He is absolutely right. if you get through life having a few friends that you could trust with your life you are a lucky man or a lucky person. I still have my 70 Duster and I've had it for a long time. It has sat in my garage for so many years, engine out of it, up on rollers... While I attended to my family my kids my property and some health problems. If I die and the car never gets done, at least I know I lived my life right for my family. As a veteran, I have put years into my freedom and my life as well as my country. There's so much upside down right now on this planet, and I really cannot understand all the negativity in politics and the bashing. Growing up in the 60s and 70s, drag racing was at its peak in my opinion. Why? You did not have these computers and all of the Wiz Moe's and gadgets... It was the race teams and the driver. People were a lot different then. I like to think we grew up in the best of times really. I got a full set of 1972 Top Fuel funny car and rail and Pro Stock collector cards that Fleer Corporation made. The Tom McEwen fuel funny car is one of the set, only 75 made and mine is number 3. Wishing everybody out there the best of health, love your family , don't worry about the material garbage. That stuff will always be there but your family will not.
Tom has always been looked at as a "character" of the sport, with great marketing skills...and a smart ass attitude. But what gets lost in all that is...he was a flat out great driver. You NEVER saw him get in trouble...I must have seen him make a hundred runs...from 1963 until he stopped driving...and the vast majority were right down the middle. For me he's among the top five drivers I've ever seen. After hearing about his Dad, I have to think a lot of his skills are inherent, and that he was a "natural." A great guy, and a true Legend!
Love the jokingly comment about the snake and nobody liking him. And Don not liking anyone. They were brothers from the start till the Mongoose passed away. Along with Garlits Tom and Don made the glory years of drag racing exciting and fun.
Love the rivalry. I liked the snake as a kid the most but since ive got older and watched more footage and interviews ive learned the mongoose way. Hes with his Boys now. God bless him
RIP Tom. Saw you run dozens & dozens of times at Capitol, Budd's Creek, & Englishtown. Haven't smelled any nitro for decades, but the memories are still there.
wow you know I had a Polaroid tooken by my step-dad in the cockpit of the snakes us marines funny car at Orange County international raceway as a kid until this day was the best day of my life Man watching this brings back memories Tom you guys were the best in my book God bless and take care
McEwen's 1986-87 "Coors Corvette" was the best looking FC ever, it will ALWAYS be my favorite, I wish Revell would produce a 1/24 scale model of that particular car.
This was really tough to watch because of the tragedy with his son. I never realized what he went through, I just knew the Snake and the Mongoose and what I saw on TV and the magazines.
I love this dude. Just happened upon this video because I love drag racing ( not particular) as a kid I loved those hot wheel cars and I love Funny Cars in general. My favorites are the Snake and Mongoose.
You'd think that I would have finally learned not to start watching a Legends film when I really don't have time to watch it all at once, which I do, getting to whatever else in due time. It was special to have him talk about his son, which must have been very painful for him. I'd seen him race countless times but realize that I never knew enough about him to appreciate him as I do now, after having watched this.
I just found out, descedents of the surname Mac Eoghain went to Wales and became Owen or Owens but some thought that was too anglo so they chose McEwen instead. So this racer is related to announcer Gary Owens, but you may have to back as far as 1000 BC Ireland to connect the parents. They were considered royalty in Ireland and noblemen in Wales.
I remember as a kid going across the street and seeing a dragster in Mr. Mcewens garage and dad said he gave kids rides around the block sometimes. but I was 5 or 6 at the time. He and my dad where friends. we always went to his races when in so cal.I think the kid you are talking about (I could be wrong)was the older boy that went around one year recruiting other kids one Halloween to toilet paper the corner house.HA HA He was very polite and asked the parents first and we had permission from the home owners who were going to be out of town. It was a very different time for sure. I was the kid who lived across the street with the big great Dane that was always getting out of the back yard. All the neighborhood kids would help me and my brother to chase him down and try to wrangle him back home sometimes it took hours. good times.We only lived there a few years but it was memorable. Tom was a good man.
He is absolutely right. if you get through life having a few friends that you could trust with your life you are a lucky man or a lucky person. I still have my 70 Duster and I've had it for a long time. It has sat in my garage for so many years, engine out of it, up on rollers... While I attended to my family my kids my property and some health problems. If I die and the car never gets done, at least I know I lived my life right for my family. As a veteran, I have put years into my freedom and my life as well as my country. There's so much upside down right now on this planet, and I really cannot understand all the negativity in politics and the bashing. Growing up in the 60s and 70s, drag racing was at its peak in my opinion. Why? You did not have these computers and all of the Wiz Moe's and gadgets... It was the race teams and the driver. People were a lot different then. I like to think we grew up in the best of times really. I got a full set of 1972 Top Fuel funny car and rail and Pro Stock collector cards that Fleer Corporation made. The Tom McEwen fuel funny car is one of the set, only 75 made and mine is number 3. Wishing everybody out there the best of health, love your family , don't worry about the material garbage. That stuff will always be there but your family will not.
Tom has always been looked at as a "character" of the sport, with great marketing skills...and a smart ass attitude. But what gets lost in all that is...he was a flat out great driver. You NEVER saw him get in trouble...I must have seen him make a hundred runs...from 1963 until he stopped driving...and the vast majority were right down the middle. For me he's among the top five drivers I've ever seen. After hearing about his Dad, I have to think a lot of his skills are inherent, and that he was a "natural." A great guy, and a true Legend!
Mark Wales dd
RIP Mongoose. I have the movie, it's pretty good. These guys are the foundation of the sport. Heroes of the golden age of drag racing.
He had a hell of a run, Godspeed Mongoose.
Tom was a good drag racer and I can tell you he was also a good person.
Love the jokingly comment about the snake and nobody liking him. And Don not liking anyone. They were brothers from the start till the Mongoose passed away. Along with Garlits Tom and Don made the glory years of drag racing exciting and fun.
Love the rivalry. I liked the snake as a kid the most but since ive got older and watched more footage and interviews ive learned the mongoose way. Hes with his Boys now. God bless him
sad to hear of Tom Mc ewen passng away, great man ,father and racer ... RIP
RIP Tom. Saw you run dozens & dozens of times at Capitol, Budd's Creek, & Englishtown. Haven't smelled any nitro for decades, but the memories are still there.
The very best smell in the wide world is nitro and burning rubber!!!
RIP, Mongoose. I used to watch you at Brainerd International Raceway in the 1980's. It was a different time, and you always made it a fun experience.
I had the Hot Wheels as a kid. The funny cars were my favorite. :) - The story about his son was heartbreaking. :(
wow you know I had a Polaroid tooken by my step-dad in the cockpit of the snakes us marines funny car at Orange County international raceway as a kid until this day was the best day of my life Man watching this brings back memories Tom you guys were the best in my book God bless and take care
McEwen's 1986-87 "Coors Corvette" was the best looking FC ever, it will ALWAYS be my favorite, I wish Revell would produce a 1/24 scale model of that particular car.
What a guy! RIP you were one of the greats!
This man was a true American hero.
Godspeed Tom. Thank you guys for the legends series.
He truly is one of the "good ole boy's"great man, great drag racer, great interview !
This was really tough to watch because of the tragedy with his son. I never realized what he went through, I just knew the Snake and the Mongoose and what I saw on TV and the magazines.
R.I.P. legend :(
Excellent video!
What a great interview. That last advice of his had me laughing out loud!
I watched him run at NJ. Back in the real good days.😅
I love this dude. Just happened upon this video because I love drag racing ( not particular) as a kid I loved those hot wheel cars and I love Funny Cars in general. My favorites are the Snake and Mongoose.
Great stuff ! Love to hear the story of how Mongoose bikes came to be, I know i had one or two in the 80s!
You'd think that I would have finally learned not to start watching a Legends film when I really don't have time to watch it all at once, which I do, getting to whatever else in due time. It was special to have him talk about his son, which must have been very painful for him. I'd seen him race countless times but realize that I never knew enough about him to appreciate him as I do now, after having watched this.
He loved joe a whole lot, miss them both
I'm just now seeing this, I now know, that messing with people is in our blood. The first few minutes is so representative of myself.
Nice video. Brings back old memories
RIP Tom
I just found out, descedents of the surname Mac Eoghain went to Wales and became Owen or Owens but some thought that was too anglo so they chose McEwen instead. So this racer is related to announcer Gary Owens, but you may have to back as far as 1000 BC Ireland to connect the parents. They were considered royalty in Ireland and noblemen in Wales.
I went to grade school with a guy who wound up living next door to Tom, he wound up on the pit crew.....
I remember as a kid going across the street and seeing a dragster in Mr. Mcewens garage and dad said he gave kids rides around the block sometimes. but I was 5 or 6 at the time. He and my dad where friends. we always went to his races when in so cal.I think the kid you are talking about (I could be wrong)was the older boy that went around one year recruiting other kids one Halloween to toilet paper the corner house.HA HA He was very polite and asked the parents first and we had permission from the home owners who were going to be out of town. It was a very different time for sure. I was the kid who lived across the street with the big great Dane that was always getting out of the back yard. All the neighborhood kids would help me and my brother to chase him down and try to wrangle him back home sometimes it took hours. good times.We only lived there a few years but it was memorable. Tom was a good man.
In the movie Goose shoulda played Bill Doner, they resemble each other in their older decades.
cool!!
RIP goose
what in the world did Pete Ward have to do with this video LOL.
I lost complete interest in Top Fuelers once they went rear-engine, sling-shots were the epitome of drag racing.
HELLYES>>> except for tha tfaked out duster.. the paint job that never was.