The cars of Don Prudhomme
For this week’s journey into the National Dragster photo archives, we are opening up the files of one of the sport’s most recognized names, Don Prudhomme. Voted No. 3 on the NHRA Top 50 Drivers List, Prudhomme experienced a high level of success during his four-plus decades behind the wheel. During that time, Prudhomme drove a number of different vehicles, competing in both the Top Fuel and Funny Car categories. Following is a look at some of Prudhomme’s rides through the years.
One of Prudhomme’s early rides was the famed Greer-Black-Prudhomme car that recorded an impressive 230-7 win-loss record in 1963 and 1964. Prudhomme was recommended for the ride by Kent Fuller, who had partnered with Prudhomme and Dave Zeuschel on a car that won the 1962 March Meet. Prudhomme was just 20 years old when he won the famed event held in Bakersfield.
The amazing stint in the Greer-Black-Prudhomme car led Roland Leong to tap Prudhomme as the driver of his Hawaiian entry for the 1965 season. The team swept the NHRA national events in 1965, the lone season Prudhomme drove for Leong.
After spending a year on his own, Prudhomme was hired to drive Lou Baney’s dragster in 1967 and 1968 when it was known as the Shelby Super Snake.
Prudhomme secured sponsorship support from Wynn’s for the 1969 season and again set out on his own. Prudhomme drove the Wynn’s dragster in 1969 and 1970.
Beginning in 1970, Prudhomme also competed in the Funny Car ranks. That year, Prudhomme joined forces with Tom “the Mongoose” McEwen to be part of the Mattel Hot Wheels Funny Car team.
Hot Wheels also adorned the side of one of Prudhomme’s more unique cars through the years: the wedge dragster he piloted during the 1971 season.
Some of Prudhomme’s greatest accomplishments came during his years in Army-backed Funny Cars. Prudhomme first got backing from the Army in 1974, and he bannered the sponsor on several different cars. The most famous of those was the Monza Prudhomme piloted in 1975-76. The Bob Brandt-tuned car went on an incredible run during those seasons that is still considered to be one of the most impressive string of events by a driver/car in history. The nearly invincible car won six of the eight national events in 1975 and seven of the eight in 1976.
Prudhomme wrapped up his career driving the Skoal Bandit entries. The first Skoal Bandit was a Funny Car (above), which Prudhomme drove from 1987 through 1989. Prudhomme then returned to his dragster roots in 1990, piloting a Skoal Bandit Top Fueler (below). He remained in that car through the 1994 season when he retired.