In the July issue of Sprint Car & Midget Magazine, Dave Argabright remembers late sprint car team owner Richard Hoffman, who died on April 30 after a brief illness. The full story can be viewed at www.sprintcarandmidget.com and requires either a print subscription to Sprint Car & Midget Magazine or online subscription to www.sprintcarandmidget.com to read.
He was the centerpiece of one of the most dynamic and successful teams in racing history, and his passing leaves a void that will not soon be filled.
Richard Hoffman passed away on April 30 at age 76 following a brief illness, surrounded by family. It was a quiet end to a life that was loud, action-packed, and filled with success.
Hoffman was the middle generation of Hoffman Auto Racing, a racing team that traces its roots back 90 years. His father, August “Gus” Hoffman, purchased his first race car in the Cincinnati area in 1929, and young Richard counted the days until he was deemed old enough to travel and race with his father. Richard’s son Rob continued the tradition as Richard and Rob worked side-by-side on the family’s race cars for more than 30 years.
Richard Hoffman was not a race driver, as he preferred his role of car owner and mechanic. But among the dozens of men who wheeled the family car through the years, none carried a more fierce determination to win than Richard.
His insatiable appetite for winning was at the center of his personality, and Richard had other notable traits as well. He was well-spoken and educated; he was savvy in the ways of business and his fellow man; he conducted himself with a respectful air. Even in the midst of heated and intense competition he was typically composed and calculating, somehow always able to navigate through adversity.
Click here to read the full story on sprintcarandmidget.com.