Classic Auto Mall Show #210 Don The Snake Prudhome + Keith Martin of Sports Car Market join host Stewart Howden
About this episode
Don 'The Snake' Prudhomme, a legendary drag racer, shares captivating stories from his racing career with host Stewart Howden. The conversation covers Prudhomme's iconic nickname, his fierce rivalry with Tom McEwen, and the evolution of drag racing sponsorships. They discuss the technical aspects of drag racing, including the significance of reflexes, the shift to modern safety measures, and the impressive speeds of today's top fuel cars. Prudhomme reflects on his time as a team owner and the changes in the sport over the decades, offering insights into the thrill and challenges of drag racing.
Show #210 airdate 09-10-25 Stewart welcomes Don "The Snake" Prudhomme, renowned Drag Racer, 1991 inductee into The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. Discussion includes his nickname "The Snake" and his epic battles on the track with Tom "The Mongoose" McEwen, the origin of the "Funny Car" differences between straight-line and other types of racing, drag racing then and his biography "Don 'The Snake' Prudhomme: My Life Beyond the 1320" (referring to the number of feet in a quarter mile) as well as the book "Six Seconds to Glory" which inspired the 2013 movie "Snake and Mongoose).
Legendary Hall of Fame Drag Racer Don The Snake Prudhomme joins the show to discuss his incredible career with host Stewart Howden. Prudhomme talks about how he got his nickname when he started racing because he was tall and thin and had quick reaction times and a crew member gave him the name Snake because of his quickness off the line and appearance.
He talks about his Funny Car Match races with Tom The Mongoose McEwen and their matchbox deal with Mattel and how it helped grow drag racing and the funny car division and make it popular. Prudhomme also talks about restoring the car hauler roll backs they used in the early 1970s and eventually selling them to Rick Hendricks of Hendricks Motorsports. Prudhomme not only restored his car hauler but also the one used by Tom McEwen. Prudhomme talks about how his races with McEwen helped grow the sport because they bright in sponsors who were not car related. They were some of the first non-automotive major sponsors like Mattel Hot Wheels.
The Snake talks about how he and Tom McEwen found and came to own the 1967 Dodge D700 Crew Cab car haulers in 1970. At the time the racers with the best rigs were Sox and Martin and Dick Landy and were pro stock style cars. Dick Maxwell who managed Plymouth Racing hooked McEwen and Prudhomme up with those trucks. Don Prudhomme’s hauler actually came from Richard Petty who had used it for years to haul his race car.
Don Prudhomme talks about the current state of drag racing and what he would change. He discusses that instead of shortening the track from ¼ mile to 1,000 feet they should have had a plan to calm down the race cars. What should NHRA do to improve drag racing? They are now going faster in 1,000 feet than they were in a quarter mile.
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Recorded in our Showcase Studio just inside the entrance of the Classic Auto Mall in Morgantown, PA, Host Stewart Howden, Classic Auto Mall President and Classic Car Specialist Steve Saffier talk about this unique and amazing place often with amazing guests.
YES...Classic Auto Mall is a REAL former shopping mall that covers almost EIGHT football fields with an average of nearly ONE THOUSAND classic vehicles under one, climate controlled roof and they're all FOR SALE!
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Chevrolet Camaro
"that people take a Camaro and they make a"
Chevrolet Corvette
"yeah don't need a Corvette you can't get in and out of"
Chevrolet Impala
"to catch a herd of impalas and don't forget"
Ford Mustang
"the wired mustangs and broncos plus gazelle"
Pontiac Le Mans
"how about the 1965 Pontiac Le Mans convertible"
Chevrolet Malibu
"Next but not the least 1964 Chevrolet Malibu SS Hard Top Silver Blue Over Blue"
Ford Ranchero
"Next is the 1969 Ford Ranchero 500 Rio Grande Yes"
Dacia Duster
"It's a very uncommon spec And speaking of dusters As we spoke earlier"
Toyota Tercel
"It's going to thrill you It's going to have a tercel Right, exactly"
G-Class Gwagon
"And last but not least The 2014 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG G-Wagon Obsidian black metallic"
Ford Fairlane
"Got a 56 Lincoln Mark II And a 57 Ford Fairlane That's really, really"
Land Rover Defender
"Well, you know, I had a Land Rover Defender 90 And I was on a first date"
Mercedes-Benz 420 SEL
"We had a We had a Mercedes 420 SEL As just a daily driver"
Lotus Elise
"It's a bit like my daughter's Got a Lotus Elise Now that's a good"
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