Don Prudhomme honored with Robert E. Petersen Lifetime Achievement Award
The Petersen Automotive Museum awarded Don “the Snake” Prudhomme the prestigious Robert E. Petersen Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2024 SEMA Show Industry Awards Banquet on Nov. 7. This honor was presented by the museum’s executive director, Terry L. Karges, and NHRA's David Kennedy, acknowledging Prudhomme’s enduring legacy in the drag racing world and his influential friendship with museum founder Robert E. Petersen.
Prudhomme’s career began in 1962 as an NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car driver, achieving 49 career wins and retiring in 1994. He later launched Don Prudhomme Racing, where his team claimed NHRA Top Fuel championships in 2002 and 2003. Revered in both the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (1991) and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame (2000), Prudhomme’s legacy was further immortalized in the 2013 film Snake and Mongoose, which celebrated his famed rivalry with Tom “the Mongoose” McEwen.
Prudhomme’s career began in 1962 as an NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car driver, achieving 49 career wins and retiring in 1994. He later launched Don Prudhomme Racing, where his team claimed NHRA Top Fuel championships in 2002 and 2003. Revered in both the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (1991) and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame (2000), Prudhomme’s legacy was further immortalized in the 2013 film Snake and Mongoose, which celebrated his famed rivalry with Tom “the Mongoose” McEwen.
“Don Prudhomme is a true legend on and off the track, and he was a good friend of Mr. Petersen. ‘The Snake’ is beloved by drag racing diehards and non-racing fans alike, and his achievements have left a lasting legacy in motorsports,” Karges remarked. “We are proud to celebrate Don with this award and honored to have him as part of our museum family.”
The Robert E. Petersen Lifetime Achievement Award, named after the creator of Hot Rod magazine, the one-time boss of Wally Parks, and the founder of the Petersen Automotive Museum, honors individuals who have shaped the automotive world. Past recipients include icons like Dan Gurney, Carroll Shelby, Richard Petty, and Wally Parks — heroes whose impact resonates beyond the racetrack, influencing generations of enthusiasts and professionals alike.
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