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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