This card reminds me of going to drag races with my dad in Tennessee when I was kid. Some people say there’s blood on this relic, but it’s more likely to be ketchup 😂
McEwen was a drag racing pioneer who helped popularize the sport during his four decades as a racer. He received the nickname “The Mongoose” in part to goad a rival (Don “The Snake” Prudhomme) into racing him, and their rivalry was leveraged into a sponsorship deal with Hot Wheels. The deal revolutionized the sport, allowing him and Prudhomme to buy the best equipment, innovate their car designs, engage in traveling exhibitions all over the country, and raise the profile of racing. He was inducted into the Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2001.
This helmet was signed by the 16 NASCAR drivers who competed in the 2018 Playoffs, including the year's Champion Joey Logano, and was given to me when I left the league in 2019. It's one of my favorite mementos from my 10 years spent in the sport.