Network
Tom “The Mongoose” McEwen and Don “The Snake” Prudhomme were two of the fiercest rivals in NHRA Funny Car history. However, for most of the time, Prudhomme came out on the winning end in their legendary side-by-side races.
It was a different story, however, in the 1978 Funny Car final at the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Indy.
This time, the Mongoose finally got the Snake.
Spurred on by sheer emotion following the passing of his 14-year-old son Jamie weeks earlier to Leukemia, McEwen had what he called “the race of my life” and was able to defeat Prudhomme to earn his only victory in the world’s most prestigious drag race.
“It was a sad situation,” McEwen has said. “I was really bummed, but one of the last things (Jamie) told me was that he wanted me to go to Indy and beat Prudhomme. He and Prudhomme were buddies.”
During the weeks leading up to the running of the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals, NHRA is unveiling six of the most iconic moments in the history of the event that will remember the very heroes who made them. NHRA will conduct official presentations to honor each of the moments – including the epic 1978 Funny Car final – in the Hot Rod Junction on Friday-Sunday of the Indy race weekend.
It was a sad situation,” McEwen has said. “I was really bummed, but one of the last things (Jamie) told me was that he wanted me to go to Indy and beat Prudhomme. He and Prudhomme were buddies.” – Tom McEwen
A remembrance of the classic 1978 Funny Car final, which was named the most memorable moment in U.S. Nationals history by fans during the 50th anniversary celebration of the Big Go in 2004, will also take place on Saturday of race weekend.
In the final round race, McEwen got the jump at the starting line in his black and silver English Leather Corvette and finished with a career-best 6.05-second run, while Prudhomme’s famed white, red and blue U.S. Army Plymouth Arrow lost traction and slowed near mid-track.
McEwen, overcome with emotion, pulled off into the grass at the top end and sat in the cockpit. Prudhomme coasted to a stop nearby, and when the body was raised on McEwen’s Corvette, Snake climbed inside.
Ironically, in the days leading up to the race, it was Prudhomme that offered support for the still-grieving McEwen and encouraged him to enter the event as a form of therapy.
“We were both crying,” McEwen has said. “It was pretty emotional.”
Prudhomme, who won seven Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals Wallys during his distinguished career, wasn’t surprised that McEwen found the power that day to contend with his track-record-setting, No. 1 qualifying U.S. Army machine.
“Tom ran a smart race,” Prudhomme has said. “He got a single in the semis, so he was able to test something that he had just done to the car. It left like a rocket. He knew that he was on to something. He was ready when he came up to race us.”
McEwen gained momentum from the U.S. Nationals victory and also finished runner-up at the Winston Finals in Pomona, California, to secure a career-best second-place finish in the championship points standings. He finished his career with six NHRA victories, but none were bigger than his 1978 Indy triumph over Prudhomme.
Photo courtesy NHRA/National Dragster
