NHRA News: Prudhomme eyes 100th victory (1/20/2004)

Prudhomme eyes 100th victory

Contributed by Ted Yerzyk
1/20/2004

"What turns me on is when the cars win."
– Don Prudhomme

In more than 50 years of NHRA drag racing, one colorful nickname has become synonymous with the sport – The Snake.

Growing up in the early days of straight-line racing, where a driver's legacy and reputation were every bit as important as his on-track performance, Don "the Snake" Prudhomme intimidated his foes and piqued the interest of even the most casual observers of drag racing before he ever fired up his hot rod. From coast-to-coast and all points in between, the arrival of Prudhomme gave drag races an instant stamp of legitimacy.

And, like all great champions, he was able to back up his reputation on the track, winning four NHRA titles quicker than anyone in history. The respect he garnered in his time behind the wheel and the continuing legacy of one of the founding fathers of the sport were hard earned in a career that has spanned some five decades.

Since his early days as a driver, 'The Snake' always manages to have fun when he's at the drag strip.
Photo courtesy of www.snakeracing.com

To date, 'the Snake' has accomplished more in the world's fastest motorsport than just about anyone. Growing up in the San Fernando Valley, the former automobile painter from Van Nuys earned his stripes as a member of the famed Road Kings Car Club before graduating to greatness in drag racing's two marquee categories.

For many, Southern California will always be the Mecca of drag racing. From Prudhomme and fellow drag racing pioneers like Art and Jack Chrisman, Ted Cyr, Gene Adams, "TV Tommy" Ivo, Mike Sorokin, and James Warren to current day stars such as John Force, Ron Capps, Brandon Bernstein, Tony Pedregon, and Del Worsham, the Southland was the place to be if you wanted to go fast.

"It was the hot spot of drag racing," Prudhomme said. "It was a huge thing, especially Bakersfield. In the early days of Bakersfield, they were running nitromethane up there and NHRA didn't run nitromethane at the time, they ran gasoline. It was pretty much the birthplace; you know Wally Parks and [Pete] Petersen. California was the hub.

The legacy begins
"When I was in the Road Kings, I went with Tom Ivo around the country in '59 on a match-race tour one summer. It was then that I realized being a drag racer from California was a big deal. The fans awed at the chrome. I think we had chrome and candy-apple paint before anybody else."

Roland Leong and Prudhomme were a formidable duo, as many of their rivals found out.
Photo courtesy of www.snakeracing.com

Prudhomme initially made a name for himself driving various front-engine dragsters to wins across the country. He earned his first of a record seven U.S. Nationals titles in 1965 driving a rail owned by Roland Leong. Prudhomme scored two more Top Fuel victories at "The Big Go," a racer's acronym for Indy, in 1969-70 before piloting his Funny Car to Indy glory four more times. And that was just at one track.

Overall, "the Snake" won 49 NHRA events – 35 in Funny Car and 14 in Top Fuel – in 68 final-round appearances for a staggering .721 final-round winning percentage. Prudhomme also holds the distinction of winning the second most Funny Car races ever, despite the fact he split time between two professional categories.

Although his footprints can clearly be seen in every decade since the 1960s, Prudhomme's heyday as a driver came in the mid-'70s when he shocked the motorsports world with a dominating string of four consecutive NHRA Funny Car titles from 1975-78. He earned seven consecutive race victories, the most in NHRA Funny Car history, over a two-year span in 1976-77, and advanced to a record 13 straight final rounds in 1975-77. He also recorded low qualifier honors 52 times and is one of 13 drivers to have earned victories in both Top Fuel and Funny Car.

"Those were some of my best days as I look back on my career," Prudhomme said. "There was that four-year period of winning championships. I've had some great moments in drag racing but I think that was the peak of my racing days as a driver."

After 32 years of piloting Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars, 49 race victories and four NHRA Funny Car titles, "the Snake" decided 1994 would be his final season as a driver and fittingly termed his last campaign his "Final Strike Tour." Finishing like a champ, Prudhomme won three races during his final year behind the wheel of his Skoal Bandit dragster, before assuming the role of team owner.

Building the next dynasty
Aside from giving his multitude of fans one last chance to see him race, "the Snake" made another important decision that year, tabbing a baby-faced, second-generation driver named Larry Dixon Jr. to fill one of the most coveted seats in the sport.

Prudhomme has celebrated 33 wins and two Top Fuel championships with driver Larry Dixon (center) and crew chief Dick LaHaie.
Photo courtesy of www.snakeracing.com

"It was really a no-brainer with Larry," Prudhomme said. "He had the desire and when we went to test the car, I wasn't 100-percent sure until he drove it. He had driven other things, but never anything with that much power. He was like a duck to water and I was like a proud papa watching him in the car."

Dixon, whose father, Larry Dixon Sr., won the 1970 Winternationals, began working for Prudhomme in 1988, doing the menial work of a first-year crew member.

"His calmness is what really stood out to me," Prudhomme said. "He was very cool and smooth. I remember when they were warming the engine and he was chewing gum and he was looking at the tach and he's chewing gum while the thing's running, instead of his teeth rattling."

In 1996, Prudhomme – who achieved much of his fame and recognition from his partnership with Mattel's Hot Wheels brand and a rivalry with fellow Funny Car ace Tom "The Mongoose" McEwen – rejoined the Funny Car wars with the help of longtime sponsor U.S. Tobacco Co. and its Copenhagen brand, naming up-and-coming driver Ron Capps to drive a black Camaro Funny Car.

With movie star looks, Capps had just one victory to his credit at that point, having driven Roger Primm's dragster to the victory at Pacific Raceways near Seattle in 1995. Even so, Prudhomme saw something in the young Santa Clara University graduate that impressed him and Capps was energized to be racing for his longtime hero.

Two-thirds of the current Snake Racing Organization, Tommy Johnson Jr. (near lane) and Ron Capps.
Photo courtesy of www.snakeracing.com

"I guess I would have to compare it to like being called up to play in the major leagues," Capps said. "It would be like being a college football quarterback and having Joe Montana walk on the practice field and give you some tips. When you grow up idolizing somebody you never figure you'll get close to that person. You'd like to be able to take the career path they did and do what they did. To be able to work for that person and become part of their family is something you dream about."

As the fad of multi-car teams swept the Funny Car ranks, Prudhomme added Tommy Johnson Jr. – long considered one of the best all-around drivers in the sport – to his organization in 2001, teaming the blonde, spectacle-wearing Iowan with Capps in a second Skoal Camaro.

The next big goal
Prudhomme still casts a daunting shadow at drag strips up and down the West Coast to Florida, New Jersey, and anywhere else in between. With his confident swagger and cool demeanor, the toothpick-clenching Prudhomme has toasted a Miller Lite nearly 50 times after witnessing his stable of drivers race to 47 victories (Dixon 33, Capps 13 and Johnson Jr. one) and two NHRA POWERade championships – giving Prudhomme six titles in his illustrious career.

Combined with his 49 wins as a driver, Prudhomme has his sights set on "Wally" trophy No. 100, which will make him just the second driver/owner behind John Force to reach the 100-win plateau.

Prudhomme is very involved in the day-to-day operations of all three of his race teams.
Photo courtesy of www.snakeracing.com

"I think what's more important are all three teams doing well," Prudhomme said. "I look at the Funny Car team doing well, the dragster team doing well and when they do, the wins will come. I don't really look ahead. It's a good number to have up there, but Force has already done it. I'd have been more impressed if I was the first to get this thing.

"We're focused on winning races and championships and if all that happens, the 100th will come in short order. It's more of a team thing now then Don's going to win his 100th race. What turns me on is when the cars win."

Needing just four victories to reach the century mark, "The Snake" is looking forward to the quest for 100. However, Prudhomme is well aware of the difficulty in winning races with so many exceptional teams competing in both nitro-burning categories.

"People can talk about this all they want," Prudhomme said. "When it gets to 99 then we can start talking. Races are hard to win. Some teams would love to win four races in one year. They're hard to win. There are no gimmes."

Who will it be?
Johnson, who recently wed fellow nitro driver Melanie Troxel, captured four wins in the Top Fuel category before earning his only win with Snake Racing at the spring Las Vegas race in 2001. Johnson would love his second career victory with "the Snake" to be Prudhomme's 100th win.

Snake claimed 49 wins as a driver. Now
he is nearing 100 for his career.
Photo courtesy of www.snakeracing.com

"You always want to be a part of history," Johnson said. "It's drag racing history and Snake is one of the top five drivers of all time. It would mean a lot for the team and Snake, but it also would mean a lot to me. We have the continuity of having the same crew chief for consecutive seasons this year, so hopefully we can get that historic win early in 2004."

Dixon is the most decorated of Prudhomme's three drivers, having raced his Miller Lite dragster to 33 victories and two consecutive NHRA Top Fuel championships under the guidance of his legendary team owner. Heading into his 10th season as a driver, the Indianapolis resident would like nothing better to make his next victory No. 100 for his boss.

"It would be cool for me to do it," Dixon said. "To be honest, I've been there for more than half of Snake's wins, so if it doesn't come from me and goes to Ron or Tommy, I'm okay with my role in it."

Capps, who has revered his boss from his childhood days, is just excited to be a part of the special moment.

"Those milestones are going to happen with a guy like Snake," Capps said. "I was there for the first double-up with Larry and I winning Pomona in 1998 and the look in Snake's eye said it all. Things like that really excite him. I know win No. 100 will mean a lot to him, but it doesn't matter if it's me or Larry or Tommy. It would be great if I did get the 100th, but Tommy and Larry and I are like brothers, so it's going to be the same whether it's me or one of those guys."

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