Don "the Snake" Prudhomme vs. Tom "the Mongoose" McEwen made racing headlines throughout the 1970s for their gritty racing feud and nitro-burning ambition, a dragstrip drama which played out at the infamous Lions Drag Strip in the industrial backwaters of Long Beach, CA. There in the pits of gravel and asphalt, these top fuel dragsters redefined the sport of racing through their friendship born of smoke and noise, and tested by fire and speed.
Each pair of sunglasses was custom designed as a tribute to this epic era of American motosports history. Inspired by the custom cars, the speedways, the chrome, the chassis, the crowd and the drivers themselves, this collection energetically captures the bold colors and innovative competitive spirit that fueled the dragster lifestyle.
The ARMY Sunglasses : The 1975 Winston World Finals has passed into legend as the greatest drag race of all time. With the Funny Car World Champion title already under his belt, Don "The Snake" Prudhomme, hailing from Granada Hills, California, set a historic drag racing record at 5.98 seconds for the first-ever 240mph Funny Car blast in his 1975 Army Monza.
There on the Ontario Motor Speedway, Snake won six of eight events, and the following year the Army Car would dominate the Winston World Finals and drive Don Prudhomme to his 21st career NHRA Victory. The ARMY Sunglasses pay tribute to his record-breaking ambition and commitment to the sport of racing.
There on the Ontario Motor Speedway, Snake won six of eight events, and the following year the Army Car would dominate the Winston World Finals and drive Don Prudhomme to his 21st career NHRA Victory. The ARMY Sunglasses pay tribute to his record-breaking ambition and commitment to the sport of racing.
Prudhomme and McEwen burst onto the drag racing scene in the mid-1960s and developed one of the most publicized rivalries in the sport's rich history. Their mutual sponsorship with Hot Wheels® in 1970 paved the way for motorsports marketing partnerships. Prior to that, corporate sponsorship in drag racing was essentially nonexistent and limited to the auto industry. But when Mattel Toys backed Mongoose's new Funny Car and that of rival Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, doors began to open. “The Snake” and “The Mongoose” became household names, and other big companies soon followed.
The ENGLISH LEATHER CORVETTE Sunglasses : In the 1978 U.S. Nationals, Tom "Mongoose" McEwen drove the English Leather "Silver Anniversary" Corvette at 235 mph to a final-round triumph over longtime archrival and racing teammate Don "the Snake" Prudhomme.
Just days before, McEwen lost his 14 year old son, Jamie, to a three year battle with leukemia. Jamie's dying wish was for his father to beat Prudhomme and win the nationals.The NHRA has voted this "Mongoose bites Snake" drag strip duel as the most memorable moment in the history of the sport of auto racing.
Filming began in 2011 for the "Snake vs. Mongoose" indie biopic produced by Stephen Nemeth of RHINO Films (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Dogtown and Z-Boys) and Robin Broidy of Storywise Productions. To be released in 2012, the film will include archival footage from the NHRA. The Snake and Mongoose Sunglasses will be featured in the film.
