Legendary Drag Racers Don “The Snake” Prudhomme And Tom “The Mongoose” McEwen’s Iconic Hot Wheels On Display At Inaugural Barrett-Jackson Reno Tahoe
Fully Restored 1967 Yellow and Red Haulers and 1970 ‘Cuda and Duster Funny Cars Debut Together at The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions™ As Part of the Highly-Anticipated World Premiere of “Snake and Mongoose”
RENO, Nev. (July 18, 2013) Barrett-Jackson, The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions™, is excited to announce that the iconic Hot Wheels Yellow and Red Haulers and the ‘Cuda and Duster Funny Cars raced by legendary drag racers Don “The Snake” Prudhomme and Tom “The Mongoose” McEwen, will be on display together for the first time outside of California in over 40 years. The haulers and funny cars will be showcased during the inaugural Hot August Nights Auction Presented by Barrett-Jackson at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center August 8-10, 2013. Following the Reno Tahoe event, the cars will go on an exciting and never-before-seen nationwide tour, before being displayed at the 6th Annual Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas auction and then ultimately crossing the block at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in January 2014.
The historic cars, which started it all, signify the unique and inspiring story of how two highly competitive Southern California drag racers revolutionized America’s fastest growing sport. Together they mercilessly and humorously competed, bringing their bravery, driving talent, innovative engineering and savvy marketing skills to the sport. In fact, Prudhomme and McEwen put both Hot Wheels and drag racing on the map, as they made their legendary deal with Mattel in 1969, the first true cross-promotion that changed sports marketing forever and brought it mainstream.
All over the world through the 1960’s and 70’s, and still to this day, children and adults alike iconized these two era heroes and their coveted haulers and cars. Barrett-Jackson is proud to be a part of this beloved story of sports rivalry and friendship, which is being brought to the big screen to once again showcase the groundbreaking successes that turned a pastime into a profession with the movie, Snake and Mongoose.
The film producers joined forces with Barrett-Jackson to set the stage for an unforgettable viewing and a once in a lifetime opportunity to showcase true American cultural history with the Smithsonian-worthy haulers and funny cars, which are now owned and restored by Don Prudhomme himself, in the Reno-Sparks Convention Center Main Concourse.
“We’ve wanted these iconic haulers and cars to be a part of Barrett-Jackson for many years. The historical significance they had during that era and continue to have is unparalleled and has made an impact on a sport that has lasted a lifetime,” said Barrett-Jackson President, Steve Davis. ”This is unlike anything we’ve ever revealed at Barrett-Jackson, so when Don Prudhomme finally agreed to let us auction them off, we could not have been more thrilled and we knew Reno was the perfect place to showcase them!”
In conjunction with the Hot August Nights Auction Presented by Barrett-Jackson, on August 8th Hot August Nights, Barrett-Jackson and Snake and Mongoose will present a concert with Capitol Records’ Jack Dempsey, whose music is featured in the upcoming feature film.
The producers of Snake and Mongoose will also host a star-studded, red carpet premiere of the monumental movie on August 9th at the Century Parklane in Reno, where the legends themselves are expected to attend.
“This is truly an epic event to have partnered with Barrett-Jackson and Don Prudhomme, combined with the week long Hot August Nights activities to promote the first Hollywood movie about drag racing legends since 1983,” said Tony Marini, executive director of Hot August Nights. “For the hundreds of thousands of car enthusiasts who come to Reno for this festival, they are sure in for a once-in-a-lifetime treat in which they get to witness these iconic cars first-hand.”
After Reno, the Hot Wheels Haulers and Funny Cars will continue on their journey and head for Detroit, where they will be unveiled in the parking lot of the Palladium 12 – Downtown from August 13-18, 2013 in conjunction with the Detroit Woodward Dream Cruise. From there, they will head across the country to Indianapolis to be displayed in conjunction with a benefit screening for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society on August 29th before being displayed on the grounds of the Indianapolis Raceway Park during the NHRA US Nationals August 30 – September 2, 2013.
Following that stop, the haulers and cars will move on to the flashing lights of the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas, so they can be displayed at the 6th Annual Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas Auction at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, September 26-28, 2013.
The final scheduled stop for these authentic cars and haulers is in Scottsdale, Arizona in January, 2014 where they will be auctioned off during the 43rd annual Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction in front of a worldwide stage.
“The haulers and funny cars from this iconic era were not only childhood treasures but are now being brought to life in a major motion picture,” said Craig Jackson, Chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “Prudhomme and McEwen revolutionized a sport and we’re so proud to be able to be a part of that history by showcasing these vehicles in Reno and Las Vegas, and then ultimately having them cross the block in Scottsdale.”
“Don Prudhomme has painstakingly restored both the haulers and the fantastic funny cars that go along with them and we were fortunate to be able to feature them prominently in our film. Now, as we promote the film around the country, we are so pleased that The Snake has allowed the Hot Wheels Haulers and Funny Cars to go on a mini tour of their own. The haulers have not been seen outside of California in 43 years,” said Snake and Mongoose Producer, Robin Broidy.
For more information about Barrett-Jackson and to purchase tickets to the auction, visit www.barrett-jackson.com or call (480) 421-6694. For more information on Hot August Nights and to register for the event, visit www.hotaugustnights.net or call (775) 356-1956 ext 0.
For additional information on the Snake and Mongoose film, please go to www.snakeandmongoosemovie.com.
About The Barrett-Jackson Auction Company
Established in 1971 and headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Barrett-Jackson specializes in providing products and services to astute classic and collector car owners and automotive enthusiasts around the world. The company produces “The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions™” in Scottsdale, Ariz., Palm Beach, Fla., Las Vegas, Nev. and Reno Tahoe, Nev. Barrett-Jackson also endorses a one-of-a-kind collector car insurance offering for collector vehicles and other valued belongings. For more information about Barrett-Jackson, visit m or call (480) 421-6694.
About Hot August Nights
Hot August Nights, a non-profit organization, is the premiere classic car event in the world, annually drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators and participants to northern Nevada to revel in nostalgia, enjoy top entertainers from the 50s, 60s and 70s and to participate in a variety of events including Show-n-Shines, controlled cruises and more.