoover, as well as ten grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

“Anyone who ever met Tom would certainly remember that very moment,” Betten Hoover told NHRA.com. “His presence and personality were both larger than life, and he could put a smile on anyone’s face with his wit and humor. He was fearless in his racing pursuits and lived for the sport, but it was his family legacy that meant the most to Tom.”