Autoblog

Watch this trailer for Snake & Mongoose

Zach Bowman — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 16:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Videos, Celebrities

If you think drag racing is boring, we encourage you to take a closer look at the sport's early days. When Don "The Snake" Prudhomme and Tom "The Mongoose" McEwen were first lining up to shoot down the quarter mile against each other in the '60s, the National Hot Rod Association was still less than 15 years old. Back then, the cars were more dangerous and a driver was lucky to have a local parts store for a sponsor. But Prudhomme and McEwen changed all that with their public rivalry and lightning-quick marketing sense. It was these two who first talked Mattel into sponsoring their cars with the Hot Wheels toy line, unleashing a torrent of marketing dollars on the entire motorsports world.

Decades later, a new independent film is out to tell that story. Snake & Mongoose follows Prudhomme and McEwen throughout their arc of their relationship, and the first trailer for the flick has officially landed online. You can check it out below and be sure to head over to the movie site for more information. Word has it we can expect to see the film hit theaters early next year.

Continue reading Watch this trailer for Snake & Mongoose

Watch this trailer for Snake & Mongoose originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Nov 2012 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Snake & Mongoose drag racing movie coming soon

Dan Roth — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 08:45:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics

Nitromethane fueled the funny car battles on the drag strips of the 1970s, and Mattel's marketing money made the sport burn brightly and also changed the face of all sports marketing for good. The rivalry between Don Prudhomme ("Snake") and Tom McEwen ("Mongoose") began in the 1960s and grew more intense as funny cars became wilder and wilder. Now it's being chronicled by the film Snake & Mongoose, which is completing post-production now.

Alan Paradise worked on a TV project back in 2005 commemorating the Mattel sponsorship when Tom McEwen suggested the story could be book-worthy. From there, compelling stories and historical photos convinced Paradise that the story would play well on film.

The spectacle of modern sports owes a debt to Mattel funneling money into both drivers' teams, and the tightly tied-in effort generated some of the hottest Hot Wheels toys ever. The yellow Snake Plymouth Barracuda and red Mongoose Duster ran races over and over again in suburban houses all over the nation with the Mongoose and Snake Drag Race Set, complete with a pair of loops and parachutes.

The film is a small, scrappy effort compared to Hollywood blockbusters. Production is finished, and it had the benefit of Don Prudhomme offering advice such as "he ought to give him the finger" to make sure the quarter-mile action is authentic. The cast is star-studded, with Jesse Williams, Richard Blake, Noah Wyle, and none other than Ian Ziering as engine builder Keith Black. "Snake & Mongoose" is one of several racing-themed films coming soon, another reason for moviegoing motorsports fans to rejoice.

Snake & Mongoose drag racing movie coming soon originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Aug 2012 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Dana Point Concours: Don "The Snake" Prudhomme tribute

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:19:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Celebrities

Don Prudhomme's 1974 Army sponsored Chevrolet Vega funny car - Click above for high-res image gallery

The 28th Annual Dana Point Concours d'Elegance took place this past Sunday and once again found the Monarch Beach Golf Links at the St. Regis Resort to be a perfect venue. As beautiful as the resort is, though, we were a bit perplexed to hear visitors talking so openly and enthusiastically about all of the snakes they had been seeing there.

"Did you see The Snake? There are four snakes up on the hill! The Snake was riding around in a golf cart a few minutes ago, make sure you go see him."

The well-traveled Reptilia was none other than Don "The Snake" Prudhomme, the honorary chairman of this year's concours. "The Snake" didn't come empty-handed to this party either. No, he brought with him a quartet of his funky funny cars from the 1970s, including the sole remaining Mattel Hot Wheels 1970 Plymouth Barracuda Funny Car that became famous during the "Snake vs. Mongoose" match races between Prudhomme and Tom "The Mongoose" McEwen. Back in the day, these two warriors famously squared off in match races across the country while also making countless appearances at toy stores, retail outlets and other locations.

The Barracuda was parked atop the same 1967 Dodge D-700 crew cab Hot Wheels Ramp Truck that was used to transport the race car on that promotional tour. The gorgeous yellow duo emerged from frame-off restorations just in time for SEMA last year, and seeing it there instantly transported us back to our youths, when our Hot Wheels checklist included not only this screaming yellow Plymouth, but Prudhomme's red, white and blue Hot Wheels and ARMY cars as well. Imagine our delight, then, when we saw some of those cars parked right alongside the Baracuda and transport in Dana Point on Sunday.

Front and center sat the white 1972 Hot Wheels sponsored Plymouth 'Cuda funny car, to its left the 1974 Army sponsored Chevrolet Vega funny car and to the right the 1978 Army Plymouth Arrow funny car which proudly carries the "Number 1," reflecting Prudhomme's fourth consecutive NHRA World Championship season. The Snake himself was also part of the attraction on Sunday, recounting old racing tales and signing autographs for the masses. He even took a few minutes to visit with the Cagahys, a couple who happened to bring their own Prudhomme car to the event - a 2009 Shelby Mustang Prudhomme Edition. We took lots of pics, which you can check out in the gallery below.

Gallery: 2010 Dana Point Concours – Don Prudhomme

2010 Dana Point Concours: Don "The Snake" Prudhomme tribute originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Dana Point Concours d'Elegance at the St. Regis

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 13:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Performance, Bugatti, Porsche, Ferrari, Specialty, Design/Style, Luxury, Racing

2010 Dana Point Concours d'Elegance - Click above for high-res image gallery

It seems a bit odd calling this the 28th Annual Dana Point Concours d'Elegance when it's only been in this city for three years and has only had that name officially for one, but after spending a good portion of Sunday at the St. Regis and its Monarch Bay golf course, it really felt like this is where this show was always meant to be. With dramatic views of the ocean, the rolling greenery of the links and the surrounding mansions, the venue feels like it was built solely to play host to Southern California's premiere concours.

Second only to Pebble Beach in prominence among the California concours, Dana Point has really come of its own. With nearly 200 judged entries and perhaps an equal number of display vehicles, it's a big show that still manages to feel manageable, and the field of entrants was once again amazing. This year's show honored 100 years of Alfa Romeo, 80 years of Pininfarina and 20 years of the Ferrari F40, as well as drag racing legend Don "The Snake" Prudhomme. Classes included American Pony & Muscle Cars, Corvettes to 1967, Kustoms & Hot Rods, and the second annual exhibit of Supercars, as well as a new category for vintage motorcycles.

With proceeds going to support the Ocean Institute, the Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center at Hoag Hospital and other Southern California youth charities, the Dana Point Concours is run as a Classic Car Club of America (CCCA) Concours, but with some of those additional classes thrown in to showcase particularly interesting and relevant automobiles. Just take a look at the photo above and you'll see the wide variety of outstanding vehicles that this show attracts. Click through the rest of the gallery and you'll see everything from a Bugatti 57SC to the nicest Oldsmobile Starfire you're ever likely to encounter.

Some favorites this year included just about everything in the gallery, but especially the low mileage original '57 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham, '32 Ford Phaeton Hot Rod, '58 Ferrari 250 Tour de France, '59 Ferrari 250 GT Series I Pinin Farina Cab, 1980 Kawasaki K2, "Animal House" Death Mobile, that crazy cute 1957 Fiat "Eden Rock" Yacht Tender, and the fantastic '52 Muntz Jet Convertible. The Muntz, however, wasn't our top pick. That honor had to go to the Bugatti among the classics, Don Prudhomme's funny car collection among the American cars and the Alfa Romeo TZ2 GT Coupe as the car we'd most like to drive. Click below to check out the massive gallery and pick out your favorites.

Gallery: 2010 Dana Point Concours

2010 Dana Point Concours d'Elegance at the St. Regis originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shelby unleashes 750-horsepower GT500 Super Snake Prudhomme Edition

Drew Phillips — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:42:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, Ford, Shelby

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Shelby GT500 Super Snake Prudhomme Edition

Tonight at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona, California, Carroll Shelby and Co. unveiled what is by far the most radical Mustang ever built for the street. Named after Don "The Snake" Prudhomme, who drove a top fuel car for Shelby in the 1968 season, the new Shelby features a 750 horsepower (over 800 on race fuel) version of the GT500's 5.4-liter V8 thanks to an upgraded Kenne Bell supercharger.

Other modifications include a custom fiberglass full tilt front end, a Shelby rear drag wing, eight-point roll cage, six-piston front brakes, rear seat delete, coilover springs, custom Bogart wheels, and much more. Did we mention it's STREET LEGAL? Pricing comes in at a stout $99,995 to upgrade a currently titled car or $149,995 for a complete car. Production will be limited to just 100 examples. More details on the car and the history between Shelby and Prudhomme can be found in the press release after the jump.

UPDATE: Video of unveiling added after the jump.

Gallery: Shelby GT500 Super Snake Prudhomme Edition

Continue reading Shelby unleashes 750-horsepower GT500 Super Snake Prudhomme Edition

Shelby unleashes 750-horsepower GT500 Super Snake Prudhomme Edition originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Shelby to unveil a new special-edition Mustang at NHRA Winternats

Noah Joseph — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 10:26:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Ford, Rumormill

Click above for high-res image gallery of the 2010 Ford Shelby GT500

We don't know what it is yet, but according to the folks at InsideLine, Carroll Shelby is preparing to unveil a new special-edition Ford Mustang next week. Rumored to be less powerful than the GT500KR, the limited-run model will make its debut as part of a benefit dinner for a new museum of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), held during the Winternationals. Shelby will reportedly be joined at the unveiling of the new 'Stang by top-fuel drag-racing legend Don "The Snake" Prudhomme. We'll be eagerly watching the timing lights to see what the Snake Charmer has in store for gearheads this time, and hope that Ol' Shel is feeling better.

[Source: Inside Line]

Rumormill: Shelby to unveil a new special-edition Mustang at NHRA Winternats originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 10:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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