Don “The Snake” Prudhomme reveals for the first time
ever his incredible life and career on and off of the drag
strip.
Imagine spending a year with Don “The Snake” Prudhomme,
having coffee together and talking about his life,
his racing, his friends, and his family. He’d tell you about
how he rose from being a high school drop-out who was
painting cars to a respected Top Fuel dragster driver and
successful businessman. You’d hear how he toured the
country with Tommy Ivo and “The Hawaiian” Roland Leong,
racing all the legends from “Big Daddy” Don Garlits to “The
Golden Greek” [Chris] Karamesines.
He’d say how he met Tom McEwen and recall how
they became the Snake and the Mongoose, leading to a
career in Funny Cars that netted him four championships
in a row. He’d talk about the thrill of first wins and owning
his own teams but also the struggles of bad seasons,
crashes and fires, broken parts, and broken contracts.
Along the way, he’d speak about the people in his life, such
as engine-builder Keith Black and NHRA president Wally
Parks, and those who were killed in the wild and unpredictable
sport of nitro racing.
It wouldn’t be only racing, though. Prudhomme would
share lessons he learned about business and life from
such varied sources as a neighbor in Granada Hills to Ford
GT40 driver Dan Gurney. He also would talk about the
importance of family: how his wife, Lynn, and daughter,
Donna, changed his world and how finding out about his
African-American roots opened his eyes to a culture and
inheritance he’d always wanted.
• Don Prudhomme is arguably the most famous drag
racer of all time
• This will be the first time Don Prudhomme has talked
publicly about his life both on and off the track
• Don Prudhomme won 49 NHRA races, 4 NHRA
Championships, and won the US Nationals 7 times
