Prudhomme Annouces Retirement
- Thread starter Bobby Bennett
- Start date
megadeth
Nitro Member
Considering how he feels the direction NHRA is going and the difficulties obtaining long term sponsorships I guess he decided to end the rat race!
Enjoy your retiremnet "SNAKE" it was great following your career and what you accomplished over your 47 years.
Thanks for all you have done for the sport we all love!
I hope you still occassionally show up at Pomona!
Enjoy your retiremnet "SNAKE" it was great following your career and what you accomplished over your 47 years.
Thanks for all you have done for the sport we all love!
I hope you still occassionally show up at Pomona!
NHRAMike
Nitro Member
I've been a huge fan of Snake since I was 4 years old. When Hot Wheels came out with the Snake & Mongoose Funny Car and Top Fuel drag strips, my parents bought them for me. I built every one of the Monogram and Revell models of his cars, and later in life bought almost every one of the die-casts. When I heard that '94 was going to be his last year behind the wheel, I hoped he could win one last championship and go out on top (however, coming in second place to Scott Kalitta and winning three events was still pretty damn good). Once Larry Dixon, and later Ron Capps started driving for DPR, thats where my allegiances went, if it was good enough for Snake, it's good enough for me. I finally attended my first national event in Phoenix back in '99 and I caught him walking down the midway and asked him if he would stop so I could get my picture taken with him. Even though he wasn't as friendly as the scenario had played out in my mind as a child, he still stopped and took the time to please another fan, and to me that epitomized cool.
When Ron Capps left to drive for DSR, my allegiance went with Capps, but if he happened to bow out early, you can bet I was hoping that TJ would end up taking home a Wally, Same thing last year, If Dixon couldn't win, I'd be rooting Spencer Massey on. In hindsight, it's unfortunate that Spencer turned on the red bulb in the final at Pomona in what would turn out to the final run by a top fueler owned by Don "the Snake" Prudhomme.
Snake, I would like to thank you for giving me 40 years worth of memories, congratulations on everything you acheived both as a driver and team owner and I wish you a truly happy retirement.
When Ron Capps left to drive for DSR, my allegiance went with Capps, but if he happened to bow out early, you can bet I was hoping that TJ would end up taking home a Wally, Same thing last year, If Dixon couldn't win, I'd be rooting Spencer Massey on. In hindsight, it's unfortunate that Spencer turned on the red bulb in the final at Pomona in what would turn out to the final run by a top fueler owned by Don "the Snake" Prudhomme.
Snake, I would like to thank you for giving me 40 years worth of memories, congratulations on everything you acheived both as a driver and team owner and I wish you a truly happy retirement.
The Little Lizard
Nitro Member
Don had a great and admirable career. I know my old boss Jim "The Lizard" Herbert and his best friend Gary Ormsby had high admiration and respect for Snake as a person and competitor. The Legend Don Prudhomme will always be known as a tough match-up, and someone you wished wasn't on your side of the ladder.
Don Thank you for sharing your life with us, and the sport of Drag Racing.
Don Thank you for sharing your life with us, and the sport of Drag Racing.
HEMI6point1
Nitro Member
This is tough to read about, The Snake has always been one of my favorites. 
Good luck to him in his retirement and let's hope Spencer Massey can get a ride.
Good luck to him in his retirement and let's hope Spencer Massey can get a ride.
e-town iceyman
Nitro Member
big loss to our sport .... i hope hes not out of the game for too long... he'll always be a legend
rocketman
Nitro Member
Here's the reason Snake can't find enough funding: So far on Google news there is only 6 new articles. (depending on when that story came out that might change) Until the lack of media interest changes we have no reason to expect to get 2 to 5 million a year to run these cars. I'm sorry to say that but that's why he's retiring as nitro racing can not command the dollars in this economy needed to properly fund a team.
I'm very surprised he isn't going over to nostalgia funny car racing. But I guess that isn't major league. I'm a devout life long Snake fan and very disappointed he's leaving the sport. It's yet another wake up call to do what I've been harping on them to do for years now: find a way to lower the costs. CUT THEM IN HALF. What's going on now is not realistic or economically sound.
I'm very surprised he isn't going over to nostalgia funny car racing. But I guess that isn't major league. I'm a devout life long Snake fan and very disappointed he's leaving the sport. It's yet another wake up call to do what I've been harping on them to do for years now: find a way to lower the costs. CUT THEM IN HALF. What's going on now is not realistic or economically sound.
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Tim5636sc
Nitro Member
It is possible to operate a Top Fuel Dragster for a budget less than 3 million per. Even a top notch one...
I was NITRO BREATH
Nitro Member
Devastating news!!!!!!!
Seeing Snake at the races was part of the experience. He is the soul of drag racing. Things will go on but they will never be quite the same
Seeing Snake at the races was part of the experience. He is the soul of drag racing. Things will go on but they will never be quite the same
Another sad day in a long line of sad days to befall the world of NHRA profesional drag racing in recent years as far as I`m concerned. Pretty much reaffirms my decision to put my `10 entertainment $$ someplace other than NHRA. Wow, to think Snake had 3 pro cars as recently as a couple years ago and now he`s done! Doesn`t seem right at all, when a guy of his stature has to get out. I would`ve loved to made it to Pomona next month, but I`m bailing on that race and prolly the Finals too...and with the Seattle event the same weekend as the Yankees/Mariners, it looks like it`s a four day weekend at Safeco Field. Hope Massey ain`t on the sidelines long!
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.
Nitro Member
How do you know he isn't?
Just Paul
Nitro Member
Good Call Brian.
If Beadle is building one, Snake might as well too!!!! How cool would that be to have The Snake and Raymond Beadle line up again.
I wonder if Snake has an old TJ or Capps chassis sitting around still.....
One can dream.
.
Nitro Member
Good Call Brian.
If Beadle is building one, Snake might as well too!!!! How cool would that be to have The Snake and Raymond Beadle line up again.
I wonder if Snake has an old TJ or Capps chassis sitting around still.....
One can dream.
Yep! I'm looking forward to seeing Beadle back on a drag strip with an original (chassis) Blue Max car!
Also, I saw this posted on another site. I don't know if this is real or not but it sounded good to me....
And lets not forget Densham and Cruz already own nostalgia funny cars! Considering the fun that the Snake has been having restoring his old cars lately, it wouldn't be much of a stretch for him to put together a nostalgia car. I don't know if we'll ever see him drive again, but it would be cool to have him as a car owner at the nostalgia races.
I forget the exact number but there is somewhere close to 90 nostalgia nitro funny cars already built and ready to run in the country. From what I understand, several more are currently being built that are not included in that number. Should be fun this season.... I can't wait!
Tim, it may be possible to do it for under 3Mil, but probably not a lot less, if you want to run for the championship. Even so, it's obviously not easy to find even ONE Mil these days. I'm an eternal optimist and diehard, BUT, and as a guy involved in marketing for race teams you must realize this, we still have a huge problem with the cost of these cars and corporate America's perception of advertising value that our sport offers. I'll bet the Hartley's wouldn't be selling their stuff if they could even find 500k of support, let alone 2-3 Million. Just guessing there, but you get my point.
mw6789
Nitro Member
Always sad to see a legend like Prudhomme hang it up, but I would imagine the strain of searching for cubic dollars to fund one of these deals would really take a toll on a guy nearly 70 years hold. It comes a time to just stop and smell the roses, and Don Prudhomme has certainly earned the right to do so. Have a great retirement Snake---and how bout restoring some more of those great old race cars and haulers.
mick
Nitro Member
Always sad to see a legend like Prudhomme hang it up, but I would imagine the strain of searching for cubic dollars to fund one of these deals would really take a toll on a guy nearly 70 years hold. It comes a time to just stop and smell the roses, and Don Prudhomme has certainly earned the right to do so. Have a great retirement Snake---and how bout restoring some more of those great old race cars and haulers.
nicely said mike - i'll echo your thoughts.
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