Recently I enjoyed a couple afternoon hours with Al Young at the Portland Roadster Show. Al has been a friend since our undergraduate years at the University of Washington. When Creighton and I met, both he and Al resided in The French House of McMahon Hall. Creighton was Al’s tutor for French. I remember one time hearing Al appealing to Creighton: “Man, I need your help here – please!!! I just have to pass this one class and I’ll be done with foreign language!” What a fun, thoughtful and insightful person he was then and continues to be. His story is compelling and one I encourage you to read (see link below).

Al with his 1973 Plymouth Roadrunner

Since the first 8,000 mile cross-country USA road-trip with his wife Vicki in 2011, they have toured Europe three times, attending the Power Big Meet, where he was awarded first-place trophy for longest distance traveled at The Power Big Meet in Vasteras, Sweden, 2014.

“Over decades of competition, Al raced his Challenger at speeds over 150 miles per hour, winning everything from state championships to thousands of dollars as a three-time world champion of Hot Rod Racing. His titles include the American Hot Rod Association World Champion, the National Hot Rod Association Division Champion, and American Hot Rod Association World Finals Champion.”  

“Al Young retired from competitive racing in 2003 and donated his racecar to the Museum of History and Industry in Seattle. The lime-green car presides over the museum lobby and displays the decals of Al’s many supporters, a dense pattern of stickers reminiscent of the colorful patchwork of paint on Al’s first Mercury. Al paid $1,100 for his Challenger, in 1975. Today, it is worth $600,000.”

https://www.inkshares.com/books/the-challenger-the-al-young-story/book_segments/chapter-1-68