Snake vs. Mongoose: How a Rivalry Changed Drag Racing Forever [Hardcover]

Tom Madigan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 28, 2009

Winner of International Automotive Media Gold Award 2010

 

Don “The Snake” Prudhomme  in his Barracuda.  Tom “The Mongoose” McEwen in his Duster.  The “Snake vs. Mongoose” racing feud had been making headlines long before they got their Funny Cars, but it wasn’t until they made a deal with Mattel that drag racing became the multimillion-dollar business that it is today.  Happily co-opted by Mattel, the rivalry described in Snake vs. Mongoose was nonetheless real.  Author Tom Madigan tells the story from the beginning, when engine builder Ed Donovan, with a nod to “The Jungle Book,” dubbed his driver “The Mongoose”--the one creature who could strike faster than a Snake.  The book chronicles the bad press, the toe-to-toe standoffs, and some of the best races in drag racing history.  And within that story, Madigan captures the transformation of drag racing from the gritty, gut-driven sport of the 60s into the full-fledged money-making machine of our day.

 

See Don “The Snake” Prudhomme by Jay Leno on JayLenosGarage.com: http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/jays-book-club-don-prudhomme/1180909/

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Even before you open “Snake vs. Mongoose,” you know you’re in for something special and fun. A protective plastic dustjacket with full color decals of the snake and mongoose figures grabs your attention and keeps your 160 page book in pristine condition. Nine Chapters and eight informative sidebars from Marv Rifchin, Gene Adams, Bob Brandt, Pete Ward, Billy “Bones” Miller, Randy Fish, Bob Shaffer and “Waterbed” Fred Miller document the story. “Snake vs. Mongoose” is a joyful quarter mile trip down a fast memory lane. It rates four out of five lug nuts.” – Gregg Leary, SPEEDTV.com

Book Description

Don “The Snake” Prudhomme vs. Tom “Mongoose” McEwen.  The racing feud had been making headlines for years.  But it wasn’t until the deal with Mattel, making their Funny Car rivalry a Hot Wheels promotion, that drag racing became a multimillion-dollar business.  Snake vs. Mongoose tells the story of this very real, blood-and-guts rivalry--the bad press, the toe-to-toe standoffs, and some of the best races the sport ever produced.  And along the way, the book captures the transformation of drag racing from the gritty, gut-driven sport of the 60s into the full-fledged money-making machine it is today.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Motorbooks; First edition (October 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0760334862
• ISBN-13: 978-0760334867
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 9.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #44,687 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #4 in Books > Professional & Technical > Automotive > Pictorial
  • #10 in Books > Professional & Technical > Automotive > History
  • #19 in Books > Professional & Technical > Automotive > Racing

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hot Wheels Heros!, December 31, 2009

By 

Byron Crump "merc50" (Flower Mound, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Snake vs. Mongoose: How a Rivalry Changed Drag Racing Forever (Hardcover)

I was born in '67 and grew up with the Snake and Mongoose Hot Wheels stuff and remember them from my childhood. This is a great, no make that excellent book about two of the super stars of drag racing. If you like or love 'em, you must buy this. BTW, for no better reason than the car being red when I was a kid I was always a Mongoose guy but I do love the Snake.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, March 31, 2010

By 

de Gregory - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Snake vs. Mongoose: How a Rivalry Changed Drag Racing Forever (Hardcover)

I was very surprised by this book. I grew up following these guys and reading every article in all the magazines, so thought I knew everything there was to know about them. I was so wrong. There is a lot more to the story, and this book is where to find it. Told by many of the people who worked with Don and Tom, they fill in a lot of gaps. Much history of drag racing, plus the personal sides of the story told by those who lived it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Snake vs. Mongoose: How a Rivalry Changed Drag Racing Forever, November 7, 2011

By 

JK - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Snake vs. Mongoose: How a Rivalry Changed Drag Racing Forever (Hardcover)

If your enthusiastic about drag racing from the 60's and 70's, especially if you're a MONGOO$E & SNAKE fan, this book is a must have! It's a well written documented book which is beautifully designed and printed, with excellent photography. Great personal accounts from teammates and rivals that really helps you re-live the rivalry between McEwen & Prudhomme. You really get to see how different their personalities are and how they contributed to the sport they loved. Highly recommended!

Snake vs. Mongoose: How a Rivalry Changed Drag Racing Forever