Names like Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins, Glen “Fireball” Roberts, Warren “The Professor” Johnson, Ivan “The Iron Man” Stewart, Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, Tom “The Mongoose” McEwen, Shirley “Cha Cha” Muldowney, “Dandy” Dick Landy, and countless others have become the characters that define motorsports. And while each of these folks have proven themselves on the track, it is oftentimes their antics off the track that give them their nicknames. Sometimes the stories about how they got the nickname are far more or far less dramatic than we would expect, but if the nickname sticks it follows them forever. In fact, when we go to the NHRA Wally Parks Motorsports Museum and talk to Prudhomme or McEwen, the overwhelming majority of folks call them Snake or Mongoose. It’s this kind of characterization that makes us love our favorites in a lot of cases.
With literally hundreds and hundreds of super cool nicknames, it is really hard to say who has the best. So today’s BangShift Question of the Day is going to put the decision in your hands. Who Has, or Had, The Coolest Nickname in Racing?
"The Intimidator"
DA GRUMP!
Dick Trickle
Fireball Roberts
Don the snake prudhomme and tom mongoose mcewen
Butch Leal, “The California Flash”.
I almost forgot, Bob Glidden, “Maddog”.
“Big Daddy” Don Garlits
Also, Ed “The Ace” McCulloch
Hey Ron Ward, I don’t think Dick Trickle qualifies since it’s the poor guys real name. What the heck was his mother thinking anyway? But, that is dang funny! LOL
John “the zookeeper” Mulligan!!
Bob”Two Gun”Tattersall
“Sneaky” Pete Robinson?
“Jungle” Jim Liberman
“Tricky” Ricky Smith, or, how about, Henry “Smokey” Yunick???
Animal Jim Feurer. Or maybe Jungle Pam.
“Barefoot Bob” McCreadie
E.J. POTTER—-THE MICHIGAN MADMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The King – Richard Petty
I agree the “King” Richard Petty.
The King rules all. Unless there was someone who was nicknamed God it’s got to be the King.
Smoke – Tony Stewart
Ronnie “The Boss” Sox [Mr. 4 speed]
“Wild” Willie Borsch!!! “TV” Tommy Ivo!,
Wicked Sid Seeley “the MOLINE MADMAN”.
Leroy Goldstein the “Isreali Rocket”