Pat Galvin wasn't long having turned 22 years old when he experienced the most magical moment of his drag racing career and for the seasoned veteran crewmember, such a statement says a lot.

Galvin was the crew chief of record when McEwen beat Don Prudhomme in one of the more storied finishes in the history of the sport, forty years ago at the 1978 NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.

McEwen had just lost his son Jamie to Leukemia, and racing the weekend was the kind of therapy he needed following such a tragic loss. On paper, the challenge looked monumental and nearly impossible.

"It was magical because at the time, Snake was the toughest drag racer around," recalled Galvin. "He was in the midst of his fourth championship and hadn't lost any races. He beat everybody, and beat us everywhere we raced him.

"To realize just how much we were the underdog, and be able to beat him was beyond words."

There was no explanation as McEwen left the starting alongside Prudhomme, and the U.S. Army-sponsored Plymouth Arrow began to smoke the tires enabling McEwen's iconic silver and black English Leather-sponsored Corvette to pull away for the improbable victory.

For Galvin, the victory was fitting for a man who gave so much to those around with whom he didn't just like, but loved.

"Tom was a big influence in my life, absolutely," said Galvin. "We called him Mother Goose. He'd call us to tell us when to take showers, eat and go to bed. He would track us on the road like a dog which we didn't like. He always knew where we were at, and even the girls we went out with. He knew everything we did at all times."

"I felt at times I was one of his kids."

This weekend at the Chevrolet Performance NHRA U.S. Nationals, not one but two tribute cars, one driven by Top Fuel racer Mike Salinas and the other by Funny Car racer Shawn Langdon, commemorating McEwen's most iconic victory were unveiled.

Even Prudhomme, who back in the day loathed to lose even a match race found himself teary-eyed on the starting line Friday nights as the cameras rolled commemorating his most iconic loss.

"It's a real tear-jerker," Prudhomme admitted, voice cracking with emotion. "The guy meant a lot to me. He meant a lot to the sport, he did so much. He didn't win a lot of races but he won the one that meant the most in 1978. It really put him on the map.

NHRA announcer Alan Reinhart suggested to Prudhomme if there was a race he didn't mind losing, it was that one.

"Nah, I'm still pissed about it," Prudhomme replied with a smile. "I never gave up a race in my life and that race I smoked the tires and he flat beat me. Not sure if I could have beat him, he ran very good that race. I'm still pissed, but I am getting over it."

On Saturday afternoon, the original 1978 Funny Car winning car was towed down the left lane with Galvin's son Trevor behind the wheel.

It was a moment Galvin wishes McEwen could have witnessed personally.

"I just wish Tom could have been here to see all of this," Galvin lamented. "This race was everything to him. The 40th anniversary of his win was going to be the culmination of his career. After this race, and he helped to create this Legends tour, I think he was done with racing.

"To see everything everyone has done, and the Mike Salinas tribute is phenomenal. The Shawn Langdon Global Electronic Mongoose Car is phenomenal. To think these guys would do this in his honor is beyond words."

And for Galvin beyond words is the best way to describe the original moment which inspired it all.