Growing up, Top Fuel racer Mike Salinas was admittedly a huge Snake and Mongoose fan, having watched them race at Fremont Dragway. Once, Salinas fondly recalls, Don "The Snake" Prudhomme let Salinas set in his car when he was just 8-years old, and from there the passion was set in stone. He  drew no greater pleasure than in watching Prudhomme and his friendly rival Tom "Mongoose" McEwen battle it out on the drag strip. 

McEwen passed away in June, leaving behind a legacy of positive fan interaction and positive impressions on future drag racers such as Salinas. Over the years, Salinas and McEwen became close friends and were so up until his death. 

This weekend at the Chevrolet Performance NHRA U.S. Nationals, Salinas will honor McEwen at the site of his most famous win ever, the 40th anniversary of McEwen's historic Inidianapolis victory.