DVDS

Snake and Mongoose - Once Upon A Wheel
Starring: Tom "Mongoose McEwen & Don "The Snake" Prudhomme
Follow along as the biggest Funny Car stars of the '70s - Tom McEwen and Don Prudhomme - hit the match race circuit from Mid-America Dragway in Muncie, Indiana to Milan Dragway in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
This exciting DVD features two of the most famous drag racers of all-time going head to head in fierce Funny Car show. There's also candid interviews intertwined with the two racing legends as they interact as casual friends and racing rivals.

The drag racing action is brilliantly filmed for a high-quality viewing experience. You'll get the feeling of being right in the midst of the smoke-filled action.
Also, celebrate the Hot Wheels 35th Anniversary of "The Snake and Mongoose" including interviews with John Force and Hot Wheels designer Larry Wood. Tom McEwen and Don Prudhomme recall how their "rivalry" was created.

And as an added bonus there is a historic slide show paying tribute to the duo throughout their individual racing careers.
So crank it up and enjoy this historical drag racing footage of the two most famous drag racers of all-time .  Total running time: 67 minutes 

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Item # OUWV

This fantastic vintage Drag Racing DVD features a collection of 3 classic drag racing events from the early to mid-1960's restored to amazing quality. The 1963 Nationals is an ABC Wide World of Sports presentation believed to be the first nationally filmed drag race to air on national television. 31 Min - B&W

1965 Winternationals is another ABC Wide World of Sports film featuring amazing coverage of some classic drag racing not seen in over 30 years. This also features Don Prudhomme in his first NHRA Top Fuel victory. 25 Min - B&W

1965 "A Gathering of Monsters" comes from Fontana and features the Mickey Thompson 200 MPH Club Meet and includes Don Garlits, The B&M Torquemaster, The Surfers and many more. This was the absolute best-of-the-best in Top Fuel Drag Racing back in 1965. 11 Min - Color.

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Item # DFDVD1

Nearly two hours in length (1-HR., 55-MINS.), the documentary was created and produced by Don Gillespie, a 30-plus year drag racing photojournalist who got his start at the infamous quarter-mile facility.

“As a youth, I experienced Lions during its heyday, but was never been able to let it go from my emotional rear-view mirror,” Gillespie began.

“Given the track’s magical atmosphere and important contributions, I made the decision years ago to capture and share its stories and powerful imagery for the benefit of all who experienced it firsthand, plus those who’ve simply heard about this marvelous, iconic drag racing temple.”

The massive project required several years of careful research, interviews, materials archiving and digital transfers, with many rare and seldom seen photographs, plus novice and professional films uncovered. Among the unique “finds” is 16mm footage of the track being built in its earliest stages, plus the sport’s first “live” TV broadcast, which was seen in thousands of Los Angeles area homes from Lions on station KTTV in September, 1961.

All told, more than 30 racers and key figures are either interviewed, or make on-camera speaking appearances, such as C.J. Hart, Art Chrisman, Fritz Voigt, (Mickey’s 1st wife) Judy and (son) Danny Thompson, Larry Sutton, Chet Herbert, “TV” Tommy Ivo, Frank “Ike” Iacono, Joe Reath, Ed Iskenderian, Gene Adams, John Force, plus (from the KTTV show) Allen “Lefty” Mudersbach, Mickey Thompson, Bob Muravez, Jack Chrisman, Gary Cagle, plus many others.

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Item # DGDVD1

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Item # DGDVD2

More than 40 individuals have speaking parts throughout, including the sport’s leading pioneer drivers, manufacturers and key track workers, such as Don Garlits, Ed Iskenderian, Hayden Proffitt, Gas Ronda, Bill “Maverick” Golden, Robert “Bones” Balogh, Carl Olson, Sush Matsubara, Tom McEwen, Pat Foster, Dale Pulde, Don Long, C. J. Hart, and Larry Sutton.

Others include: T.C. Lemons, Roland Leong, Steve Reyes, Doug Kruse, Ed Lenarth, Don Prieto, Ralph Guldahl Jr., Bob Muravez, Tim Kraushaar, Dave Wallace Jr., Wayne King, Harry Hibler, Mike Thermos, Greg Sharp, Willie Borsch, John Ewald, Frank Fedak, Tom West, Doug Hayes, Tommy Ivo, Gerry Glenn, Bill Schultz, Chuck Finders, Don Irvin, Mickey Williams, Ron Capps, Mashie Mishalko, and Dan Radlauer.

The final episode begins with nitro racing’s version of a heavyweight bout, as Top Fuel dragsters fight the growing trend of AFX and early Funny Cars.

Huge meets ensued. Top Fuel scored big with the United States Professional Dragster Championships. Funny Cars countered with the Drag Racing Magazine East-West meet, and epic AHRA Winter Nationals, featuring a 32-car field.

 Innovation led to quicker ET’s – and speeds. Funny Cars roared into the 7-second zone. Top Fuelers blazed past 220 miles-per-hour. With increased performance came danger. Straining clutches and superchargers resulted in spectacular fires, wheelstands and crashes, with drivers in extreme peril.

One of the more dramatic segments depicts the AHRA Grand American in early 1970, when Top Fuel legend “Big Daddy” Don Garlits lost part of his right foot in a horrific starting line transmission explosion. Graphic film of the incident, shot by a spectator, surfaced only recently. Garlits recounts the incident, plus his equally stunning return months later with a rear-engine dragster that likewise changed the sport forever.

Weekly campaigners included Jr. Fuel and Gas Dragsters, AA/Gas Supercharged, AA/Fuel Altered, Injected Funny Cars, plus wild exhibition vehicles, like Bill “Maverick” Golden, who tells of a memorable match with his “Little Red Wagon” Dodge wheelstander.

Manager C.J. Hart departed in 1971, replaced by innovator, Steve Evans, who switched from AHRA to NHRA sanction, and produced events like the giant Grand Premier, which saw the track’s largest number of incidents. Incredible film clips include a wheelstand and crash by Gary Burgin, plus the sports’ first over-backwards flip of a rearengine dragster by the Penner & Beach fueler, and a truly frightening fire by Bob McFarland’s Funny Car, captured on movie film by veteran lensman Paul Sadler at the edge of the sand trap.

When noise complaints spelled the end in December 1972, Lions held the racing equivalent of Woodstock, with “The Last Drag Race”, a colossal, fitting, yet tear-filled end to one of the sport’s most historic, and revered tracks.

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Item # DGDVD3