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Drag Racing Community Mourns the Loss of a Life Well Raced

Tom Hoover’s 1966 Fishbowl Dragster
Hoover with friend Steve Anderson (far right) showcasing his 1966 front-end \”fishbowl\” dragster that Hot Rod magazine called most beautiful dragster ever built in the March 2015 issue.

MINNEAPOLIS – October 24, 2022 – (Newswire.com)

Showtime Racing announces the renowned National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) professional drag racer, beloved husband, and father of four, Tom “Showtime” Hoover passed away Friday evening at the age of 81 from natural causes compounded by health complications. Ironically, for a man who raced the loudest automobiles in motorsports, Hoover died peacefully at St. Joseph’s hospital just minutes from his MN home and his hometown racetrack Brainerd International Raceway. 

Hoover was a cornerstone of the NHRA, IHRA and AHRA professional drag racing community for almost four decades, having built a 35-year career of competitive racing achievements while delivering extreme thrills for fans in both of drag racing’s major racing categories: Top Fuel Dragster and predominantly in Funny Car. He raced from the 1960s to the early 2000s, creating a worldwide reputation for showmanship and performance on the track. This reputation earned him the nickname “Showtime”, a nod not only to his track record, but also for the stunning paint jobs on his cars by his painter and lifelong friend, Reed Holmes, as well as his colorful on-camera interviews and his candor with fans.

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 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren

“Anyone who ever met Tom, would certainly remember that very moment,” said his wife Betten Hoover (on left) who penned the book Out of the Groove about living life on the road. “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.” 

While Hoover was determinately humble, his notable list of racing accomplishments throughout his career in funny car included the following:

Hoover was one of the first five funny car drivers in drag racing to break the 6-second quarter mile, 5-second quarter mile and 4-second quarter mile and is the only driver to be among the first to break all three milestones over three decades while racing in funny car.

In 1965, Hoover’s first “major” victory came at the American Hot Rod Association (AHRA) Winter Nationals in Phoenix Arizona. At just 24 years old, he was the youngest driver to ever win such a major event.

In the early 1970s, Hoover became one of the first dragster drivers to take on the challenge of driving and owning the then-newest class of drag racing vehicles, the nearly uncontrollable “Funny Car”. Hoover went on to win the AHRA Funny Car Championship three years in a row in 1976-77-78.

In 1977 Hoover won the NHRA Grand Nationals in Montreal, Canada. He followed up that victory in 1979, winning the NHRA Winter Nationals in Pomona, Ca. and went on to rank among the top ten NHRA Funny Car drivers in the nation almost every year through the late 1990s.

In the 1980s, Hoover became the fifth of eight members to the prestigious Cragar Five Second Club with a recorded elapsed time of 5.95 seconds in the quarter mile. The ’80s also saw Hoover bring international prominence to drag racing by racing at Santa Pod Raceway in Podington, England, where he partnered with UK-born funny car driver Bill “Cannonball” Sherratt, who became his closest collaborator and best friend. Tom went on to become an international ambassador of drag racing, bringing his passion for speed and pushing the limits of performance to Canada, Mexico and even earning the title of “World Champion of Australia” in a dragster in 1995.

Throughout the 1990s, Hoover continued to rack up wins, winning the National Race at Phoenix in 1992, the Fram Autolite Nationals in Sonoma, CA, in 1993, and the Pontiac Excitement Nationals in Columbus, Ohio in 1997, which he won just nine weeks after undergoing quadruple by-pass heart surgery, against the better judgment of his doctors.

In 2014, Hoover was awarded drag racing’s highest honor, induction into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame. That was an incredible honor to him given his parents George – who was Tom’s crew chief well into his 80s – and Ruth Hoover were also inducted decades before him. 

Most recently, in 2016, the NHRA presented him with a special “Legend of the Sport” Award.

In recent years, Hoover was quoted as saying, “The greatest thing that I gained by being a professional in this sport was the many friendships that I made both here and abroad and the many memories that now sustain me. Memories anchor our lives on what was and what is still to be as we race into the future.”

Hoover had been in declining health in recent years but would still be seen at a few NHRA races each year most notably the NHRA Brainerd Nationals in his native Minnesota, catching up with old friends and fans alike. In his last years, Hoover could be spotted at Cacklefests with friend Steve Anderson showcasing his 1966 front-end “fishbowl” dragster that Hot Rod magazine called the most beautiful dragster ever built in the March 2015 issue. That car was exhibited as an art sculpture at the Weisman Art Museum in 2017. Tom Hoover’s racing family archive is housed in permanent collection of the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul, Minnesota.

To honor and celebrate Hoover’s life, the Hoovers are planning a Cacklefest and celebration of his life in Minneapolis, MN, to be announced shortly.

Media Contact: Paige Hoover-Steers, Cell: 312-402-2289, [email protected]

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Contact Information:

Paige Hoover-Steers

VP, Showtime Racing

[email protected]

312 402 2289

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Showtime Racing Announces the Death of Legendary Driver Tom ‘Showtime’ Hoover

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Recognition Reinforces Company’s Commitment to Quality Management Standards

MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. – October 21, 2022 – (Newswire.com)

Bona Fide Masks Corp.  (www.bonafidemasks.com), part of the Ball Chain Manufacturing Co., Inc. (Ball Chain) family of companies out of Mount Vernon, New York, is proud to announce that it has received ISO 9001:2015 certification from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), an organization which has established a coordinated system of quality management standards.

After a rigorous evaluation process, Bona Fide Masks® is the first mask distributor to receive this industry distinction. The ISO vetting process includes all aspects of the company’s business, including purchasing, supply chain integrity, logistics, delivery, infrastructure, testing, human resources, finance, and accounting. By seeking and earning IS0 9001 certification, Bona Fide Masks has underscored its unwavering commitment to its customers and its business partners, meeting and exceeding high-level international standards. The company remains committed to delivering premier products, using safe and sustainable processes. Operating under the ISO 9001:2015 standard helps ensure that Bona Fide Masks’ customers receive authentic, high-quality products that meet or exceed strict standards.

“We worked closely with the ISO auditors during their thorough evaluation process, which resulted in the certification. As a mask distributor operating in a confusing marketplace, we are proud to be the trusted source for masks. We continue to invest back in our company, delivering on our brand promises to provide the highest-level products under an unmatched management program.” – Chief Engineer and EVP, Val Taubner III. 

“Our ISO certification exemplifies that we have strong, clearly defined procedures in place in all our business areas to ensure that all masks that we purchase and then distribute are authentic. Our transparent, perpetual vetting model is unique in the mask industry. I want our customers to know that they can always trust us, and we will always conduct our business ethically. This accreditation solidifies our brand pledge and builds on our promises. We will continue to raise standards and expectations for our industry.” – President, Bill Taubner.

Now certified under the ISO 9001:2015 standard, Bona Fide Masks is proud to join the one million+ companies and organizations, in over 170 countries, with ISO certification.

More about ISO:

Dating to 1946, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an independent, non-governmental international organization with a membership of 167 bodies. It sets forth a framework of international quality management standards for entities committed to delivering products that consistently meet customer expectations. ISO audits are performed by a qualified, independent certifying body (www.iso.org).

More about Ball Chain Manufacturing Co., Inc. and Bona Fide Masks Corp.: 

The current owners’ great-grandfather and grandfather started Ball Chain Manufacturing Co., Inc. (Ball Chain) in a small garage behind their home in the Bronx, NY. The company has been family-owned and operated since 1938. Ball Chain is now the world’s largest manufacturer of ball chains (www.ballchain.com), seen on military dog tags, ceiling fans, handbags and light pulls, among many other goods. The company manufactures more than 3 million feet of product per week at its Mount Vernon, New York factory (all ball chains are made in the USA). Ball Chain is the exclusive supplier to the U.S. military for the iconic dog tag ID necklace worn by U.S. servicemen and women, and the company takes tremendous pride in everything it does.   

Originally a division of Ball Chain, Bona Fide Masks Corp. handles warehousing and distribution with the utmost focus, systematically employing proven, regimented processes and protocols, as supply chain security and transparency are its highest priorities. In this regard, Bona Fide Masks is proud to issue statements of authenticity, providing further confidence to its customers and reinforcing its commitment to supply chain integrity.

Contact Information:

Cristina Chianese

VP of Marketing & Strategy

[email protected]

Bill Taubner

President

[email protected]

914.664.7500

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Bona Fide Masks ISO 9001 Certification

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Bona Fide Masks Corp. Awarded ISO 9001 Certification, Becoming First Mask Distributor to Achieve Designation

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