Snake & Mongoose Film Announced

Exciting funny car news was announced on the NHRA's website:

Snake & Mongoose film producers Robin Broidy and Stephen Nemeth have announced the casting of Jesse Williams as drag racing icon Don “the Snake” Prudhomme and Richard Blake as fellow legend Tom “the Mongoose” McEwen. The story details the friendship, rivalry, personal tragedies, triumphs, and business successes of “the Snake” and “the Mongoose.”

Not only did the two men make drag racing history as champion drivers but they also modernized the sport in 1970 by shrewdly enticing toy giant Mattel Inc. to make its then-new Hot Wheels line the sport’s first corporate sponsor. The Mattel sponsorship money and revenue from other sponsors that immediately followed enabled Prudhomme and McEwen to produce remarkable innovations in their dragsters and to make racing a major sport globally.

Only a few major motion pictures have been made about the world of drag racing with Shirley Muldoney's story in 1983's Heart Like A Wheel being the last that I recall.

For additional reading see my blog entry about the Hot Wheels Snake and Mongoose.

Target Motorin' Music Hot Wheels Set

As hobbies go I have two passions: music and toy cars.  In the '90s Target produced many exclusive limited edition Hot Wheels sets many in book-type boxes.  In 1997 they released this amazing set that I just couldn't resist as a huge fan of The Beach Boys and related beach and surf music from the 60s.  

The Target exclusive Motorin' Music set resembles a record player complete with record, tone arm and dust cover.  Four cars are attached to a rotatable record disc: red Shelby Cobra 427 S/C, yellow '57 Ford T-Bird, purple 40's Woodie and blue Pontiac GTO.

The top of the record lists the songs that inspired the set including The Beach Boys' Fun, Fun, Fun with its reference to taking Daddy's "T-Bird" away and Surfin' Safari for the Woody as well as The Rip Cords' Hey Little Cobra and Ronny & The Dakotas' G.T.O.  The bottom of the box has lyrics in case you need help with the song references. 

Music and cars just go together.  And this is one great set.

Photo borrowed from this cool blog:
darthvaderr