By Mike Haag, Raceday San Antonio

ENNIS, Texas – Drag racing legend Don Prudhomme will be recognized as a Texas Motorplex Legend during the opening ceremonies of the 36th annual Texas NHRA Fall Nationals this weekend at the Texas Motorplex.

Prudhomme, who is nicknamed “The Snake”, has a storied history of racing success at the Texas Motorplex.  He won the Fall Nationals three times, including a Funny Car title in 1989, Top Fuel in 1991 and his final professional Top Fuel win was recorded here at the 1994 Fall Nationals.

“It’s quite an honor,” Prudhomme said. “It’s the last place when I was a driver that I won a race at.  So, it’s kind of fitting that I come back and get inducted into the Legend Hall of Fame at the track. It’s quite nice and I am very honored to be named a Texas Motorplex Legend.”

When the Texas Motorplex opened in 1986 it was the first drag racing facility to feature an all-concrete track. Prudhomme said the dragstrip was unlike anything that he had ever seen before.

“Back in the day when it was built it was state of the art,” Prudhomme said.  “There was no other track like this. In Texas when they do something they do it big. That’s what they say and Billy Meyer (track owner) proved that when he built the Texas Motorplex.”

Prudhomme had a career in drag racing that spanned nearly 50 years. In 2009 he concluded his 47th year in drag racing. He spent 15 seasons as an owner and 32 years behind the wheel, racing both Top Fuel and Funny Cars.

“I have always liked racing Funny Cars more than Top Fuel,” Prudhomme said.  “They were the most fun to drive over the dragsters. Just sitting inside one of them things was a real thrill.”

Prudhomme launched his career in 1962 and notched his first Top Fuel victory at “Smokers March Meet” in Bakersfield, Calif.  He later went on to record 49 NHRA career victories, which is the sixth most in NHRA history. At the end of his farewell “Final Strike Tour” in 1994, he had reached the finals 68 times and recorded 35 wins in 45 Funny Car finals and 14 wins in 23 Top Fuel finals rounds.

“Drag racing is an addictive thing, especially once you’ve run 300 miles per hour and go down the quarter mile,” Prudhomme said.  “I still see a lot of people still coming around the track that used to race because they miss it so much. So do I to be quite honest with you. I miss it a lot.”

Even now at the age of 80, Prudhomme is often asked by race fans if he would consider getting back in a Funny Car or Top Fuel dragster and race again.

“I’ve thought about it but by the time I get home I quit thinking about it,” Prudhomme said.  “When you get around them you think that you can still do that. But I have a better judgement when I get home.”

Prudhomme added, “If I could do it again, I would go up against John Force. I used to kick his ass when I used to race against him years ago and I think I probably still can.”

As part of the Texas Motorplex Stampede of Speed events leading up to this weekend’s NHRA Fall Nationals, Prudhomme participated in a special event on Wednesday night in Waxahachie which featured a walking Pub Crawl followed by an exclusive showing of the film Snake & Mongoose, featuring Prudhomme.

“The event was great,” Prudhomme said.  “It was the first year they have tried doing that and showing the movie outdoors. The people that were there thoroughly enjoyed it. I signed autographs for them and talked about the movie. We had a really good time.”

Prudhomme said he will be at the Texas Motorplex throughout the race weekend signing autographs, along with his book and visiting with fans. His book, Don “The Snake” Prudhomme: My Life Beyond the 1320 was published in October 2020 and is available at www.SnakeRacingGear.com.