Back in 94, I was the track operator at the Medford Ore. track, and put on a show we called Top Fuel Tuesday. We invited Gary Densham,Del Worsham, Jim Epler,Tom Hoover, and others for a best of 2 type show. A couple days before the event, I received a call from Al, asking why he hadn't been asked to participate. I told him that I didn't bother because I didn't feel we could afford what his asking price would be. He didn't hesitate to respond with "How about FREE". After my lengthy silence, thinking he was kidding, he said that he needed to test a new clutch, and would make a few pass's. He was not included in the pre-race promo, so when he showed up, and made his half track burnouts, and low ET runs, the place went nuts.
The following year, I of course called him to participate, and he put on another great show, along with the same group from the year prior. In fact Tom Anderson almost quit as crew chief, due to Al insisting on staying on the loud pedal even though he was blazing the tires at 300 feet out.
Toward the end of the evening, Al came into the tower office, and said he could tell by the crowd size, that the race was not going to end up in the green, and told me that only half of his fee would be fair payment, and that he would make up the difference selling t-shirts and hats. Unbelievable, but that was the Al Hofman I will always remember.
