Don Prudhomme

Seeking a way to maintain a his 47-year presence in NHRA drag racing, legendary driver and car owner Don "the Snake" Prudhomme is seeking either a buyer or investor for his Snake Racing team that will allow him to compete in the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

The sudden development for the four-time world champion came after he was unexpectedly notified by his team's primary sponsor, U.S. Smokeless, that it would not continue to sponsor him and team driver Spencer Massey next season. The team and Massey, a frontrunner in the Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future award for top rookie, will complete the 2009 season, including participation in the Countdown to 1 playoffs for which they already have qualified.

Speaking to the media at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil, a race which he has won seven times, Prudhomme said, "I've been with U.S. Smokeless for 20 years or so and it's been a fine relationship, and this caught us off guard, to say the least. We were talking to sponsors about a second car even, and we were working along and then [U.S. Smokeless] dropped this bomb on us. It's like walking into work one day and your boss says, 'You're fired.'

"We thought it was best to tell everyone that there's a possibility we won't be out here next year," he added. "We need to bring a sponsor or investor into the team because it's so expensive to run these cars. With the tough economy and finding this out so late, it's going to be tough, but we're going to work on it."

The tobacco industry has seen significant regulations over the past decade as it relates to sponsorship and marketing, and Prudhomme cited the tough economy and the Obama administration's emerging tobacco policies as factors in the company's decision.  

In a prepared statement handed out after the press conference, Prudhomme offered the following quote: "This year marks my 47th season owning and operating professional race teams, which I have always prided myself in running like a business. It has never been cheap to field a team that can compete at a championship-caliber level and also provide sponsors with the presentation elements that they deserve."

Prudhomme said that he and his operation would work diligently through the end of the season to put together a deal, citing that his 2007 sponsorship by SkyTel didn't come together until the last minute, so he's still hopeful that his legacy can continue.