Prudhomme did not stop re-writing the NHRA record books despite leaving his role as a driver to become a multi-car team owner. Off the track, Prudhomme gained notoriety in the early 1970s when Mattel introduced the “Mongoose (Tom McEwen) and Snake” Hot Wheels car sets, helping to introduce the sport of drag racing to a larger, more mainstream audience. At age 51, he became the third Top Fuel driver to pass the 300-mph mark (301.60) in 1993. Nationals and Winternationals in the same season (1965). Nationals seven times, was the first Funny Car driver to break the 250-mph mark (250.00 mph), was the first to post an elapsed time under 5.20 seconds (5.193), became the first driver to win seven of eight national events in one season (1976), was the first NHRA Winston World Champion (1975), and became the first driver to win the U.S. He became the first driver to win four consecutive NHRA series titles, won the prestigious U.S. 660 winning percentage.Īlong the way, Prudhomme reached many important milestones and broke several barriers in the sport. Overall, he won 389 of 589 rounds of competition for a. For his career, Prudhomme reached the finals 68 times, posting a remarkable 35 wins in 45 Funny Car finals (.777 win percentage) and 14 wins in 23 Top Fuel finals rounds (.609 win percentage).
Snake’s remarkable driving career began in 1962 with his first Top Fuel victory at “Smokers March Meet” in Bakersfield, Calif., before ending with 49 NHRA career victories – the sixth most in NHRA history – following his farewell “Final Strike Tour” in 1994. A true legend of the sport, Prudhomme, 69, concluded his 47th year in drag racing in 2009, his 15th season as an owner after logging 32 seasons behind the wheel as one of the sport’s elite drivers.
Hobbies: Dogs, fishing, golf and landscapingĪsk even the most casual of motor sports fans who the biggest name in drag racing is and you are almost always sure to hear one name – Don “The Snake” Prudhomme.
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