PHOTOS: JOE McHUGH, NATE VAN WAGNEN, COLE ROKOSKY |
you know what the car likes, and you can come back and correct stuff. Being hands-on on both aspects helps a lot. But I’ ve also stood behind cars and tuned them and been able to make the right adjustments even when drivers couldn’ t give me feedback. When you look at the computer, it doesn’ t lie. Numbers are numbers. If you go by that you can correct. But at our level of racing, both being in the driver’ s seat and tuning I think does give a little advantage.”
Although Snider handles two roles on the team, he is quick to point out that he could not compete at the highest level without his team of crew, supporters and sponsors. In fact, Snider says it was more important to him to win the championship for them than for himself.
“ My crew, crew chief Jimmy [ Crenshaw ] and Michael [ Elsberry ], go and make absolutely no money; they take off of work and lose money
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just because they love it and believe in me. Them and the fans that support me, text me, email me, call; all the folks from my hometown – nobody here [ in town ] is really known for racing or having fast cars; and my sponsors; it’ s all for them. It’ s not about me- I mean, I’ m happy we won, but it was for everybody that believed in me. Those are the people I’ m happy for. I’ m happy that they got the championship, that they were part of it. You can’ t ever take this from us. We won it fair and square. We worked hard. |
“ My mom is probably one of my biggest cheerleaders,” Snider continued, giving credit where credit is due.“ My wife stays back and doesn’ t go because of the kids’ school. She supports me while I’ m gone racing and tuning. Mama has to take care of the home front while I’ m gone.
“ Q80 was a big part of our success this year, but they will not be back next year. This was a one year deal and I knew that going in. We’ re currently seeking marketing partners, primary or associate. Without these guys here we’ re not going to be able to be out there next year. I cannot fund it out of my own pocket. I’ ve got to have major help. We’ d like to come back and defend our title, but without additional sponsorship we won’ t be able to. The team is on board and in place to do it; it’ s just that extra help we’ ve got to have.”
Snider also thanks product and associate sponsors Quick Drive, Liberty Gears, SCE Gaskets, Valvoline, Moroso, Hammer Superchargers, Dan Olson, Manley, Trend Performance, Bullet Cams, Fragola Performance Systems, Precision Racing Suspension, Neal Chance Converters, Pro Fabrication, Diamond Pistons, Rage Fuel Systems, Hoosier Tire, NGK Plugs, MBE Cylinder Heads, Richmond Gear, Total Seal, Jesel, Clevite, MVM, Alky Pro, Reid Rocker Arms, CarSon Innovation Inc, Jerry Bickel Race Cars, Motorsports Unlimited, Flagship Transportation.
“ I really want to thank everybody that’ s got a decal on this car,” added Snider, who also co-owns an HVAC business.“ They’ re on here for a reason- either because they support me with product or semi-sponsorship. I want to thank all the sponsors that believed in me and stayed with me over the past two years. We finally got it this year. We finally pulled it off.”
“ I’ m just the idiot looking at the graph and driving the car. If it wasn’ t for all these other people helping out we wouldn’ t be able to do it,” Snider added gratefully.“ It’ s hard for me to take credit for it. I just appreciate everybody that’ s stayed with me. And really I want to thank Tommy, Judy, Mitchell and Jason for stepping up and having a place for us to go race. If it wasn’ t for PDRA, we’ d be back Quick 8 local racing. Those guys, all of them, stepped up and kept going even through rain-outs and hard races. Everybody still got paid. That says a lot for this organization. I want to thank them for supporting us and having us a place to race.”
- LISA COLLIER DI
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