SEMA has announced the recipients of its Person of the Year, Content Creator of the Year and Robert E. Petersen Lifetime achievement awards.
Presented on November 7 at the SEMA Industry Awards Banquet, these awards honor individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the automotive aftermarket industry over a yearlong period.
Don “The Snake” Prudhomme was honored with the prestigious Petersen Automotive Museum’s Robert E. Petersen Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was presented by the museum’s Executive Director Terry L. Karges.
Prudhomme began his career as an NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car driver in 1962, ultimately collecting 49 career wins, placing him fifth in NHRA history. He retired from driving in 1994 to launch Don Prudhomme Racing, earning NHRA Top Fuel championships in 2002 and 2003 with driver Larry Dixon. Prudhomme was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1991 and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2000. His racing accomplishments are also celebrated in the 2013 movie “Snake and Mongoose,” which focuses on the rivalry between Prudhomme and Tom “The Mongoose” McEwen.
“Don Prudhomme is a true legend on and off the track and he was a good friend of Mr. Petersen. “The Snake” is beloved by drag racing diehards and non-racing fans alike, and his achievements have left a lasting legacy in motorsports,” said Karges. “We are proud to celebrate Don with this award and honored to have him as part of our museum family.”
Named after the founder of the Petersen Automotive Museum, previous recipients of the award include Dan Gurney, Art Chrisman, Carroll Shelby, George Barris, Andy Granatelli, The Ford Family, Vic Edelbrock, Jack Roush, Ed Iskenderian, “Speedy” Bill Smith, So-Cal Speed Shop founder Alex Xydias, Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, William Clay Ford Jr., Richard Petty, Wally Parks and Roy Brizio.
Also recognized, Colby McLaughlin as the Person of the Year and ChrisFix as the Content Creator of the Year.
The SEMA Industry Awards are among the most prestigious honors given to individuals in the industry.
In 2025, the SEMA Industry Awards Banquet will move to Fontainebleau Las Vegas from the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino, which has hosted the event since 1977. The SEMA Show is dedicated to evolving to provide a better event experience for industry members.
This story was originally published on November 8, 2024. 
